I am so excited to share another Goodwill shopping experience with you guys! And of course, my favorite thrift shopping partner is my darling Sher-bear of Young House Love fame.
This time around the shopping cart, we decided that our Sunshine State vacation wouldn’t be complete without a quick and dirty shopping post (no Goodwill pun intended). Since the boys were outnumbered with kids and were physically exhausted from sea kayaking, we agreed to make the 14 mile trip, get in, get out, and snap i-pictures on the fly and return all within an hour.
Basically it was like shopping on speed. without drugs.
Since this was a brand new Goodwill to both of us in a completely different area, we had no idea what to expect. Would it be filled with old life jackets and bathing suits with the bottom worn out? Because count me in on some of that 🙂
But even with no idea what this particular Goodwill was filled with, I knew that all thrift stores have one thing in common….something that I can always fall back on….listen up because I am gonna say this with great confidence. All thrift stores have a strength zone. It may not be something you ever need…aka paperback romance novels….or want…but it will be an area where the price and the number of decent items is better than the rest of the store. In this particular store, the strength zone was linens.
Let’s share some of the stuff we found…this darling quilt was just PERFECT for a girly tween room. It totally screamed Lilly Pulitzer with it’s bright turquoise and lime green (I know the color is off in the picture. Forgive the iphone. It knows not what it does.) In fact, I found this picture later and it was similar to how this thrift find would work. I thought…yup…at under $20, this queen was a heart stopper.
One neutral queen cover with feather down duvet…cost $23.
But the duvet isn’t your style?! Oh well…I guess you can throw it at your brother in law that still sleeps under a beach towel and just use the FEATHER DOWN DUVET with a different cover. Seriously people…a queen duvet for under $50 is almost stealing. It’s practically a crime.
Here is a $20 comforter that is neutral neutral neutral in a fun diamond pattern. I love what West Elm has been doing lately with their bedroom stuff…(that’s what she said)….and they even have an organic diamond textured comforter out right now that can help you get an idea on how to make this cheapo version work. Granted…this is not organic….but it is recycled…so two green thumbs up for you!
Please excuse my appearance and apparent thrifting excitement.
Try to focus on the shower curtain that I am holding. It was from Martha Stewart…in great condition…and only $5. Boom. Winning. Crazy face winning.
This may not be anyone’s jam but mine but I love vintage looking dishtowels. This one was actually frame worthy too…it had the cutest little botanical drawings and Italian writing on it. Totally kitchen worthy…especially for two Italian girls like us.
Now let’s move into some of the non-linen finds…
First up…this cd rack. Remember those round thingies that we used to buy with music on them? The ones that would get scratched and you would be able to check your eye makeup with it? It had artists like Alanis and the Cranberries and Weird Al. Oh just me then.
Well, these bygone treasures are not really relevant anymore….except they make great shoe racks or ribbon racks. Seriously. Don’t walk buy them.
Recognize this? It’s the Ikea wine bottle holder that mounts on the wall. Sadly it doesn’t hold the big bottles. And the big bottles are what we all really want, right fellow mothers?! So what’s a girl to do? Put it in the bathroom for towels. Hang it sideways and make it into a herb garden. Or organize those garage tools. The possibilities are endless!
And these wooden bowls?! Seriously. Be still my wood-lovin’ heart.
There was a complete set…big salad bowl and six little guys. All with scalloped edges and only $15 for the whole shebang. Someone go there and buy these. Rectify this situation. And then put them over your vintage oven and call yourself awesome.
So what did I buy?!
Glad you asked.
Linens of course 🙂
I scored this plaid gold and silver metallic tablecloth. At $6 it was priced a little high. At half off though…it was just right. I’m thinking it might be a great start to a fun new year’s tablescape.
I also found some faux bois placemats (still new with the tags from Target) at $3 for both. I’m still debating whether or not to keep them as placemats or if they would look cuter as fun winter accent pillows.
And speaking of pillows, I scored this Threshold from Target pillow that is still in the stores. It was marked $13 but when I got up there, they gave me 25% off because it was the right color tag and so it came in under ten bones. Also still new with the tags.
In the end, I am super happy we ran in and explored a new-to-us Goodwill. I feel like I was doing the thirty minute Macklemore challenge…twenty bucks but to get good stuff…not grandma’s old jammies or a broken keyboard.
NOW you must go visit Sherry and see what she scored. (hint hint…it’s also in the linen’s department! No it wasn’t the FACE/BUTT towel that she was eyeing. It was a mistake to let a treasure like that go. )
I am super jealous of your deal on that Target Threshold pillow! I have 2 of them in my living room, but I had to pay full price for mine!
Wow! You are right! The linens department is kicking at that Goodwill! Jealous! Love the finds!
Those faux-bois placemats/pillow covers are great! I can see them in a nursery with a woodland theme.
That was SO FUN! Thanks for taking me thrift shopping with you and Sherry!
Annie XO
Those wooden bowls! Wow! Good thing I’m not closer, my husband wouldn’t be so happy if I came home with MORE wooden items… haha!
go back… RIGHT NOW, buy me that duck, ship it to me and we will be lovers forever!!!
Looks like a fun mission! My husband had a BUTT/FACE towel and matching bar soap in college. The towel is now used for drying off our freshly washed cars. Somehow, he just can’t quite let go of that thing…
How did u pass up that dish towel???? I looooove it!
Thanks for the fun post!
hey a totally random question- Did u buy your fridge counter-depth or a bigger one. Having a headache thinking what i should be going in for? Any suggestions?? And how do u like ur LG dishwasher and fridge..help.
A friendly warning for you… Do not wash the faux bois placements! I scored the matching table runner at Target on clearance after Christmas. I spilled something on the runner and it had to be washed. The faux bois was no more – all the little fuzzy particles washed right off leaving me with a boring cream runner! (I plan to paint it so not all is lost)
HA! My mother in law gave us 2 Face/Butt towels one year for Christmas! Yeah those went to our Goodwill store!
SO many cool fabrics that are making me think of what I can reupholster!
I think my mom owns that sparkly tablecloth with matching napkins. I may need to steal it now.
That looks EXACTLY like the Goodwill I go to when I’m at school in Brandon, FL. Apparently FL Goodwills are all giant and wonderful thrifting heavens where unicorns prance around and hand you beautiful, cheap things, often new with tags. This poor college student is becoming quite the thrifting master (as well as creative with things I find…)
Ooooh thanks for the tip!
xo – kb
I can’t stand it!!! How do you show such self restraint! I’m the worst in goodwill, because everything is so cheap. Especially for kid stuff. I find the nicest, barely worn clothes for my kids. All name brands. Love it! Oh and board books. We have a fantastic kiddie library at .25 a book!
Gotta love goodwill, go almost any day of the week and you’ll discover a whole new shopping experience!
Awesome finds!
I hear thrifting. 🙂
http://happinessiscreating.com/
I LOVE that Target sends their salvage items to Goodwill!
I scored 4 great Threshold soup/salad bowls, but my favorite, so far, is a Threshold brown cable knit throw blanket, still with tags and its decorative gray grosgrain ribbon.
Totally going to be in one of this years holiday swaps, for a cool $7!
Looks like it was a fun trip!
As a book horder, I bought two of those old cd racks for $3 each at my goodwill and they made great tiny bookshelves!
Okay, we’re headed to Destin this weekend. What Goodwill is this, because I NEED THOSE WOODEN BOWLS (and the headboards Sherry posted…)???
Hi Katie! This is completely random and has nothing to do with this post, but I was just on Pinterest searching DIY Halloween costumes and came across a pin of you and Will as Snooki and Situation! (I’ve only been reading your blog for a little under a year (probably started right after Halloween) I laughed so hard- so clever & you two looked perfect!
It was fun to read perspectives from both you and Sherry on this one 🙂 Nothing better than a good thrift find!
Aww thanks. I love being crazy for Halloween 🙂
xo – kb
It was near Santa Rosa beach I believe.
xo – kb
I love me some Goodwill! Also, I totally know what you mean by the “strength zones” in thrift stores. Glad y’all had fun and can’t wait for more deets on bambino number 3!
Mine is definitely the biggest one I could find that was decently priced. There is very few things in life like a big fridge 🙂 I think honestly when you go fridge shopping you should know what style you like (ice/water dispenser in door? French doors? side by side? large door shelves? pull out shelves? deli drawer with lid or drawer? etc). The options are endless.
I like ours ok but honestly I do not like certain things – the ice dispenser doesn’t make enough for us when we have friends over…the fridge is ok but the freezer is like a black hole (things go in and I can never find them again). I think our dishwasher is ok too but again not my favorite. The bottom drawer pulls out too far and comes off the track, the rinse aid indicator is weird, the spinners get stopped all the time and there isn’t enough silverware space. First world problems 🙂
xo – kb
I love your outfit Katie!
And those wooden bowls are too adorable. It’s amazing what we can walk away from!
In all my Good Will Hunting …ha… I keep telling myself- remember what Katie says… find the strength zone! 🙂