thrifting in the new year...

It's a new year tomorrow and that gets me thinking about how to 'do better' financially. One way I do this is by being frugal and thrifting. Here's a great post by mollyirwin :: on thrifting
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SOME THOUGHTS ON THRIFTING

1. Buy only what you absolutely love. This is my most important rule. I won't just buy something because it's inexpensive; I apply the same standard that I do on any other purchase -- new or not. Admittedly I've made a few mistakes, like the fabric I got home and decided I don't love it after all. Oh well ... little spent; little lost.


2. Be super selective with items that need an update or overhaul. Re-upholstery, re-finishing, painting etc. has an associated cost, whether it be out-of-pocket for hire, or in your own sweat equity. Then there's the TIME factor, so be sure you believe that piece will (when finished) satisfy the love itrule. Lately I've minimized big project purchases like furnishings, with the exception of the little boudoir chair I'm having covered for my closet. It was the perfect scale and proportion for the space.


3. Second-hand items add instant history. The Patina of an old mirror, or the classic graphics on your 1970s board games bring a familiar warmth of a well-loved, inhabited space. Details like this add character and charm, especially to new drywalled spaces like apartments.


4. You will find truly unique things.I love Ikea, Pottery Barn, Crate and Barrel etc. for certain foundational basics, but a few funky or special items can lend instant personal style and fresh life to an otherwise basic decor.


5. The hunt + bargain high. The satisfaction of shopping on 25% off day, on top of what are already super cheap prices is nothing short of thrilling to me.


6. For those with crafty ingenuity thrift shops are a great source for materials. Consider alternative uses for things. This patchwork quilt made entirely of blue pinstriped dress shirts, at Inchmark Journal, is a great example of reconfiguring something in a fresh way.


7. It's very much hit or miss. Sometimes I come away thinking why would I ever buy new again? while other times I'm deflated and kind of grossed out by the whole thing. You just never know what you're going to find, which is what keeps me going back again and again.