To hip to thrift? Try these 5 tips.

We all know that thrifting and repurposing is currently very trendy. I love seeing the creative wheels spinning and all the awesome crafts that come out of repurposing. Today I have 5 tips I would like to share with those who are new to thrifting or would just like to make their time at the local thrift store a little more productive.

Thrifted plates we turned into cake plates by
gluing a glass candlestick to the bottom

1. Have a plan. This may seem like a no brainer at first, but if you want to be efficient you MUST have a plan. Have some idea what you are looking for before you go to a thrift store. For example, we made these adorable cake plates for my friends bridal shower back in the fall. I had 30 minutes to run into Goodwill and find some sweet vintage plates. So, in exactly 30 minutes, I had my three plates. I hopped back in my car and was back at work. If you don't know what you are looking for it can be way to overwhelming to walk into a thrift store and see all this junk. You can get overwhelmed or just completely blank out on what you are looking for. This leads me into point two...

2. Be open. This may seem a little contradictory based on point one, but if you keep these steps in order you may just stumble upon some treasures. Know what you are looking for keep your eyes open for the treasures you may stumble upon.

3. Sales, sales. Yes, even thrift stores have sales. My favorite local thrift store is Goodwill. At our Goodwill specific colored tags will go on sale on specific days. Know your colors :) If you are looking for something specific (say a sweater you are going to turn into a pillow) go on the day the yellow tags on are sale. Or you could just bring your Grandma on senior citizens day to get a discount.

4. Check and double check. Make sure your purchases don't have problems. Check your clothing for stains, runs, picks, holes....etc. Make sure your household items work. Check for chips, broken parts, and cracks. 

5. Have fun! This is the most important point. Don't take it too seriously. I've had the best adventures at Goodwill trying on crazy outfits with my friends. We have a Goodwill in town where you pay a dollar for every pound you buy! The bad part is you cannot try ANYTHING on, so you gotta get creative. It makes for an interesting time for sure.

Happy THRIFTING everyone!!