top tips for thrifting


if you've been around these parts for any time at all, you'll quickly find out that i'm the gal trying to save a buck or two. i love a good bargain & i'll wake up at the crack of dawn on saturday for a promising yard sale. almost every single piece of furniture in our home is purchased secondhand & i'm pretty proud of that little known fact. 

 i am often asked how i find such great treasures while thrifting. today i am here to share my top tips for finding those affordable treasures while thrifting:


1. go often: i thrift or go to yard sales about three times a week. i have a schedule that i follow & a list of stores i visit on specific days. by visiting your local shops often, you'll find your own rhythm & favorite shops for certain items you're looking for on a regular basis. 


2. know your location: knowing where to find the best secondhand treasures for the best deals is key.  take a map or locate your gps app & hit the road. stop at every interesting yard sale you see. once you've explored your town & surrounding areas, you'll find the best places to shop. i visit yard sales every saturday in the same parts of town & i am rarely ever disappointed. find those hot spots in your area & get to thrifting! 


3. shop smart: thrifting is in large part about finding a deal. sometimes i cannot live without an item & i purchase it for more than i'd otherwise pay. more often than not, though, i stick to a budget & only spend what i really think the item is worth. if i feel like a price isn't quite within my budget, i'll ask for a discount of about 30% off. if the seller won't budge, i pass. that means something better is just up the road, friend.


4. celebrate the quirky: thrifting is a fun way to express yourself within your home! i love purchasing items i normally wouldn't purchase or even see at a big box store. the bird chair on the left was purchased for just $5 at goodwill & adds such a pop of fun to our bedroom. don't be afraid to mismatch patterns & colors. if you love it, make it work within your home. don't be limited to what you think you should like. 


5. see potential: thrifting has a lot to do with seeing the potential in an otherwise forgotten item. i picked up that dirty, old wooden box at a sale. i brought it home, cleaned it up & moved it into our living room. it now serves as our coffee table & it even has extra storage inside for board games. the glass bookshelf below now sits in our dining room with crates full of cloth napkins & hand towels. a bit of cleaning, a fresh layer of paint & a new perspective can turn a secondhand item into a gem perfect for your home. 


6. have fun!: most importantly, have fun thrifting! invite a group of girlfriends or your mom to bring along on your thrifting adventures. personally, thrifting is my weekly retreat & i savor the quiet time walking down the aisles of my local thrift shop. it's my favorite hobby & i absolutely love the thrill of the junk hunt. 

what are your top tips for thrifting? please share!
love,
natalie

12 comments:

gail said...

I love your house and your taste.
I have been thrifting for 30 plus years and don't think I've ever visited a furniture store.
My tip is when you go to a sale don't forget to rummage through the junk. Very often a treasure can be found in unlikely places like garage and basements. Especially neat old boxes filled with nails and old tin cans.

Nicolette Gawthrop said...

oh, you're good.

Anonymous said...

Fun post and great style, your home is beautiful! Reposting for my followers at www.facebook.com/junknlovephoenix

Allie said...

your home is darling! I too love to dig and find good bargains! Is'nt it so much more satisfying that going to a big retail store and spending three or four times the amount? The thrill is in the hunt :) Also where did you get your super cute Happy Home pillow?? I'd love one!!

Natalie Freeman said...

Alison, it's from tiny prints!

Jenny said...

I just recently discovered your blog & really enjoy your style. I also live in nw AR & would love to see a post on your favorite spots to go thrifting in our area.

Helen said...

Oh my gosh! You have found such beautiful pieces. I LOVE that bird chair. We do the same thing-- all the furniture in our house is thrifted/yard-saled/given to us (except for our bed) and I LOVE it.

Rita said...

Natalie,
My husband and I first discovered thrifting as newlyweds living in the great Fayetteville. We would wake up every Saturday morning to go to yard sales to furnish our first home. That was nine years ago and now we live in central AR and have three children.. We still love thrifting! You have such a lovely home and great places to shop there in NWA. I love your blog! if you are ever in the Conway area I would love to show you my favorite honey holes.:)


Rita
Www.thetreecefamily.blogspot.com

Jessica K said...

I wish we had such nice thrift stores and garage sales around here! So my tip is "Have friends with good taste who move or upgrade their stuff often." ;)

Unknown said...

Shop by neighborhood! We love mid century modern pieces and are lucky enough to live in a area that boomed post war in the late 50's so a lot of what ends up in our resale shops is from that period. Whenever we discover a new mcm neighborhood we always check out their thrift shops. We've also done well with a few online estate sale auctions (which save you from the crazy estate sale rush). Usually, we only do that if we are looking for a particular piece like our vintage buffet.

Leah said...

We are new to the Fayetteville area. Are there any specific places that you can recommend for thrifting? I would have 3 kiddos in tow but I am up for a challenge. I would appreciate any suggestions.

Kif said...

oh these are great tips and your home looks lovely - great colours - you have an amazing eye!

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