another project & some thoughts on thrifting.

Hello blue chair with lots of potential. 

This was my $5 find at the thrift store this morning (thanks to my favorite stores 50% off sale this week). I can't wait for Seth to pick it up and bring it home for me to start throwing all my fabric swatches over it and brainstorming ideas of which one I want to use to recover it with. These kinds of finds are wonderful little treasures.

While on the topic of thrifting...I have gotten several questions in regards to where I go. If you're interested here's a brief run down of places I have been.

Life for Animals-Gaithersburg (this store hands down has been my favorite. It's small, but their prices are usually the best and I usually find something when I go in. Right now they are running their 50% off sale til Friday so if you haven't been out and want a fun place to start you might find something good.)
Salvation Army-Gaithersburg
Goodwill-Rockville
Montgomery General Hospital Thrift Store
Village Thrift-Laurel
Laurel Thrift Store
Salvation Army-Columbia
Unique Thrift- Falls Church

For our area, there are so many more places you can go and try (I still haven't been to Frederick). Each store is different in terms of what they carry, the prices they sell items for, and their selection. A lot of these stores run sales on given days of their choosing so its hard to plan if you're going to hit it right or not.

The biggest lesson I have learned so far is that thrifting requires a lot of patience and a lot of visits. I have gone home empty handed on more occasions than I can count. But for us we really love doing it because of the adventure and when you do finally find that perfect piece it makes all the hard work worth it. The stock in thrift stores turns over quickly so if you fail one week try again the following week.

Bring a friend with you. It really helps in the decision making process. If we aren't out doing it as a family, Kristen usually comes along with me and Seth ends up getting lots of texts with pictures of the finds I like. Its especially helpful in moments when you have to decide to leave it or buy it. Since the stock does turn over fast (especially items that come in pairs), if I really love something it's not often that I leave it behind. When we found our side tables I knew that we had to leave with them when we saw them.

Shop with a purpose. I have a running list in my mind of things that I am looking for, it helps me stay focused and not get distracted with things I don't really need. I have seen several beautiful desks, bookcases, and headboards but where am I going to put that?

These are just a few tips from an amateur really. There are people who have been doing this a lot longer than I have and know a lot more than I do. If you have any questions that I haven't answered, feel free to ask. It's been a fun journey for us so far.