Once again, I’m mixing both thrift finds and consignment finds in this monthly update. I only get the opportunity to do some consignment scrounging a few times a year, so I wanted to be sure to share some of my HOLY WOW finds.
Let’s start by checking out some home goods!
MCM Bamboo bowl, $12
You all know how much I love me some mid-century modern, so this bowl was an instant YES from me. It’s a MCM bamboo fruit bowl, but I have it sitting next to my reading spot as an adorable catch-all for my reading glasses, bookmark and chapstick.
Pink Gooseberry Pyrex bowl, $8
Pink Pyrex for less than a tenner?! That’s a ‘start the car’ moment for me. This was happily added to my Pyrex collection!
Rifle Paper Co x Corkcicle travel mugs, $18 each
Sigh. It was like these were just waiting for me to find them. I looooove Corkcicle mugs (they keep your cold stuff cold and your hot stuff hot) and I also looooove Rifle Paper Co’s floral designs. So, when I saw these two ‘new with tags’ travel mugs for $18 each (retail $40 each), I immediately added them to my arm full of stuff I was juggling. And I have used one of these pretty much every single day since I bought them (and washed them) for sipping my cold ice water all day long.
Did I need these? No. Did I immediately love them and want to add them to my desk where I could stare dreamily at them while thinking about all our Arizona and Utah adventures? Yes.
Okay, now on to the clothing purchases!
Torrid dress, $15
Once again, a ‘new with tags’ item, this time it was a $60 dress from Torrid. It’s such a happy orange color and even has pretty embroidered detailing on the bust, so I figured I’d give it a try. I already wore it to my niece’s birthday and plan to get in a couple more wears before summer disappears.
Gingham Skirt, $10
I liked the tiered gingham of this skirt and the fabric is a great weight too. However, I knew immediately that I hated the runched waistline and I planned to chop it off and add in some new elastic. It was a quick and easy project and now I have a super cute gingham skirt for all my twirling needs.
Sorel sandals, $20
This was the ‘I didn’t know my closet needed these’ item, because these were ‘new with tags’ and a great deal, so I bought them on a whim. However, I had no idea how much I needed a pair of comfortable metallic sandals… because I’ve worn these probably a half-dozen times since buying them this month.
Swedish Hasbeen Huarache Debutant sandals, $6.79
YOU GUYS! These are an insane find at Goodwill and I can’t believe they are in my size and in perfect condition. Swedish Hasbeen’s are so timeless and so freaking expensive. I tracked down this particular style and it was released as part of their Spring/Summer 2016 collection and they retailed for around $300. It looks like someone bought them and just let them hang out in their closet unworn for 8 years… because they are absolutely perfect. I’m imagining how cute they will look paired with tights and skirts this fall!
I had been considering buying a walking pad for my home office set up for years and I finally ordered one in May. Now that it’s been comfortably living in my house for a couple months, I wanted to show you all my set up and what I’ve found works for me (so far).
The walking pad I purchased fluctuates in price – the list price is $299, but I’ve seen it for $125 – $160 over the past couple months. As of today, it is $159.99 with free shipping + a $20 off promotional coupon. The desk was $69 when I bought it, but is now marked as unavailable. Which is fine because I wouldn’t recommend buying it.
For those new to the idea of walking pads, they are basically a flat treadmill that doesn’t have any sides/handles to hold onto. You put them underneath a standing desk, so that you can work while you are walking. On my work-from-home days I’m basically glued to my chair all day, so I thought it would be a nice way to give me a break. I also wanted the heart benefits of getting in more activity throughout my day.
Here is what that side of my home office looked like before I made the purchase:
I use it as my sewing corner, with my machine set up on a collapsible table. However, it was pretty easy to move some things around to streamline it a little.
I collapsed the sewing table and added the walking pad and standing desk. Now, when I need to sew something, I roll the walking pad and desk out of the way, lock the table in place and work away. It’s not as convenient as having it set up and ready to go all the time, but this is the space I have to work with.
As you can see, I still needed to prop my laptop up on a couple boxes in order to get the screen to the right height for me. A more ideal situation would be to have a docking station (like I have on my regular desk) where I can plug my laptop into a larger monitor. However, like I said… working with what I have.
After having this setup for the last 2+ months, here is how it works best for me:
Option 1: I start my workday with a 30-45 minute walk while doing those morning work tasks like checking emails and laying out my day. I am bouncing around a bit when I walk, so it’s a good time for reading and researching, but not great for finicky things like web updates where I need to click the mouse on a little tiny box. After I do my morning stuff, I then move the laptop back over to my main desk, make myself some coffee, and get on with my workday.
When I start the day with a walk, it helps me feel more productive right off the bat. I also set my watch with an alarm that goes off regularly to encourage me to get up and take a 5-minute walking break. I can’t always stop what I’m doing for a 5-minute break, but I’m usually able to get in about 10-15 more minutes of walking throughout the day.
Option 2: If I don’t start my workday with a walk, I try to take a morning break for a 5-10 minute walk with hand weights. I grab a couple 2 pound weights and just do nonstop arm exercises during the duration of the walk (most moves from Tunde arm workouts on the Peloton app). Just 5 minutes here and 5 minutes there is enough for a little burn by the end of the day. I also try to start my lunch break with a 10-minute walk, just to get some extra steps into my day.
Option 3: If I finish a big brain task, I get up and do 5 minutes on the walking pad. This is especially great if I’ve been doing a lot of design work, where I basically hunch over the keyboard for too long and get all stiff. It doesn’t add up to a ton, but 5 minutes here and 5 minutes there helps me feel better at the end of the day. Both mentally and physically.
Once school starts back up for Jack, I’m looking forward to using my walking pad more consistently in the mornings. His bus usually comes about 45 minutes before my workday starts, so that’s a great amount of time to set up my kindle for a book or Netflix show and start my day with a little activity.
As I mentioned above, I would NOT recommend the standing desk that I purchased. While it is the size and height that I wanted for my little corner, it is not super sturdy. When I’m walking and leaning on my desk, it moves a bit which is super annoying. I actually have a little piece of padding between the desk and the wall to help with the swaying. If I were re-purchasing, I would pick something with more sturdy legs.
However, I WOULD recommend the walking pad I purchased. It’s super easy to set up, relatively lightweight for moving it around the room when needed, a great size for walking, and feels secure with a weight capacity of up to 300 pounds.
I’ve been averaging 2 days a week with some extra steps on my walking pad and I anticipate using it a lot more in the near future. It’s really nice to have a convenient option for getting steps in as a little ‘brain break’ throughout the day. And I’m sure it will be extra nice once winter hits too!
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While it feels hard to believe that half the year has flown by already, it’s time for my 6-month thrifting check-in. I started doing these a few years ago to hold myself accountable. Even after many years of thrifting, I still make mistakes. I get a little price blind. I get a little brand blind. I figure, it’s so CHEAP just DO IT.
It seems even rougher this year, since they’ve closed most if not all of the thrift store dressing rooms. Sure, you have a week to make returns (for a store credit), but my favorite stores are more than 45 minutes away… so I can’t always return to them within that time period. So for my mistakes, I typically will list the item on Poshmark or just add it to my donate pile so that the next thrifing queen can enjoy it.
Since we are halfway through 2024, let’s take a look back at my thrift winners & losers. (PSyou can find all my thrifting posts here: Thrifting Fun)
January 2024
Winners:
DRU Holland Dutch Oven, $6.99
Glitter Converse One-Star Shoes, $8.99
Rain boots, $5.99
Losers:
Athleta Arrival skirt, $13.49
Loved the addition of the dutch oven to my china cabinet and both pairs of shoes have gotten use in my closet. However, as much as I liked the Athleta skirt, it just didn’t fit me well. I listed it in my Poshmark closet and after their fees and shipping, I made $5 dollars on it.
February 2024
Winners:
J. Jill Embroidered Top (mustard), $5.99
Two Vintage Enoch Wedgewood Tea Cups, $2
Charter Club embellished cardigan, $8
Laura Ashley skirt, $7
Still Deciding:
Soft Surroundings Coruh Gauze Top (blue and white), $7.99
L.L. Bean Cotton Cardigan (blue), $3
Love the embroidered top, tea cups, cardigan and OHMYGOD that Laura Ashley skirt. They’ve all been used/worn over the past few months and will continue to be remixed. Rather than having ‘losers’ for this month, I have two items that I’m still trying out.
I’ve worn the Soft Surroundings top once and it’s just kind of ‘eh’ for me. I need to try styling it again. As for the cotton cardigan, it’s pretty heavy and I only had one or two times to try it out when the weather was cooperating. I plan to style this again in the fall/winter when the weather gets chilly. If I can’t make them work, both items will be hitting my Poshmark closet.
March 2024
Winners:
South Parade Hoodie, $15
Birkenstock Arizona Sandals, $40
Both these items were secondhand purchases off Poshmark. The hoodie is super comfortable and the sandals were for Jack, for his summer shoes. They’re holding up great and I’m kind of excited that he’s only a couple shoe sizes away from MY shoe size… so I’ll be getting his hand-me-downs soon!
April 2024
Winners:
Universal Threads v-neck t-shirt, $2.79
Don’t Be A Salty Heifer t-shirt, $5.99
Vintage skirt, $8.29
Handmade Pottery Tray, $6.49
Jeannette Cube Sugar Bowl, $7.99
Birds Outdoor Pillow, $4.49
Egg Crate jewelry dish, $5.99
Leather Braided Belt, $3.49
Still Deciding:
Old Navy Fern top (green), $12
Line of Oslo Blouse (purple), $5.99
Lots of fantastic scores in April, much due to our fabulous Tuscan, Arizona trip. Everything in the ‘winners’ list has either been absorbed into our house décor or worn happily. On the still deciding list are my two ‘maybe’ items. I wore the fern top once and it was fine. I need to try it again styled differently – I thought I would like it more, but it’s just okay. As for the Line of Oslo blouse, I dyed it purple and it’s very pretty… but I haven’t actually worn it yet. So, I’ll need to make sure I reach for it soon, or it will hit the chopping block!
May 2024
Winners:
Lou & Grey joggers, $6.99
Jofit skort, $6.99
Madewell Walker Chelsea suede ankle boots, $5.99
Athleta v-neck lightweight sweatshirt, $9
Pyrez “Zodiac” casserole dish, $8.50
So many winners for the month of May and most were scores from our visit to Naples, Florida. It was already too warm for the booties, but I can’t wait to wear them in the fall. The joggers and the sweatshirt were both so comfortable, so they will see a welcome return to the front of my drawers in the fall too. I’ve worn the Jofit skirt regularly on my evening walks and the Pyrex bowl happily joined the rest of my collection. Hmm… is this proof that we need to revisit Naples?
June 2024
Winners:
LAND Backpack, $7.49
Max Studios skirt, $6.99
Workout shorts, $4
Chana Dress, $30
Starbucks ceramic mug, $3.99
Dona Joe Running Skirt, $7.99
Leota dress, $12
Coach Dakota purse, $29
Losers:
Lacy/Crochet Cardigan (black), $3
Kate Spade Viva Colores Sidney Skirt (floral skirt), $11.29
Anthropologie Skirt (black and white), $5.29
First, let’s talk winners. I haven’t used the backpack yet, but I’m planning to try it as our snacks/drinks bag at the beach this summer. The skirt, dress, running skirt and dress are all winners for me right now. I’ve used that ceramic mug probably a half dozen times already. And OH the Coach purse is divine. As for the workout shorts, they’re growing on me. They are a bit too fitted in the tummy, but I’ve been wearing them for evening walks and they serve their purpose.
For the losers, that cardigan was an experiment that didn’t pan out. That one is already in the donate pile. As for the two skirts, one was too big/short and the other was too tight, so they both are currently in my Poshmark closet and I’m hoping to break even on them.
Total Spent:
Just to hold myself super accountable, let’s total up all the thrifting purchases from the last 6 months. According to my handy dandy excel spreadsheet that I pulled the info into, my total for 6 months of thrifting was: $346.46. Which equals out to $57.74 per month. I didn’t pull Jack’s sandals out of that number, but perhaps I should have since I would have paid retail prices if needed. While my thrifting total/monthly breakdown is not an insignificant number, this is my main ‘fun money’ I spend on myself. I very rarely buy books (I use the library and my kindle religiously) and make 90% of my coffee at home, and most importantly… our budget can afford it.
Overall Favorites:
Oooh my favorite part, looking at all my thrifting purchases over the past 6-months and picking my favorite items!
Home Décor Favs:
DRU Holland Dutch Oven, $6.99 (January 2024)
Handmade Pottery Tray, $6.49 (April 2024)
Pyrez “Zodiac” casserole dish, $8.50 (May 2024)
While the age of thrifting amazing mid-century items may be passing and it’s getting harder and harder to find true vintage… these three scores made me so happy! The dutch oven and casserole dish (after a quick little rehab) are in my china cabinet, where I get to admire them regularly. As for the handmade pottery tray, I have it in my den next to my reading area, and it’s perfect for keeping my random stuff contained and looking pretty.
Clothing Favs:
Laura Ashley skirt, $7 (February 2024)
Birkenstock Arizona Sandals, $40 (March 2024)
Vintage skirt, $8.29 (April 2024)
Madewell Walker Chelsea suede ankle boots, $5.99 (May 2024)
Coach Dakota purse, $29 (June 2024)
Both of the vintage skirts I thrifted are my favorites right now. That Laura Ashley skirt is so special and every time I wear it, it just makes me smile. As for the other vintage skirt… it’s just the right amount of swishy and flowy and I’ve already worn it at least a half-dozen times. Jack hates socks/sneakers, so as soon as school let out, he went straight to his new Birkenstock sandals for daily wear. He will easily get an entire summer’s worth of use out of them. He may be able to use them for vacations throughout the year, but I fully anticipate he will grow out of this size before next summer.
As for the booties, they’re so gorgeous and I have big plans for them in the fall. I’m imagining them with long dresses, short dresses and tights and rolled jeans too. And last but SO VERY MUCH NOT LEAST, that Coach Dakota purse. Perhaps one of my best thrift finds of the entire year!
After years and years of thrifting, I feel like I’m finally doing better at being more selective. Only a handful of losers and a few more items that are on the chopping block. Not too shabby!
