Day 74 of 365 - Thrift Store Treasures
This morning before meeting my friends at the café, I visited the thrift store next door to it. It happens to be a Goodwill store, and is a fairly big operation. A new building was constructed in the past five years which houses the donation center, the store, a café and two upper levels where there are offices of different agencies and meeting rooms. It's one of those well designed multi-purpose buildings.
Because my group of friends frequents the café on a regular basis, I have more often visited the store as well as donating many items to the collection center.
Some people are great shoppers in general as well as having a particularly good eye for thrift store treasures. One friend I'm thinking of, has made such a practice of this that, she can quickly walk through the store and zero in on great items. It's amazing what she has found there, from antiques to great clothing items.
For myself, I still need to take my time and slowly peruse the shelves and racks with specific kinds of items in mind. Otherwise, it's all just a jumble to me, even though the store is pretty well organized.
One of my quirky purchase categories is coasters, the kind you put under cups or glasses. We have wood furniture which is not waterproof sealed and needs protecting. I enjoy changing up table settings and having a variety of coasters to match the placemats and napkins in my table linens.
Most of the new coasters found in stores nowadays are either glass or thin cardboard or cork. So, what I look for in the Goodwill store are the old style sturdy ones, which have a strong cork backing and a hard surface with a sealed picture print of some kind. Today I found a set of four for only $2. Last year I found some delightful Christmas coasters which I'm using again this holiday season.
Now I keep a little running list of items in my head for my monthly or so store visit. Most of the time they are not things I need immediately. It's pleasantly satisfying when I come across one of them. Because they are so affordable, when I tire of using them, I just donate them again and switch things up. Reduce, reuse, recycle and provide jobs.
Sometimes I digress from my list when I see something too good to pass up. For example, several weeks ago, when they first started displaying Christmas items, I saw a boxed set of mugs which had never been opened. They were very tasteful, with reindeer motifs, so could be used beyond the holidays. I bought them and offered them to my son who had recently broken some mugs and could use them.
Thrift stores are a great shopping option for the browser who has time and is flexible in their wish list. I am glad to have a good one which is conveniently close to my home and nearby another place I am often visiting. You just never know what kind of treasure you may find.
Because my group of friends frequents the café on a regular basis, I have more often visited the store as well as donating many items to the collection center.
Some people are great shoppers in general as well as having a particularly good eye for thrift store treasures. One friend I'm thinking of, has made such a practice of this that, she can quickly walk through the store and zero in on great items. It's amazing what she has found there, from antiques to great clothing items.
For myself, I still need to take my time and slowly peruse the shelves and racks with specific kinds of items in mind. Otherwise, it's all just a jumble to me, even though the store is pretty well organized.
One of my quirky purchase categories is coasters, the kind you put under cups or glasses. We have wood furniture which is not waterproof sealed and needs protecting. I enjoy changing up table settings and having a variety of coasters to match the placemats and napkins in my table linens.
Most of the new coasters found in stores nowadays are either glass or thin cardboard or cork. So, what I look for in the Goodwill store are the old style sturdy ones, which have a strong cork backing and a hard surface with a sealed picture print of some kind. Today I found a set of four for only $2. Last year I found some delightful Christmas coasters which I'm using again this holiday season.
Now I keep a little running list of items in my head for my monthly or so store visit. Most of the time they are not things I need immediately. It's pleasantly satisfying when I come across one of them. Because they are so affordable, when I tire of using them, I just donate them again and switch things up. Reduce, reuse, recycle and provide jobs.
Sometimes I digress from my list when I see something too good to pass up. For example, several weeks ago, when they first started displaying Christmas items, I saw a boxed set of mugs which had never been opened. They were very tasteful, with reindeer motifs, so could be used beyond the holidays. I bought them and offered them to my son who had recently broken some mugs and could use them.
Thrift stores are a great shopping option for the browser who has time and is flexible in their wish list. I am glad to have a good one which is conveniently close to my home and nearby another place I am often visiting. You just never know what kind of treasure you may find.
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