Thanks to Marie Kondo's wildly popular new Netflix show, Tidying Up [1], people across the country have been cleaning out and organising [2] their homes. From toys to clothes to home decor items, anything that isn't sparking joy is getting tossed into donating piles. But where is all of that stuff [3] going? Well, luckily for me, a lot of it is landing at thrift stores [4], and I've been finding some serious gems recently!
Just because I didn't necessarily buy into Kondo's methods by cleaning out our home doesn't mean I didn't still greatly benefit from them.
Just yesterday, my young daughter and I went shopping because we needed a few things but didn't want to spend top dollar. We hit up both consignment and thrift stores and came away with some pretty great stuff, and I truly don't think it's a coincidence. The stores were packed (more so than usual) with two main things — kids' toys [5] and clothes. We have a few birthday parties to attend [6] this month, so we hunted for some toys that were brand new with the tags still on them, and boy did we score. We even found a brand new Lego set for my son's friend that's completely untouched (major Mom win!).
With Spring coming up, I also wanted to see if we could find any new or barely used clothing [8] for my kids. And we did. I found quality rain coats and rain boats that will likely last for at least two seasons for my children. Plus, we stumbled upon some high-end t-shirts, jeans, and other lighter gear for when the sun finally chooses to show up and melt the stubborn snow.
I also found some great decor items [9], too. I nabbed a cool vintage-looking clock, an almost new lamp, and a few modern picture frames. And for me, I purchased a couple of tops (still with the tags on them) and a barely worn maxi dress for the Summer months. It was so much fun taking my daughter along for the bargain-hunting ride, and I hope she learned a trick or two, as well.
Just because I didn't necessarily buy into Kondo's methods [11] by cleaning out our home doesn't mean I didn't still greatly benefit from them. The time to go thrift shopping [12] is right now! Think ahead to Spring and Summer for anything your kids and family may need. It's so worth it, and your bank account will thank you.