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Thrifty Tips

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I’m back to share some more Goodwill tips. 

Last time we touched on this subject, I showed you how to make the most of your shopping experience when it comes to picking up items on the cheap.  Then you guys pitched in your own tips (which I personally have been able to put to use so I owe ya a huge ole THANKYOU for saving me even more dough).  Well, I am back to spread a little more good will (pun intended).  Here are some additional ways to help you save money by buying gently used items at your local thrift stores. 

1.  BUY OFF SEASON ITEMS

The time that people clean out their attics and their basements (and closets, storage rooms, etc.) is generally not between Thanksgiving and Christmas.  People do it in the spring and summer.  That means you can pick up some of those pretty Christmas bulbs, turkey platters and Halloween costumes for pennies during the warmer months.  Plus, the good people at thrift stores are more likely to price seasonal items LESS at times when you can’t use em.  So check out those christmas ornaments (like I did – these antique bulbs were only 80 cents a box!) or white elephant gifts or wreaths NOW.   

2.  KNOW THE STUFF YOU GOT

Whenever I go shopping, I make a mental note prior to arriving about what items I own.  For instance, we only have queen beds and a twin daybed.  That means sifting through the full or king sized sheets would only be useful if I am looking for sewing fabrics or photo backdrops.  I know this because I know what I own.  I also have a list on my phone that helps out.  Each room is listed with the colors that I have incorporated and the names of the furniture in that room and large items that I am looking for in that space.  I also have saved a photo of each room from my house to my iPhone so that I can reference it quickly.   

The lists look a little something like this example: 

Master Bedroom. 

Cream/Chocolate/Blue. 

Canopy furniture. 

Leather Bed. 

Need: bookcase or desk or semilune table/floor mirror/floor basket/large frame with mat.   

Then as I am out shopping, if I find something cheap I can immediately make a decision whether I should buy it and where it will go in our home.  It is really helpful – especially when I find something like the cube ottoman covers pictured above.  We bought the storage ottomans a few years ago and just recently scored these extra slipcovers (for only $7 a piece) at the Pottery Barn outlet.  Talk about a steal!  Not only do they meet the criteria for our living room (green & white? check.  fit for a cube ottoman? check!) but they will definitely come in handy once Will starts the whole grubby-hand-and-walking thing.  Now whenever our normal slipcovers are getting washed, these can protect the ottoman.  C’mon.  You wouldn’t want to leave an ottoman all exposed.  It would be indecent 🙂

 

3.  WAIT AND SAVE

Patience can be a virtue.  And that is never more true than when you shop for nonnecessities.  You gotta be uber-patient to get the sale price of an item you love.  not like.  LOVE.  Take for instance this wedding album we got for $20.  Most wedding albums can run ya a few hundred dollars (especially when you buy direct from your wedding photog)…but we figure that our alternative will end up costing us only about $40 when it is all said and done.  First, we cut a deal with our photographer that we would have the rights to the photos.  That means we can print them willynilly at any size of our choosing.  Then we also waited almost three years till we finally took the plunge by buying an album that we LOVE.  Sure, twenty bones isn’t exactly the cheapest album in the world but considering it comes with a box that you can slip it into, all covered with rich silk fabrics that match our den and a personalized plate that you can have monogrammed at the place of your choosing and then adhered to the front for a truly expensive looking album – it really is a perfect match.  Now to get those photos ordered….hopefully that won’t take another three years.      

4.  THEME TEAM

Do you know your style?  Is it country?  Cottage?  Beachy?  Modern?  Whimsical?  Nautical?  Being able to nail down your personal style will help you when it comes to accessories.  Once you identify your style you can use it as a benchmark for your thrifty shopping.  All you have to do is find an item, hold it up and ask yourself – “IS THIS _______________?” (fill in the blank with your own personal style.) 

When it came to this boat I spied on the Goodwill shelf, it fully met the criteria for my love of nautical style.  I do believe there was an audible “COME TO MAMA, SANTA MARIA!”.  Granted, I don’t dig the little paper flags on the top of the ship but that’s nothing that a little pinch and flick won’t take care of 🙂   

5.  GET A BIG WOODY

A big woody frame, that is.  Goodwill and thrift stores usually have a huge stash of frames that look like they belong in a sleezy motel.  But under closer inspection, you can find wood frames that are just begging for a makeover.  Look for the frames that have non-cracked glass and wood frames (bonus points if you can get a mat!).  After you pull your frames home, pull out the spraypaint and some sandpaper to get a custom look.  If your mat doesn’t match your decor you can always use a little adhesive spray to cover it with fabric of your choice.  Personally I would go for a white frame with a burlap mat…but really the combinations are endless.    

6.  A TISKET, A TASKET, BUY A CLEAN BASKET

Thrift stores are the best place to score a basket for only a dollar or two.  I always find the best baskets at Goodwill for cheap and use them for gift baskets, bread baskets, cabinet storage and in-drawer-separators.  To get rid of the little critters that I know are dwelling between the woven bits (eww! I am itchy just thinking about it.)  I make sure to double check the inside of the basket for any previous leakage marks or sticky substances.  Then I do what we all want to do to Lindsay Lohan – vacuum the heck outta the thing and wipe it down with two dozen Clorox wipes. 

7.  MULTIPLY THE LOVE

My ultimate favorite Goodwill find was this little bird.  Yup.  I had to fight off a Jeff Gordon fan to get it but it is mine oh mine.  That encounter happened quite a long time ago.  So you can imagine my elation when I spied the twin bird on the shelf just this past week:

The tip here is that multiples are your friend.  If one is good then two, or even three is better.  Now I can use these birdies to create a tablesetting centerpiece or flank a grouping of candlesticks.  Or I could even use them in seperate rooms to decorate different areas.  The point is, I love them and think that when you love something a twin or a triplet is just double or triple the love. 

So there are some more thrifty tips aimed at helping you save money while shopping for things that you will love for years to come.  Any favorites?  Or maybe you have another tip to share?  Perhaps you just want to brag on a recent deal?  Or maybe you just feel a little more inspired to kick some Goodwill booty?

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Comments

  1. Ok. I’m seriously going to have to come to YOUR Goodwill. The one in my town never has such cute stuff – and I consider myself a pretty seasoned Goodwill shopper. Congrats though for living in a place where folks donate such amazing things!

  2. Oh man… Now I HAVE to go to Goodwill. Although im with Tara, our Goodwill looks like it was stashed with items that were donated by a Panhandler who found them in a dumpster behind the Dollar Tree store. Booo. Granted im not a seasoned Goodwill shopper but the times I do go I never find anything as cute as the things you have found.

    My only thrifty find was a 6-drawer dresser that I scored for $20.00. Brought it home and refinished that baby. Only thing is, I didn’t find it at the Goodwill. Found her at the Waterfront Rescue Mission.

  5. Great post! I love all thrifty tips, big and small. Just a note – I went to donate a bunch of items a few weeks ago after a garage sale and the Goodwill wouldn’t take the Christmas tree stand. They said it was out of season so they wouldn’t take it. I think this makes grabbing out of season products you find even more important because you probably won’t see any for a long time if they aren’t accepting them until later in the year.

  6. Hi Sarah,
    That rule must be a store by store kinda thing because ours totally accepts off season donations. Maybe it has something to do with the size of the store or the inability to display all the stuff? Either way – thanks for the headsup!
    XO – Katie

  8. Loved both of your Goodwill posts – so helpful! I often feel stumped when trying to think creatively about items, but you’ve renewed my inspiration. Thanks Katie!! ps Will is SUCH a cutie!!

  9. What an awesome post! I love all of your tips! I always feel so overwhelmed when I go thrifting but I think that your tips are really going to help! Thanks!

  10. These are great tips! I especially love the PB slipcovers, and the white birds. I recently found a a white bird (not the same) in the clearance isle at Micheal’s, and it was only 2.99! Looks fab on my mantle.

  14. Hi Katie,
    I laughed when I saw your bird as I bought the EXACT same one at my local Salvation Army thrift store for $2.99 (I’m in Vancouver)… The funny thing is, before I went into the store, I just *knew* that I was going to find a bird of some sort that day. We call ours “the ptarmigan.”
    🙂

  16. I have some brothers (or sisters!?) of your birds! I, too, spotted one and fell in love, only to find another a few weeks later. SCORE! Apparently these little birds (that I guess held perfume or something that smell reminds me of my grandma?) were all the rage at one point!
    I love your goodwill posts. They always give me the urge to go out and hit the thrift stores again. Coincidentally, my son broke our coffee table last night (stripped the wood… doing a wood glue test but assuming it’s a no-go. luckily, only the table was hurt!) so thanks for helping me get the urge to go cheap & invest in some spray paint again. The grimy feeling that I have when I leave those stores is always my turn off….

  17. Oh I love these posts – you have such a good eye for finding a bargain! Your last set of tips came in handy when I went to my first “car boot” sale (a UK flea market) recently and picked up a gorgeous glass cheese plate for £2, a glass & pewter candelabra for £2.50 and a lovely little gold owl for £2 which I promptly spray painted white and has pride of place in my living room. I’m sure that if I hadn’t seen your post, I wouldn’t have had a clue what I was looking for so thank you! There are loads of bargains to be had – I love the idea of keeping a list of what you need on your phone though. Will have to try that!

  18. I stopped at my local Goodwill-like thrift store last week and all Christmas goodies were an additional 50% off. A lot of the stuff was easy to walk by, but I definitely scooped up a box of ornaments!
    Great tips!

  19. I read a blog post a couple months back (of course I cannot find it now!) written by a lady who got bedbugs in her master bedroom from either a blanket or chair that she got from the thrift store. Scary! Just a reminder not to bring any fabric type items into your house until you are 100% sure they are not harboring critters!

  22. I love your Goodwill posts and each time I see them, I check out our local Goodwill and Salvation Army Thrift Stores. But I don’t have nearly as good luck as you do. Although I did get my son a Diego (plastic) backpack for a buck! So that made him happy.
    However, due to your sharing the link to the online Goodwill store in another post, I just picked up another one of those birds too. I paid a bit more, I think shipping was more than the bird! I had to do it, because I won the small and large versions on eBay when I first found your blog months ago.

  23. OMG, Katie! There is a triplet to your bird at our Goodwill (Snellville) right now! I just saw it yesterday. It’s gold, but it’s the exact same if you paint it white!

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