The love of old things.

Growing up, I found it necessary to veer away from the things that my Mom loved lest I grow up to become identical in personality. Not that I disapproved of my Mom’s person, but I desired to be my own individual—classic firstborn independence. Naturally then, I loathed the various historical field trips, long ventures to Goodwill, and neutral colored sweaters. Ironically enough, I found myself taking my Mom to a historical site for her birthday, telling my husband that I wanted to invest in more neutral sweaters, and becoming giddy as I anticipate my next trip to Goodwill. Turns out, I’m a lot more like my Mom than I originally planned on—and for that, I’m extremely grateful. She taught me to appreciate certain things in life, specifically the art of thrifting, and as a result Goodwill is a huge benefactor to my current inspiration and provider of materials for future projects.

A word on thrifting—it is great.

Where I’m from, people thrive on thrifted goods. Not necessarily for financial reasons, but also for the beauty of unique and reusable objects. Granted, the area is lot more “hipster”—so thrifting is essential for random, artsy finds. I define my likes as towing the line between that and classy—or attempting to be—so I suppose you could say that thrifting is “necessary” (my husband might beg to differ). 

To me, thrifting is the possession of an eye for a variety of finds that might be a necessity or an enhancer to one’s life or home. You can never plan on finding something specific—you have to be open to the possibilities of what could be. At the same time, you need to know what to put back on the shelf—otherwise your house would become a catch-all for other people’s clutter and you lose the sense for what is really beneficial and what is just an “ok” find. For instance—there are multiple things that I listed on our registry as extra decorating items that I did not receive, nor would I personally spend the money on them. However, the other day at Goodwill, I found something almost identical to the canister that I had wanted to hold flour, sugar, and other baking goods. Most finds are never “essential”, but they make your house a home, add variety to your closet, and inspire craft projects of upcycling at a fraction of the cost that you would get elsewhere. 

To me, thrifting is a thrill. I love the adventure of scouring racks and shelves for those random, unexpected items that catch your eye. You never know what you might find—whether it’s something you’ve wanted for years or something new sparking your interest. At the same time, thrifting requires patience and a positive attitude. You can’t become discouraged when you can’t seem to find something—and I highly discourage settling for a lesser item in replacement. It’s not like going to the mall where they sell every color and variation of one product. But that’s the beauty of it—only you possess that one unique item. Depending on the item—they have a history, some have been through a l0t—like Grandma’s china—and those are the things that add character to your home or wardrobe. 

Granted, we shouldn’t be obsessed with material things—focus on what is above, in heaven. 

However, there is a certain beauty in old things that should be appreciated as appropriate. Your wallet will thank you, your friends will be inspired, and you will possess a sense of creativity and accomplishment.