Oh my goodness, who would have thought the time would fly so quickly!?! It’s already Thrifty Thursday and I haven’t been a good thrifter as of lately. Today I thought I would share some of my little thrifting tips and tricks that help me when I’m on the hunt at my local goodwill, flea market, and thrift shops. Sometimes hunting for thrifty finds can be overwhelming and you can get discouraged my the amount of junk everywhere. Hopefully this will help guide you through the junk so you can find some amazing vintage pieces for your own home.
The first thing I like to do is mentally prepare. Know what you like, what your looking for, and what your willing to pay for items that you find. If I know I only have $20 to spend I always head for smaller items, so I can get more bang for my buck, unless one big item really jumps out at me. Know exactly what you need, and know when you need to walk away. Do you have to have it? Will you obsess over not buying it if you walk away? These are the types of questions I ask myself when I find things that grab my attention.
Now get to browsing! Look at everything, top to bottom, dig if you have to! I’ve learned that a lot of times at flea markets sellers have items stashed in boxes underneath tables and at goodwill items are stacked on top of each other. I have found so much “rusty gold” as Mike and Frank would say, hidden beneath piles of boring junk. Don’t be afraid to move things around, get dirty, and leave no dish or glass unturned.
Negotiate. Prices at flea markets and certain thrift shops are not set in stone. If you feel like the item is over priced, or that you can get it for cheaper, speak up! Most sellers don’t want to pack up everything after the day ends, so they may drop the price for you in order to just get rid of it. I have brought home a bunch of amazing items that I got for a steal, or free, just because someone didn’t want to hassle with bringing it home with them. There is never harm in asking.
I ended up with three of these chairs for free because the seller didn’t want to pack them up, what a steal!Then bask in the glory of your thrifty purchases! I always feel such a sense of accomplishment after I score at my local thrift stores. Nothing is better than shopping without breaking the bank and the items you find at thrift stores are unique and cheap! Double score!
I’m no professional thrifter but I do get a bunch of lovely comments from all of you about my purchases, so I hope this will help you in your thrifting adventures!
0
Love those chairs!! Need to go furniture thrift shopping asap.
Summer x
I've been wanting to go to a flea market. I'll keep this in mind 😀
Awesome findings! Those chairs are super cute!
I can't wait for spring! Flea Markets right now suck! lol
i am definitely a "digger" when it comes to searching for treasures. wet wipes and purell are life savers! =)