These are the confessions of a thrift-addict.
I want to share some of the changes that I went through as a result of being on lockdown due to the pandemic. I hope everyone is doing well.
How it Started
I was ( and still am) on lockdown, but I noticed some of my buddies on YouTube were already out there thrifting and shopping at other stores. They were going places and I had not left my house in months.
I gotta tell you it was not easy. I have to take a deep breath every time I think about it. I'm doing better now, but I have to tell you it was really, really hard!
The Thrill of the Thrift
I'm used to going thrifting at least once a week -- sometimes twice a week. Sometimes I'm thrifting for myself. Sometimes I'm thrifting for resale. Sometimes I'm there just because I love to be in that kind of environment.
Yeah, I'm dependent on that thrill. I'm always looking for that next big find. It's such a rush just going through the store, aisle by aisle, rack by rack, slowly touching things. I'm getting chills just thinking about it!
I saw that some of my fellow social media creators and thrifters in other states had already gone out shopping while I was home waiting for stores to open in my area. I wanted to get out there too! I was chomping at the bit!
I am emotionally dependent on thrifting. I don't know if that's a bad thing.
Are There Symptoms
I guess if you're bringing stuff into your home and you're constantly going out and spending your last dime on things that you really don't need but you "just have to have", then that could be a bad thing. I don't think I have gotten to that point yet.
Hiding my thrift finds
I store my finds in my car until I can safely sneak them inside without hubby noticing. Sometimes that could be days or weeks later. I then squirrel them away in the garage and later into the laundry room where I can clean everything. Whew! The life of a thrifter ain't easy! Who can relate?
I think I did kind of go through a withdrawal of sorts when I was stuck at home and my thrift stores were closed. Did I get the shakes? Did I get sweaty palms or pull out my hair? Did I start grinding my teeth? Was I pacing the floor and going to the door and just looking out?
Thrifting is Up Close and Personal
I kept thinking about what it would be like when I made my return to the store for the first time after being in lockdown for so long. Would the store be clean? Would it be safe to be around other thrifters?
Thrifting is up front, close and personal. Touching items is a big part of the thrifting experience for me. I have to touch everything! When I'm thrifting, I'm going to pick up that picture. I'm going to pick up a bowl. I want to touch a sweater or a coat. I have to look at things. I want to touch things when I'm at a thrift store.
Just the thought of putting on protective gloves and a mask and going into the thrift store during the pandemic was overwhelming. Couple that with the anxiety of bringing thrifted items into my home, and I was fit to be tied. Cleaning and sanitizing my thrift finds had taken on a whole new meaning.
Yeah, these are the confession of a thrift-addict
During the lockdown, I didn't shop at any online thrift stores like some of my fellow drifters did. Some resellers went to online sites to buy thrifted goods in order to sustain their way of life. Their situations may be a little different than mine.
If you're a full-time reseller and you make your living from thrifting, you have to find inventory wherever you can. And that explains why I saw several thrift haul videos of folks who were frequenting online thrift stores. I'm a part-time reseller and for the most part I go thrifting for personal reasons, so I am not financially dependent on thrifting.
Funny story, but I started picking through my inventory that I had set aside to resell and it felt a little like thrifting. I saw a pair of walking shoes in my stash that I had listed on Poshmark that I may take out and wear. Essentially, I went thrifting in my own thrift pile!
Conclusion
I can empathize with anybody who was feeling anxious about not being able to go to the thrift store. I certainly understand.
I kind of rode the wave and now I think my thrift withdrawal is on the downside. Happily, thrift stores have opened up again and I've done a little shopping!
I don't think I'll ever get over being a thrift-addict.
But I'm going to be okay.
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