Newsflash! Thrift store inventory is so more than mustard-stained t-shirts & clothes that either smell like gym shorts or mothballs. It’s a smorgasbord of treats, treasures & must have’s.
The following items can be found on demand in good quality at most thrift stores between the $1 - $10 range. Warning: reading this list will evoke woeful buyer’s remorse. Sorry. But, education is the path to enlightenment.
On the table top: serving bowls & platters; glass pedestals with domes; punch bowl sets; soup tureens; teapots; pitchers; glasses; stemware; plates; bowls; platters; candle sticks (in glass, brass, pewter, wooden); candles; vases; & table linens.
In the kitchen: muffin tins; baking sheets; bundt pans; roasting pans; colanders; any type of mixing bowl; at least one nice non-stick pot; mason jars; glass bottles/spice jars; canisters; coffee makers; toasters; crock pots, & cool kitchen gadgets you can’t live without once you discover. You'll soon discover vintage items are best because they are haunted cookware.
In the home: any kind of basket imaginable; picture frames & stands; photo albums; mirrors; lampshades & lamps; all types of hangers; pots for plants; mirror; electronics (find an outlet in the store to test them); curtains; tables & chairs of all varieties; ironing boards & bookshelves.
Media: books, old magazines, CD's, DVD's, and just about as much vinyl one finds at a used record shop.
Clothes: jeans, dresses, childrens clothes, even men's suits.
Pets: bird cages; bird feeders; aquariums; cages for guinea pigs or hamsters; pet transports; kennels; pet pillows; and cat scratching posts.
Sportswear: Bicycles, golf clubs, and exercise equipment like stationary bikes.
Crafts: yarn; knitting & crochet needles; embroidery loops; new & vintage fabric; vintage buttons; vintage clothing patterns; ribbon; silk flowers; & beads (buy necklaces and cut them up).
Things that make you go Hmm (also known as bric-a-brac): fondue pots (lots & lots of fondue pots); copper Jell-O molds; at least four copies of The Bridges of Madison County; at least two copies of The DaVinci Code; any Danielle Steele book; every kind of salt & pepper shaker imaginable; at least one coconut carved monkey; Hummel knock offs; vintage commercial items (i.e. Kebbler elf mugs, Land-O-Lakes trays, Avon perfume bottles), and statuettes du jour.
Now, don’t think of all the money you could have saved. It would be a toss up between which tanked more: your 401(k) or your Visa bill from the past year.
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4 comments:
I want to share that some sewists can't resist fabric disguised as someone else's throw-away clothes. A long dress several sizes too big for me can eventually become a new skirt and top.
It's true, Marysews.
I buy all my knitting needles and yarn there, knit and sew gifts and spent $1.50 on my Mum's birthday presents this way. Beautiful pure wool yarns for a couple of dollars is priceless!
Sue Caissy
I find some good discount suits in some thrift stores I knew. Well, they aren't as glamorous, in fact the clothes need some adjustments like the navy blue blazer I picked, but at least they can still be worn. It's an apposite alternative for a guy who's trying to save some dime.
I found out about thrifting when I worked at a national thrift store chain, and I was hooked. Bought a few fashion magazines to look up brands and I was ready. Also look all over for tissue boxes to decorate, and take special orders for them. If you stick with it, you can have one of everything you would want or need in time.
Sothernsaver
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