HOW TO: Keys to Good Thrifting

I've had a couple friends ask me how I manage good finds when thrifting. I have to say, it's an acquired skill, but with a few tricks & time I've found some of my favorite clothes/shoes/accessories/housewares at the thrift stores.

I've been thrifting since middle school. I remember many a back-to-school shopping trip with my friend Heather at the "Laural Salvation Army" bringing home trash bags full of t shirts, jeans, & skirts.

So, I thought I might share some tips & tricks I've learned along the way:

1. Find your local thrift stores.

Obvious, right? But you have to try bunches of them. Some are good from clothes but awful for furniture. Some only have furniture and nothing for kids. There are websites like The ThriftyShopper.com that list local ones. Also check the phone book.

2. Have certain things you are in the market for.

It's nice to have particular items you want to always check for. I started this collection of Disney books when I noticed a couple at our local thriftstore. I keep a list in my purse of the ones we already have & add to it as I find more.

I'm always looking for gnomes. Cardigans: to feed my addiction. Like-new kids/baby clothes. Tea cups. Books for me- I read too much to always by new ones. Fabric. Unused patterns.

3. Go often.

I try to go once a week to one thrift store. Stuff is constantly rotating in thrift stores. Some days you'll find the thrifting equivalent to gold, other days I walk away empty handed. Which leads me to my next tip...

4. Walk away empty handed.

It's really easy to go all crazy when you first go, especially if it's a "gold" day, but you need to be discerning. Only buy really good quality stuff you love. A lot of times you buy it & end up keeping for a while, never use it, & it ends up donated back to the thrift store.

5. Use your imagination

Frames are always good for this. They are expensive at normal stores & it only takes a coat of paint to make the ones at a thrift store perfect for you. Lamps too. Spray paint is your friend. I also love the illusive new condition baby onesie. There are 18 million ways to fancy-up a onesie- just check out Pinterest. Things I've prettied-up from thrift stores here & here.

6. Check for holes or stains.

You gotta keep a sharp eye out. I used to buy things & say, "I'll sew up that hole"... But I won't. I have at least 5 things I already own that I have to mend. If I love it, it's extraordinary/vintage goodness then I'll buy it & mend it that day. If it's a black cardigan, it ain't gonna happen. I think you should really like something if you’re going to spend money on it—even if it’s only $3.

7. Fill your cart.

If you like it, take second good look at it, if you still like it toss it in the cart. I always pull everything that I might want because it’ll get snatched up if I don’t & then weed out all the must-haves right before checking out. Things get snagged because these are one-of-a-kind goodies. Which leads me to my next tip...

8. DO NOT look in a section that is not your size.

It will kill you. I promise. It's not like a regular store where you find a life changing dress & you can go find it in your size. This has happened to me many times & I'll tell you, it's crushing.

9. Thrift when you travel.

When you're traveling & you have some free time try out some thrift stores. I do this because frankly thrifting in Utah's pretty weak. We're cheap & we use everything to death (baby clothes go through like 8 children). Speaking of children...

10. Ditch the kids

Not an option for everyone (don't I know) but thrifting takes time. Sometimes, on a good trip at least an hour. Plus awful lighting & stimulus overload makes kids crazy people. Leave 'em at home. Babies who sleep the whole time are good.

11. Dig deep

At one of our local shops they have this daunting wall (twice as wide as this picture) full of little baggies with random stuff inside. A lot of it is junk. A lot. But sometimes you get lucky & find treasure. Last time I found tags-still-on Converse One Stars.

12. Some thrift stores have special coupons & promotions.

Scott thinks I'm insane but on some holidays (like President's Day & Labor Day) one of our local stores has all clothes 50% off. Scott's like "We've got money. You don't have to go at 8 am to the 50% off thrift store day" but he doesn't get it. It's not just the deal- it's the treasure! Our local store also gives you a 20% off coupon when you donate there.

13. Congratulate yourself.

You got a great deal. Found something awesome. And it's good for the environment- It makes sense to now and then pick things out from the abundance of stuff that already exists rather than propagating a need for more new merchandise.

Other Extra Tips:
- Mondays are great days to go (people clean their closets out on the weekend, everything gets refilled).
- Go in the morning (even though they restock all day the best stuff is out in the morning).
- Some thrift stores only take cash so be prepared with cash
- Look for brand names (you know they are good quality & will last)
- There are a lot of baby clothes (kids clothes are harder because they are so hard on their clothes)
- Check the accessories section (that $20 belt can be $2 at a thrift store)
- Try different styles (Because thrifting is so cheap, you can afford to try a new style or trend that you aren't sure you'll love)

Here are some baby clothes I scored on a recent trip:

Old Navy turtle onesie, a Led-Zeppelin shirt, Gap fleece lined jeans & a new pair of New Balance sneakers- all brand new quality!

Some of my favorite shoes I've thrifted through the years:

Brown riding boots, peach vintage heels, & my favorite turquoise cowgirl boots

What about you guys? Any tips or tricks you use when thrifting? Any other questions feel free to ask in the comments!

Thrift Store Prizes I Passed Up

Yesterday while the kids were at "preschool" with Esther so I had a lunch date with Scott, wrote at Borders, & visited the local thrift store.

After browsing, I seriously considered getting this lovely...

And I kind of regret not getting it because it's all sorts of groovy.

However, I did not seriously consider getting this one...

Because it's just scary & we already have one slightly possessed fluffy cat in our house.

One man's trash is another man's treasure...

Our local thrift store had a 50% off all clothing & accessories sale. Man, that place was jam packed crazy town (& the crazies were out in force).

I'm not sure what I was thinking seeing as I'm just barely feeling human after being sick for days, but Es & I went anyway & even found a couple things.

This one was my "treasure" find...

Come on... that's rad! Not only llamas but "PERU!" emblazoned on the ear flaps. My dad (who served his LDS mission in Peru & Columbia) would be proud.

Want to see other treasures I've found in the past while thrift shopping? Look here, here, here, & here.

What are some treasures you've found while thrifting?

P.S. Here's a picture of the kids I posted on Twitter. What? You don't follow me on Twitter? Then you'll miss such THRILLING updates as "my nose is clogged" or "Skinny jeans. Yea or Nay?"

Deseret Industries Shoes

Esther & I headed out to our local Deseret Industries (or DI) yesterday. DI is a non-profit thrift store out here in Utah. If you have the time & patience they are a treasure trove of lovely things.

Yesterday I found about 50 pairs of shoes that I love & these were the two I settled on...

I am digging the bright orange Chineese Mary Jane cloth shoes & I originally found only one of these cute vintage peach pumps but eventually found the other pair.

Hip-hip for thrift stores!

Wardrobe De Lincoln

I got an email just the other day complimenting me on Linc's clothes & asking where I buy them (seriously, thank you so much, that made my day). It's just SO nice to hear it because I do really think about how I dress my kiddos in general but I am no fashionista.

I just wish I had an easy answer for my blog friend & for you guys. A lot of the brands that I would love for Linc to wear are just WAY TOO expensive (like here & here too) for clothes they'll grow out of in a few months.

So, I get thrifty & have a couple favorite places I get clothes too. Here are a couple rules I follow when dressing Linc:

1. Let them be comfy! I just believe in letting bambinos be comfy while they can- especially pants.

2. Simple onesies- I tend to not love most baby clothes with saying & cutesie animals on it. I gravitate to the simple plain shirts, patterns animals, & stripes.

3. Make your own- Iron-ons, embroidery, paint, dye, fabric markers- all great ways to make your own cute shirts.

4. Thrift stores & sales- I know thrifting is not for everyone but the cutest clothes I've bought (especially stripe-y pants are from thrift stores) & I always keep my eye out for sales.

But as for stores, a couple of my favorite places to get clothes for Linc are at H&M, one of my favorite "expensive" brands, Zutano, now has a collection at Target & I've actually been impressed with BuyBuyBaby. I can also usually find a couple things at the classics Gap (though, again, pricey for baby clothes when not on sale) & Old Navy.

So, thank you for your nice comments on this kiddos clothes, but really, I think it's just because the kid in them is so darn cute- he really makes the clothes!

Friday Fiction Fiend #8- Meet Heather

If you've read my blog for a while you probably already know my friend Heather (ie: Smithy). She is an amazing friend for a million & one reasons, but for our book purposes here, I'll mention a couple very important characteristics of a best friend:

1. A willingness to read any book I ask her to, but especially her willingness to read crappy books, just so I have someone to talk to about it.
2. She is also always willing to camp out with me at book signings & other such awesome authorial events.
3. And, last but not least, Heather is one of the biggest supporters of my writing & I could not be more grateful for her her encouragement, her reading of my TERRIBLE first drafts, & her prophetic dreams about my future.  

So, in short, she rocks.

Here are her picks & I think you're gonna like them!

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I'm anti-favorites these days.  A shirt that I loved yesterday just doesn't seem to fit quite right today.  I saw Titanic four times in the movie theater when it came out, but have no interest in watching it again now.  Not only do my tastes change, but I would much rather read a new book, even if it's bad, than re-read an old book that I really liked at the time I read it.

So, I can't say that these are my all-time favorites, but I remember I really enjoyed them when I read them:

1.  A Fine Balance, Rohinton Mistry

I really like historical fiction...maybe because I feel like I'm also learning something while I'm reading.  Prior to reading A Fine Balance, I knew nothing about India.  I actually only picked up this book because it was fifty cents at a thrift store and had the O (Oprah) stamp on it.  You know when you're reading an Oprah pick that it can't be THAT bad.  Negative reviews on the book say it's a downer and doesn't have a happy ending.  Even though it's a work of fiction, I enjoy reading books like this because it very well could have been someone's reality and it helps keeps my own life in perspective.  

Of course having said that, lately I have been leaning toward quick reads that are simply for pure entertainment.  At law school, I read hundreds of pages a week from casebooks.  It was exhausting.  Whenever I had the chance to read for enjoyment, I wanted something light-hearted, and preferably short.  So that lead me to young adult fiction...

2.  Curse Worker Trilogy, Holly Black

I don't often buy books, but I pre-ordered these!  I loved that these books were from a male's point of view, that it involved magic but no vampires or werewolves, and that there was a good love story. This is also rare a trilogy where I equally loved all three books.  

3.  Dearly, Departed: A Zombie Novel, Lia Habel

I only read this book because it was available electronically from the county library for me to read on my e-reader. The beginning was a little slow for me, but I finished it in two days (while working full-time and juggling a 14 month old).  I think it's hard to pull of a good Zombie book, but Lia Habel has taken a new spin on the walking dead and manages to make you fall in love with a dead man.  The sequel comes out next week.

I swear there are a ton of other books that I would recommend (Liv previously posted about  Anna Dressed in Blood and the sequel, Girl of Nightmares does not disappoint), but quite frankly, it's my bedtime.  

A Trek West- PORTLAND

Earlier this summer the kids and I headed out to Portland to visit my dad and also celebrate his 65th birthday! I have grown to love Portland in out past trips there (here and here) but this trip was honestly one of the best.

The kids traveled really well this time. A mini miracle in and of itself.

Let me just say, Portland has fantastic food. I mean, off the charts and we found some very kid friendly places this time, which can be hard in a city. We had yummy Roman Noodles, the great local burger place Burgerville, an all Mac&Cheese place, and a very cool sushi place where the sushi travels around on a conveyer-belt and you pay by the plate (by far my most favs!).

Portland also has some crazy cool stores. Rob's favorite was the huge Lego store. He could have stayed there for hours and spent a small fortune. Syd loved the cool thrift store for art/craft supplies. We both could have spent hours and spent a small fortune. It was so much fun!

The kids loved the OMSI (Oregon Museum of Science and Industry), but mostly they loved hanging out with Grandpas.

I think if the kids & I had to pick a most favorite part of the trip it would be the ENCHANTED FOREST. You guys, this place had just enough to do to be fun, and was just ghetto enough to be awesome! It was perfect- empty, a little creepy, and oh so cool. The place is full of hidden caves and tunnels and slides. It's hard to describe if you've never been there but trust me it is a place not to be missed. We were there in the pouring rain and it made it that much more awesome. Basically, go now, you guys. You won't regret it!

Hooray Portland!

Coupons are best when they are for things I really want...

1) I have a beastly hard time finding boots. I don't think I've ever found a pair that I've loved. Until today... thanks to our local thrift store & the $8, with a 30% off coupon, I had in my pocket.

2) Then I broke down & bought that doormat I wanted. Thank you Bed Bath & Beyond for carrying it & for having a $5 off when you spend $15 or more coupon.

A reminder of happy things when I'm feeling sick...

Fall. Have I mentioned how much I love fall? It's lovely. And wanting a keffiyeh & finding one for $2.

And thrift stores. I love them too. Last trip I brought home a rosy lipped gnome & a pair of cute Keds.

And I also love fish eye lens. Scott found one of his in an old box. It's doesn't fit my camera but that doesn't stop me from holding it up to the camera & experimenting.

What makes you happy?