For the Love of Thrifting

Well it's no secret that I LOVE saving money and finding a great bargain. But my favorite way to do so is by shopping second-hand. Garage sales, thrift stores, consignment, flea markets - I love them all! But life as a homeschooling mom of four leaves little time for treasure hunts.

My dear friend and Lifetime Moms affiliate, Myra, is the queen of thrifting. Nearly every weekend, she is out scouring yard sales for amazing projects. If she didn't live three states away, I am sure we would be quite the shopping duo. I decided to pick her brain about her love of thrifting. While some may not understand the desire to pick through someone's old junk, Myra sees the potential in each of her finds.

Why is thrifting such an exhilarating experience?

Thrifting is an exhilarating and addicting experience because you never know what you will find. I get so much pleasure out of the hunt, much like a fisherman gets enjoyment out of sticking his fishing line in the water and waiting for a fish to bite. Ha! When I'm lacking in inspiration, a trip to my local thrift shop gets my creativity going just in thinking about all the wonderful possibilities that can be made out of very little. Buying things second hand and repurposing them into things that I love and use everyday is the epitome of rewarding.

How do you know when something is worth buying?

Whenever a specific item catches my eye, I always turn it over to see if there is a stamp or signature on the bottom that helps me determine the age and identity of the piece. I tend to be a tightwad when thrifting, so even if I love something it has to be a great price for me to purchase...most of the time.  I rarely buy anything at a thrift shop unless I know what I'm going to do with it.  I learned this lesson the hard way because my "going to do something with this eventually pile" got a bit too big...so I had a yard sale. Ha!

What have you found/upcycled that you are really proud of?

My thrifted apple green desk is one of my most prized possessions.  It needed a lot of TLC when I found it, but now it shines in my home. Decorating with upcycled, repurposed thrifted and yard sale treasures saves money and gives our home one-of-a-kind personality.

Follow Myra on Facebook to hear more about her weekend thrifting adventures!

If you enjoy a good treasure hunt, too, you won't want to miss Lifetime's newest reality show, "Picker Sisters". The show follows a design duo and best friends as they crisscross America in search of rare relics and materials to create stunning pieces for their Los Angeles home décor pop-up shop. Tune in on Tuesdays at 10pm/9c.