previously owned.

So I have this thing, or serious addiction as Robert sometimes calls it, where I love good deals. Like REALLY good ones. This thing coincides for my love of the past (cue degree in Art History). Which also coincides with my love of pretty things.
Combine all these and we have the thrift store. Also not discounting garage sales.
I want to say it was my brother Trevor who first got me interested in shopping at thrift stores around the age of 16 or so (when I was so cool and punk rock and just went in hopes of finding the perfectly disheveled vintage tee), little did he know what kind of fire he was fueling!
By the time I was 21 I had a shelf in my room dedicated to vintage dishware.
When I married Robert at 23, not only could I now use said dishware, but I had room for more and more!
Factor in that I was working a part-time job after having graduated and therefore had a routine of hitting a different thrift store almost daily. yes, daily.

Now, I'm not confessing all of this because I feel I need to be cured of this...quite the contrary (which means I'm really sick), I'm here to brag and convince you all of the wonders of shopping for things at the thrift store first.
Here are some examples of my greatest successes all thanks to my weekly (sometimes now bi-weekly) thrifting addiction:
- 10 ft mid-century modern couch - $90
- yellow mid-century modern side chair (in perfect condition no less) - $50
- Mirror dating to 1915 - $2 (pictured above)
- cream shabby chic table + 4 chairs - $20 (found by my mother)
- all my dishware - no one piece over $1
- all decorations for EmmaJane's nursery - totaling $10
- 75% of my wardrobe
- basic around the house items like baskets, fabric, ribbon, tape, shelf-lining, paper, buttons, etc.
- the list goes on and on...

You see? All my scavenging for good deals has really paid off a lot. And no, I don't ONLY look for cool vintage things, I often end up leaving thrift stores with items that are newer (often still in their packaging), such as the aforementioned paper and tape.

And finally some tips:
- Goodwill gets all of Targets previously opened items, clearanced items they couldn't sell (including all the "designer" stuff nobody buys because it's overpriced - I got shirt that I had been eyeing at target for $4 at Goodwill - originally $30).
- Shop "no-name" thrift stores more often. Goodwill is by far the most expensive thrift store in SoCal.
- Keep hand-sanitizer in your purse, it just feels better when you leave.
- Shop on Saturdays! A lot of the time thrift stores have "50% off everything" type of sales on the weekend, especially holiday weekends!
- Learn how to take in clothes simply (stretchy knit tops are the easiest), it opens up your spectrum of clothes you can purchase.
- finally, if you're looking for particular items, go often. I could go to the same thrift store 3 times in one day with only an hour in between and find new stuff every time.

Bon chance!