HAPPY THRIFTING FINDS

I found a few happy finds at the thrift store recently and I thought I would share a few thoughts here. I got this dark green vintage wool blazer for about $6 and one more that was an olive color from LLBean (that is so soft), same price. I had been keeping an eye out for a wool blazer and just happened to luck out this time when I found these.

I wanted a nice jacket that I could easily wear with a tshirt or a nicer shirt and these were perfect for what I was looking for. Plus green is one of my favorite colors so I was pretty happy with this rich dark green color.

We don't ALWAYS buy second hand, and I've also had buyers remorse from purchasing things I didn't really need or actually didn't end up enjoying as much as I thought I would. It happens. So, don't get the wrong idea about me here. I have not perfected the art of recycling, reusing, or repurposing. But we learn and we grow from our mistakes, and we can find out what really works well for us with time and intentionality. Now, for over a decade thrifting is usually my first go to. If I can't find something I'm needing or looking for (whether it be a tshirt for myself or my kids, or a piece of furniture for our home), then I either wait and try again, or I'll look for it elsewhere. But even then, I like to find the best deal I can for things. There are some times we have splurged on something nice and new, but it's not usually our first pick.

My love for second hand, vintage, and thrift stores started around my teenage years. My mom was always a big bargain person and we would shop sales a lot when I was younger (but thrift stores and second hand was not really her thing). I'd say I definitely gained her eye for always looking out for a good bargain, but my love for thrifting and vintage probably became more of a hobby when I was around 19. I found a few 1970's pieces (flowy dress, skirts, or tops) that I loved and I pretty much became hooked at that point. Sadly after moving and purging so many times through the years, I didn't hold onto any of those! If only I would have known I would have 5 girls to pass them on to! But there are so many clothes out there... I'm sure if they pick up my love for second hand, they will find some of their favorites as they get older. 

So, even though it started out as a hobby...as time went on...I got married and had a family. Then there were times that it became more of a necessity to buy second hand because we didn't always have the money to buy brand new. And when you have kids, they are constantly growing, so they rarely wear their clothes for more than one year (although sometimes I have squeezed them into some of our favorites to make them last a little longer). So, my decisions to be thrifty were based on many things. 

As time went on I would try to come up with creative ways for us to have fun with what we would wear. I then decided if I wanted the girls to have something new, I would use something of mine or Brandon's that we didn't wear anymore and turn it into something for the girls (here's one example from an older post). Having limited money doesn't mean you can't be fashionable or have fun with clothes. It can sometimes be the very opposite and give us that push to become a little more creative. I know some people may have different thoughts on all of this. Some people think we shouldn't care about what we wear at all. That clothes are just clothes, only to serve the purpose of covering our bodies or to keep us warm. And I get that. It's not everybody's "thing". Just like hunting is not everybody's "thing", or any other hobby out there.  (To be completely real my husband does not like the thrift store. He likes what I find, but has no interest in going. However, he has and does go with me sometimes because he loves me. Ha! Ha!) But if you're like me and you get excited or geek out a little about fabric, colors, and textures, etc...then you get where I'm coming from.

As I've gotten older and have become more aware of how much is being made every year, every month, every day...I have found myself sometimes feeling overwhelmed, if I'm honest, just by walking into a local store. Thoughts of consumerism would leave me feeling weighty or heavy. So, how could me as just one person (or our one family really make a difference)? Well, I believe that we can only be responsible for ourselves (or our household to a certain degree), and if our heart is telling us to buy less or buy used this time, we should listen. I personally feel better about these choices for us as a family. I talk to my kids a lot about why we buy second hand, because they do ask, and I think it's important for them to know there is purpose behind it, other than just saving money. That simple choices can make a difference. Now, they see that a lot of the things they ask for can be found in other places if you look for them, because there is so much out there. For example, Sterling (our oldest had been asking for a new pair of sneakers and wanted a pair of Adidas)...I told her I would check Ebay first for a pair because I felt sure there would be some barely used ones in her size. We found some, and she was so excited they were exactly what she wanted and was telling people how cool she thought it was that I got them for about 1/4 of the price of brand new!

Again, there are times when we do buy new. There's no shame in this. And there are great options out there to support companies or small businesses that are helping to make a difference. But with all of the options of clothes, shoes, household items, furniture (the list could go on) out there AND the tons and tons of items that people barely use...you never know. The thing you might be looking for might be the very thing that someone just got rid of! And I truly believe that every little bit helps.