Holidays are the best time to visit local thrift stores. Folks are cleaning out old holiday items to make room for new ones. Most of these items are gently used and are wonderful finds. Today I visited Pickens Animal Rescue(PAR) thrift store and I hit the holiday thrifting jackpot. They have displayed all the Christmas offerings so beautifully that you feel like you are walking through a wonderland. Below are a few reasons you should visit PAR, or your local thrift store, this week if possible.
1-Decorations: Why go to the big box stores when there are so many decorations at the thrift stores this time of year. Ornaments, wall hangings, table runners, baskets and on and on. Most items are under $1.50.
Today I found some wonderful items. First are these two very cute snowpeople. There wasn't a price but you can bet it wasn't much.
I also found some vintage looking ornaments for .50 cents per box.
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| .50 Cents |
My purchase today came from a basket of white, silver and blue balls priced at 4 for .50 cents. I bought over a dozen. Some will go on the tree and some will hang from ribbon in the window. Believe me there were many more decorations than I have pictures of.
2-Trees: Whether you are looking for a large tree for the living room or a small one for you desk, thrift stores are great places to find all kinds of trees. I saw 3 artificial trees today. Here are some tips when choosing a large tree from a thrift:
A. Check the size. Sometimes it is written on the box or ask a sales person if they know.
B. If you are allowed, make sure all the branches are there. Nothing worse than getting home only to find you have a gap in your tree.
C. Make sure the stand is with the tree. Tree stands are like socks in a dryer. They have a way of disappearing.
PAR had an excellent selection of small tabletop trees. Here are a few. The tree on the right is $2.00 and needs a little work on the cord. Might be able to ask for less. The tree on the left is $10.00. It is beautifully decorated and sits in a peck basket. In the center is a plastic bin with several tabletop trees for $3.00 each.
3. Wrap/Boxes/Bags: From time to time I pick up gift bags while thrifting. Today PAR had a wealth of packaging for the holidays and prices way less than the cheapest Dollar Store. I found 3 rolls of paper. One had been opened so I paid .25 cents for that one. The other two were unopened, extra big rolls at $1.00 each. I love the blue and white because it blends with my color theme this year. I also needed the brown shipping paper to add a natural touch under the tree AND I also bought rolls of ribbons to go decorate the brown paper for .10 to .25 cents per roll.
4. Gifts: The economy is less that favorable this year and many are looking for ways to cut costs. You can shop at the big discount stores OR try finding something wonderful at a thrift store. Stocking stuffers are in abundance. I found these cute little kaleidoscopes and John Deere coasters for the tractor guy in your life. The coasters could also be used as ornaments on the tree.
There are folks who can't volunteer at thrift stores but who want to contribute. These generous folks use their talents to make new items to donate to the store. I found gifts for many of my co-workers that way. (Can't tell you what they are - might spoil the surprise for a reader). Today I found these cute caps for 3.00 each.
The Dandefind of the day was this 3 level playhouse on casters for $150. Expensive for a thrift store??? Try and find one made from solid wood with a shingled roof and totally furnished for that price in a big box or discount store. If I were a little girl again I would absolutely LOVE to find this under the tree Christmas morning.
These are things I found in an hour at one thrift store. And there is so much more out there. If you want me to pick up any of these finds for you I'd be happy to. Just contact me by posting here or leaving a message at Dandefinds on Facebook.
Happy Hunting.
Pickens Animal Rescue Thrift Store
