Open Those Eyeballs

Weird title. But it works. Because today we're going to have a little look into my home and discover what items I've bought from one of our thrift stores in town.

When you go to the thrift store, keep your creative mind open and be ready to look at an item in a different way. A tiny crate? It's now a remote holder. An ugly picture frame? With a little spray paint, it's now something that you are proud to hang in your home. For next to nothing. 

So open those eyeballs and get ready to see some of the items that have come home with me in the past. 

First up: a little blue wooden caddy that I put crayons into and voila: Gavin is now a budding artist (And I get to colour too. Bonus!)

I usually start in the book section when I get into the thrift store. I use to work at a book store and when I was working there I could afford to buy books. Now that I'm not working there, the thrift store is a great place to pick up a cheap book. If it's terrible, I just give it back (and I have done that).

I discovered pant hangers make great displays for printable art. Just print and hang. Easy and can be changed up however often you want. 

Furniture is a great thing to find at the thrift store. Look for sturdiness, but don't worry if it's ugly. That's what paint is for, which is what I did with the little bookshelf that is in Gavin's room. 

I like to find little crates that I can place on my table, bookshelves, or like I mentioned before, for our T.V. remote. Cute and functional. 

Baskets are a great item to find at the thrift store. I don't really know why people give them away, but I am grateful that they do! I have a mild obsession with baskets. However, like I have told Jesse, I can always use them for something - Gavin's books and toys (and him too I guess), extra candles, cookbooks, towels, craft supplies.

Like I mentioned before, furniture is great to buy at the thrift store, like Gavin's stool and the old metal stool that I gave a little makeover to.

This mirror was an ugly shade of brown before I gave it a coat of white spray paint. Now it looks like I paid and arm and a leg for it, while I actually probably spent $15. 

I mentioned that I usually start out in the book section in the thrift store, because they are not only good for reading, but also for stacking and displaying items. If you think the cover is ugly, just take it off and show the beautiful colours of the book. 

Containers are another great item that I keep my eyes out for. I am storing paintbrushes in one in my craft room, cooking utensils in another in our tiny kitchen, and then the white jug that is above is perfect for wild flowers or just on it's own! Again, if it's not the colour that you are wanting, break out the spray paint and make it yours! Just not in the store. That would be awkward. And wrong. 

Don't be afraid to look in the material section. That's where I buy a lot of my fabric for pillows, curtains, and my fabric hoop art. Just wash before use. 

Oh and before I forget, children's clothes are a great thing to buy at the thrift store. Just double check on the quality and if there are stains. Since kids grow out of things so quickly and their clothes are for some reason still pretty expensive ($20 for a pair of baby jeans? I don't think so!), thrift stores are a great place to find some cute new outfits for your kiddos. If you're lucky, they may have 50% off days where you can get clothes even cheaper. Always remember, wash them before wearing. 

So there's a few items for you to grab some inspiration from. Never been in a thrift store? I'll wipe my shocked expression on my face and urge you to go exploring in one today! You'll never know what you might find. Really. So get to it! 

Happy weekend! (And hopefully thrift store hunting!) 

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