Shopping Thrift: a review of tips for finding gems among junk

Good morning and happy Monday to you all! I missed you last week, and am so glad to be back here in this online space (I know--normally people don't feel this way when they return from spring break, but what can I say? I love my job!).

I am very excited to introduce a new series to you starting Next Week, but before then, I've prepared a short montage of posts highlighting some of my favorite subjects and images from the past year. Beginning with thrift store shopping...
The honest truth is that I LOVE thrift store shopping. While other people crinkle their noses at weird smells and various vagrant shoppers, I see colorful neighbors and a world of possibility.

This is why Craig gets very, very nervous when I say I'm going "out" for bit.

"Out where?" he always wants to know, afraid that I'll come back with some kind of hideous contraption that he can't stand the sight of.

To be fair, I have come home with a few hideous items that I was forced to promptly return. Items that undoubtedly came from someone's garage...and probably should have just stayed there. In other words, I have definitely made some choices in poor judgment. As such, I thought it prudent to share a few tips I've learned about thrift store shopping:
Tip #1: older furniture, though sometimes less fashionable, is usually better quality than new stuff. And since thrift stores tend to mark up what looks hip and current, you can usually find good deals on older pieces.

Tip #2: like with us ladies, it's the inside that counts. You can always makeover the surface or finish of a thrift store find--but it is much more difficult to fix water damage, poor construction, and misalignment.
Tip #3: thrift stores are great places to find kitchenware! Need a bundt pan or a 12-count fluted cupcake tray? Try a thrift store before you hit Wal-Mart and you might be surprised with what you find for a great bargain.

Tip #4 thrift stores are also great places to find fabrics. My favorites are the wool from men's suit jackets, and any type of high-quality sweater. Just make sure to check for stains and holes that are too large to fix--
Tip #5: shop often with an open mind. Thrift stores usually rotate their merchandise frequently, so you never know when you're going to run into something marvelous. And it helps to browse with a general--not specific--list of things you're interested in. Because rest assured, you'll find that perfect chair when you're searching for linens instead.

There are other tips, of course, and many of you have probably already read about them from my thrift store e-book. But since it is a popular season for giving our homes a little facelift, I thought it would be fun to revisit these ideas!

Do you have any thrift store treasures you'd like to boast about? Mine is definitely my mid-century modern armoire that I got for under $100! How about you?

Where You WON'T Find Me on Black Friday...

Today is Black Friday. It is a day when the masses flood the retail stores to snag great deals on holiday merchandise. A day for merriment and joy. A day for glee.

But you won’t find me joyfully shopping, and here are the reasons why:

* It interferes with my dedicated plans for laziness:
I know there are plenty of families who love to round-out a weekend of eating and napping with a high-energy tour of the malls (it’s like retail exercise), but I don’t come from a family like that. Instead, I have grown up in a culture that believes that the four-day holiday break is good for one thing: doing nothing. We sleep in. We nap. We watch movies. We leisurely eat a mountain of leftovers. I just can’t break from tradition. My family needs me.



* I’m a holiday-shopping-procrastinator:
In other words, I’m not prepared for Black Friday. Yes, I’ve typed up and emailed my Christmas list to everyone, but I’m nowhere near determining my lists for others (I may have just confessed to a series character flaw here....). So though I suppose I could go out to the stores, I would just wander the jam-packed aisles with no purpose.

And with no purpose we all know what happens--I end up buying an armload of absolutely adorable gifts....for me.


* Finally, it’s absolutely crazy out there!
I’m not telling you something you don’t already know. The one and only time I’ve ever ventured out on Black Friday I reached the parking lot before dawn only to realize that there were no parking spaces left.
Who are these CRAZY PEOPLE that get up that early and camp out in front of retail stores?!!!

Please...please...if you are one of them, tell me what I’m missing. Is it the deals? The adrenaline rush? The thrill of the sale? The smell of blood in the air?

Because I’m dying to know. I just don’t get it.


So today, when the sun rises, you’ll know just where to find me: in bed, sleeping.

Merry Black Friday. Now leave me alone--I’m trying to rest.

Be An Original

Many of you know about my little “Target problem.” Like how I can’t resist the latest fashions in the Converse line, or their newest shoes, or Thomas O’Brien’s linens. Well, recently added to my Target problem is my ever-expanding J. Crew problem...and my rapidly budding Pottery Barn problem.

It’s a sickness really.

It’s a sickness that I was thinking about this weekend as I tried to keep myself out of the stores and away from spending money. I was standing in my living room looking out the window and trying to decide which new shade of Maybelline lipstick I liked the best when suddenly I noticed my throw pillows.

They were lined up on the window seat in an array of colors and patterns, and they looked so nice under the gray light cast from the cloudy skies. It occurred to me then that what I liked most about the pillows was that they were original--meaning that I made them myself, from my own designs.

And then this small mental sidetrack about originality began to snowball. I started to think about all of the other things I own that I appreciate for their uniqueness. Like my thrift store armoire, and my handmade coverlet, and the new sweaters and dresses I’ve been crafting lately. And I realized that as much as I love J. Crew and Target, there was just something special about an original item. As if they have “Stephanie” labels on them--fit just for me.

My thinking didn’t stop at “stuff,” either. Soon I was contemplating originality as a goal for living. Yes, I suppose that it is a bit cliche--like the earnest goal of a teenager trying desperately to be different--but I enjoy a good cliche every now and then, don't you?

So I thought that I would spend the next several weeks talking about Being An Original--about the pursuit of our originality expressed through our choices.

As you might guess, I’ll be sharing some original design projects with you all (starting tomorrow with my newest dress!), but I’ll also be talking about originality expressed in other areas too, like interests, intellect, and character. I'm excited to see what big-picture thoughts are stirred up by this series, and of course what unique projects are uncovered too.

And as always, I love to hear your thoughts and comments. What makes you An Original? What is your favorite unique item, or recent alternative decision? Share anytime by posting your comments here, or emailing me at shillberry@stephaniehillberry.com!

See you tomorrow!

Favorite Posts: Faux Leather Bomber Jackets--my tale of impulse shopping

Not only do I love this post because it makes me smile, but also because I know I'm not the only one with a story like this!

Ah...the trials of budgeting when there are so many pretty things to buy...


Let me tell you a story about what happened to me late last week. I had been working all day in my office and needed a break and some fresh air. Deciding that a walk to the mailbox would do the trick, I headed out. I returned with a stack of mail, including a seasonal catalog from Target showcasing their newest design arrivals.

Now, I love Target even though they are part of the evil box-store empire, so of course I had to take a peek. Several pages in, my eyes landed on a faux leather bomber jacket that looked oh so cute on the model. Incidentally, I had just watched a movie that previous weekend with a bomber-clad actress that caught my attention (the jacket, not the actress).

Call it the spark of a serendipitous occasion, or my low blood sugar from skipping lunch, but I suddenly felt with the greatest conviction that I needed that jacket from Target immediately. I began to panic. What if they sell out? How many other people have received this ad? Surely they would be having the same reaction I was. I had to go now!

I headed to the hallway for my purse and keys before realizing that I couldn't leave without feeding my dogs. Starving them for faux leather just didn't seem right. So I went out back to coax them into the house. While waiting for one of them to finish grazing the lawn, it occurred to me that maybe I was behaving rather rashly. I mean, this was exactly the kind of impulsive behavior that the Target marketers were hoping for when they sent out that catalog. Did I really want to be duped that easily into making a purchase? Didn't I know better than that?

Yes, I conceded, I did know better. A bit ashamed of myself, I put down my purse and gathered my composure. What an easy target (pun intended) I had become. I am what is wrong with our consumerist culture, I concluded. What does it say about me that I can't even wait for 24 hours before rushing out to buy something I want? Something I certainly don't need?

I bring this up because I'm trying to get my act together financially. And habits like this don't help. Being level headed and intentional about my spending would help. So that is what I'm going to work on this fall.

Incidentally, I did eventually purchase that jacket. And it looks fabulous.

Original published on 18.Sept.2008. Click here to view the original post.

Other related posts:
Tips for Cooling my Spending Impulses
Getting to the Root of my Money Problems
Capitalists Lament! how I discovered I like my hair as it is

Thrifty Secrets! (an event Coming Soon!)

Have you ever watched those design shows where they snatch up these great finds from thrift stores and then convert them into awesome home decor items that you seriously covet? And then did you find yourself wandering the aisles of your local thrift store in eager excitement, only to turn to dismay after picking through row upon row of nothing but junk? Did you secretly wonder if maybe those design-show people planted those great finds and were just pretending to be clever, or perhaps that the only good thrift stores are located in New York City or San Francisco, where incidentally you do not live? And then did you find yourself back in the comfortable aisles of Target, where everything was clean but entirely predictable, lamenting that your thrift store dreams may never come true?

Don’t lament! The thrift store dream is not dead, not even in your town. Perhaps it is just that you just don’t know the secrets to thrift store shopping yet. Because there are secrets--little tricks, things to be on the hunt for, timeless strategies for finding treasure. Secrets that I would like to share with you.

So join me for a Thrift Store Design Day on Saturday, April 25th at 1:00 pm, to talk some shop and then put theory into practice.

For questions and/or to RSVP, email me at shillberry@stephaniehillberry.com today!

Don’t live in Northern Colorado? Don’t worry! I’ll be compiling all my notes to share with out-of-towners soon, so stay posted for more news!

Previous Related Posts:
A Long Time Coming
Ta Dah!
Thrifty DIY Art

the Compact and other Alternative Ideas for the Holidays

I posted a couple weeks ago about about the bigger picture behind this Handmade Holiday series, which is essentially to support mindfulness and resourcefulness during the season, and to invest in an alternative to the big-is-always-better modern economy.  

I was intrigued, then, to read about a group of people in this month's issue of Sunset magazine who approach the holidays with a little bit of a different viewpoint.  

The article, titled "The Sustainable Holiday" by Allison Arieff (I'd include the link but I can't find it anywhere!), focuses on a group of ten friends that started something called the Compact, an idea which has since spread around the world.  What is this Compact, you ask?  Well, the article explains that it is a vow taken to avoid buying anything new except for food, medicine and toiletries.  And the inspiration to embark on something so radical?  The holidays, and all the waste we go through this time of year.

Now, I had heard about the Compact prior to reading this article, mainly from an NPR segment that I caught snippets of on a family that was following it for a year.  Their reasons, I believe, were partly philosophical, and partly financial (they saved a lot of money, as you can imagine).  The reason for the group featured in the article was primarily a concern for the environment and resource-use.  Obviously it is not a mainstream practice!

The article goes on to list a few others who have caught onto the idea, and applied it to their lives, or modified it a bit (like the suggestion to cap holiday spending at $100) according to their convictions, means, etc.  

I highlight it as an example (albiet an extreme one) of an alternative approach to the holidays.  I think that I'm attracted to this Compact because there is something appealing to me about repurposing things we own, creating gifts from hand, and toning down in general the consumer madness that is the holidays!  It is refreshing to me to think about including some of these ideas this season and in those to come.

I'd love to know what you think about the Compact, and the holidays in general.  Please email me your thoughts today, or post your comments here.  

Saturday Sussie: Real Simple Christmas Gift Ideas

So I know that I've been pumping up the Handmade Holiday theme for a few weeks, and obviously I'm a big fan Etsy and shopping locally.  But....I realize that making all holiday gifts from scratch, or finding used items to repurpose or give as is, can be a little unrealistic sometimes.  The reason, after all, that big retail chains are so popular is because they are so convenient, and convenience--during a busy holiday season--can be priceless.  Far be it for me to judge people for choosing mental sanity over handmade shopping convictions!

In lieu of that, then, I was genuinely pleased with Real Simple's Christmas gift edition this year, and recommend it as this week's sussie if you haven't already thumbed through a copy.  Their pages of gift ideas are unique and fun, and I got all kinds of good ideas for family members (and myself).  A lot of things can be ordered online (less driving and errands!  yay!), and probably gift wrapped too--although the magazine does have a great "gift wrapping party" idea...  

My favorites included the iron-on images from Sukie.  I'm definitely getting some of those!  And of course the any-surface air hockey set--how fun!  And I loved the pop-up book, perfect for a certain little nephew I have in mind.  

My not-so-favorite: the "Any Name" in History book.  The claim is that you can order these books using your family name, and it will come complete with the history of your family name, demographics of your ancestors, etc.  But after reading the reviews of the book, I've determined that it is not all it's cracked up to be, and my money would be better spent on...well, anything else.  Bummer because it seemed like great gift for my hard-to-shop-for father-in-law.

Happy browsing!  And see you next week for more Handmade Holidays and another great Marketplace Maven!

note: Saturday Sussies are small finds I discover during the week that I like to share with you.  I call them "sussies" because it is a Texas term I learned from my family.  I swear I didn't make it up.

Previous Saturday Sussies:

Victoria's Secret Finds

Handmade Journals

Satin Pillowcases

Faux Leather Bomber Jackets: my tale of impulse shopping

Let me tell you a story about what happened to me late last week.  I had been working all day in my office and needed a break and some fresh air.  Deciding that a walk to the mailbox would do the trick, I headed out.  I returned with a stack of mail, including a seasonal catalog from Target showcasing their newest design arrivals.  

Now, I love Target even though they are part of the evil box-store empire, so of course I had to take a peek.  Several pages in, my eyes landed on a faux leather bomber jacket that looked oh so cute on the model.  Incidentally, I had just watched a movie that previous weekend with a bomber-clad actress that caught my attention (the jacket, not the actress).

Call it the spark of a serendipitous occasion, or my low blood sugar from skipping lunch, but I suddenly felt with the greatest conviction that I needed that jacket from Target immediately.  I began to panic.  What if they sell out?  How many other people have received this ad?  Surely they would be having the same reaction I was.  I had to go now!

I headed to the hallway for my purse and keys before realizing that I couldn't leave without feeding my dogs.  Starving them for faux leather just didn't seem right.  So I went out back to coax them into the house.  While waiting for one of them to finish grazing the lawn, it occurred to me that maybe I was behaving rather rashly.  I mean, this was exactly the kind of impulsive behavior that the Target marketers were hoping for when they sent out that catalog.  Did I really want to be duped that easily into making a purchase?  Didn't I know better than that?

Yes, I conceded, I did know better.  A bit ashamed of myself, I put down my purse and gathered my composure.  What an easy target (pun intended) I had become.  I am what is wrong with our consumerist culture, I concluded.  What does it say about me that I can't even wait for 24 hours before rushing out to buy something I want?  Something I certainly don't need?

I bring this up because I'm trying to get my act together financially.  And habits like this don't help.  Being level headed and intentional about my spending would help.  So that is what I'm going to work on this fall.

Incidentally, I did eventually purchase that jacket.  And it looks fabulous.

Recipe Resource

Since writing about wellness yesterday, I thought I would give some kudos to a great recipe site that I discovered earlier this year, myrecipes.com.  

This site has not only helped me to organize weekly menus and shopping lists, but the recipes are tasty.  It is easy to search for healthy fare, and most of the ingredients are simple and easily located in the aisles of your average grocer.  And it's free!

Last week I blogged about my growing conviction about food waste.  Incidentally, after exploring some of the ideas on www.wastedfood.com, I was not surprised to see that menu planning is one of the easiest ways to prevent loss.  Fortunately, websites like myrecipes.com make menu planning easy.

All of this highlights an important theme that I keep pondering as I post: intentionality.  The lifestyle of a modern housewife is an intentional one.  And the fruits of this intention are (you guessed it) greater wellness, less waste, more creativity, more resourcefulness, more relationships, and apparently better food.  Cheers to that!