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.
But I must confess that it is
really hard when you're so dependent on just being in a thrift store. I don't know about you, but I get such a rush
when I'm planning a trip to the thrift store! I get there and I'm
super excited about being there! And I'm just hoping that I'm going to find
something.
Sometimes you know you're not going to find anything, but it's the
thrill of being in that space and just touching things!
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 don't just pick up stuff on the
regular. I know I've picked up stuff and
thought, "I like this, but do I
really need it?"
I enjoy thrifting so much!
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?
No, I didn't do all that. But yeah, I did go through some kind of a withdrawal
from not being able to go thrifting. I admit that I felt a little antsy.
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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