One Man's Trash, That's Another Man's Come Up

Young House Love Thrift Store Challenge

My daughter, Mallory from Our First Nest, told me about the Thrift Store Challenge at Young House Love.  I enjoy a good thrift store, so I couldn't resist a thrift store challenge.  And hey, the Macklemore and Ryan Lewis rap, Thrift Store, is pretty catchy.

Thrift store shopping isn't a new thing to A REAL RETIRED HOUSEWIFE OF FLORIDA.  I have been addicted to thrift stores for quite a while (in fact longer than some of your have been able to read this!).  Before moving to Florida, I lived within walking distance of my favorite thrift store, The Village Discount Outlet. 

Oh the treasures I have found at thrift stores!  I buy items for myself and to sell on eBay.  Just last week, a fellow passenger on my flight from Ohio to Florida stopped me to ask if I had knitted the sweater I was wearing and to tell me how much she like it.  It took all of my control to simply say "No, I didn't knit it and thank you".  What I really wanted to say was, "I bought it at a thrift store.  Isn't it unbelievable that someone would give this away!".



I look for items for my home.  I could give a while house tour (and maybe I will) on my thrift store decorating.  I found a Don Drumm sun burst platter to fit in with my Don Drumm bathroom accessories.

And of course my big Florida thrift store find...the vintage wood lamp that was featured in my blog, I Just Had To Have It...Now What?

I also buy craft supplies at thrift stores.  I like to repurpose/enhance/bejewel items.  I put pieces together and mosaic with broken ceramics, I silver leaf anything and everything, and I faux paint.

My current craft obsession is enhancing vintage twisted wire trees.  The left is before, the right is after.

My best scores come from items I buy to resell on eBay.  I like to keep a balance in PayPal to cover my online impulse purchases.  My niche market is vintage curlers (the ones with wax cores...ladies like them because they hold heat longer for better curls), Scrabble tiles, vintage kitchen appliances and unique household items.

Now to the challenge.  Last weekend I was in Ohio to share in the wedding planning with Mallory.  I spent Saturday morning with my other daughter Michelle.  After breakfast, Chelle made the mistake of asking me what I would like to do.  Of course, it was visit some of my favorite thrift stores and see if I was up to the Young House Love challenge.

STEP #1.  Go to a thrift shop with -- just as the chorus of the song says -- "$20 in your pocket" and take a picture.

Step #2.  Spend that $20 any way you'd like and photograph your spoils.

So many things, so little time.  I was able to spread my $20 between something for to eBay, a Medi-Rub foot massager for $10.  New it sells for $185 on Amazon.  I am hoping for $50 to $75 on eBay.

With the remaining $10, I bought these lovely cups, saucers and plates by Villeroy and Boch.  I have several matching serving pieces of this New Wave pattern.

And for $1, I picked up a Scrabble game, complete with a note pad and pencil. That totals $21, but I couldn't stop.

Step #3.  Find one item (or more) referenced in the song and snap a pic.

After my thrift store adventures, I realized I couldn't fit any of these items into my carry-on bag.  UGH!  My friend, Jan Turnbull, came to the rescue and gave me a piece of luggage.  So my $20 challenge cost me an additional $20 to add a check-in bag to my Alligent flight.  It was worth it.

Now I can't get that rap out of my mind!