The end of a short lived era

Yesterday was kind of a big day. At 9:00 am I attended my very last real estate closing.  I never have to sell another house...ever. Its a good feeling. And I got paid, which is pretty sweet too.

To celebrate the end of my awful job, and embrace the awesome spring snow storm that rolled in yesterday, Shawn and I planned to head up to the mountains this morning to take in some fresh air and tumble down some hills (aka snowboarding). Well, as luck would have it, he got called in to work for a few hours and I am spending my morning on the couch in pjs. I plan on getting dressed at some point in the near future, but until then, I thought I'd share a few thrifting photos I had stashed on my phone.

One of my more exciting finds in the last few weeks was this adorable citrus juicer. It's a few decades old but looks brand new and works wonderfully. And it matches my KitchenAide so..... (Did I mention it was only $3?)

I picked up this bike last summer at a yard sale for $15. The man selling it said it belonged to his mom but she'd never used it. It just needed a little air in the tires and it was like new. And really cute.

And finally, this rediculousness. I spied this little bag at a thrift shop with my sister. Don't worry, I didn't purchase this one. I just had to take a picture because I was so confused. What would you carry in this thing? Swiss cheese? It just makes no sense.

Alright, I'm getting my butt off the couch to go take a shower and head out to do a little shopping.  Hopefully I'll have some great finds for ya this afternoon. Happy Saturday!!

(In case you were wondering...as I hinted to last week, I attempted to speak with an advisor at a school nearby but I didn't come during "walk in" hours. Instead of going back at the appropriate time, I decided to just try again next week with an appointment. I'll let ya know how it goes!)

60 degrees = Yard Sales!

Today was one of those days that reminds me why I live in Denver. Bright blue skies, not a cloud in sight, and the slightest breeze keeping us in the mid sixties. I chose to skip the thrift stores and instead hit up some local yard sales with the boyfriend to take full advantage of the awesome weather.

Before I show you my little finds (which were few and far between), I have to share a new tip with you. I recently downloaded a new IPhone app and I'm using it like crazy. Its called "iGarageSales" and I think I paid $1.99 for it. It syncs up with your GPS and your Google map, searches your local Craigslist ads, and pins all the garage sales in your area.

You can click on a pin and it will bring up the ad, pictures, and address for the sale. You can also mark the sales you plan on attending and bring up a map with only your planned sales. You can even modify your search to only garage sale ads with certain key words (like "tools", "furniture", "radtastic") so you can narrow down your search to only find what you are really looking for. No, I'm not getting paid by the app and I'm not the creator of it... I just think its pretty damn useful when you live in a big city full of garage sales.

Now, on to the finds.... It was kind of a slumpy day for treasure hunting, but I did pick up some cute lights that I plan on using in the store for decoration. Brand new $1.


I also got a longer string of similar little lanterns in bright colors for $2. (forgot to take a pic) And this odd candle holder/contraption. It unscrews and comes apart so you can change out the candle and even the inner glass candle holder. (planning on switching it out for a better colored holder). Best part....25 cents. Can't beat that.

We also snagged this vinyl banner to add to the vibe going on in the garage. Shawn has a similar sized SRH one that he bought new online for $40. So at $2, I'd say we did ok. :)
 
He also picked up a random auto tool for a quarter. He was pleased.

While I'm here, I thought I should toss in a few pics of my finds in the last two weeks since I seem to be a crappy blogger who doesn't update enough.

I picked up this desk with my sister at a thrift store in Littleton for $9.99. It needs to be refinished and needs some hardware...but otherwise, its in perfect shape. And it was under $10!!!! I'm planning on sprucing it up so I can use it in the shop. Or I may keep it because its seriously adorable.

Last weekend, I found these two lamp bases at a yard sale. The seller wanted $15 for the pair. I took off the ugly blue shades, told the guy to sell those for a few bucks and gave him $10 for the bases. With clean, crisp, white shades, these are going to look perfect on night stands in the bedroom. (Although, I'm still searching for the perfect night stands).

I think that's about it for now. I'll try to update this a little more often and hopefully, I'll have some better treasures to share. For next week, my last closing and then...no more real estate, more thrifting, and a trip to a few schools to speak with advisors about business classes. This crazy idea of mine is starting to feel real...

Need some help...

So this blog's address is www.adventuresinthrifting.com. I'm not a huge fan of that. It works, but it just doesn't have a great ring to it. Any suggestions on a new name? Most site names are already taken, so it's gotta be a little creative. Obviously, it needs to have something to do with resale. If you have any ideas, feel free to post them in the comments section, or hit me up on facebook. Be aware that if you make a suggestion, you are giving permission for me to use the name for this site. You will also probably get a hug and maybe some cookies. Thanks in advance :)

I want candy...

One of the great (and sometimes frustrating) things about thrifting is that the inventory changes constantly. One week, you may find a cart full of treasures, and the next week you leave empty handed. Because of this, I usually give a store three or four chances to win me over before I write it off.

(My exception to this rule...over priced shops. If I go to a store and the t-shirts are $8 and the not so cute heels are $25, I usually don't go back. The whole point of thrifting is getting a great deal. If I can buy the same item, brand new, at Marshall's...why buy it used??)

The local DAV (Disabled American Veterans) Thrift Store (6803 W Alameda Ave) was about to get wiped off my list of go-to shops. I've been there 2 or 3 times and have never bought a thing. The store is located in an old skate rink, so its pretty huge and surprisingly organized. The prices are fair and quality of items are pretty top notch. But I've just never found anything I really wanted when I shopped there. Sometimes stores just don't work with your taste or style.

Well, I heard that they have 50% off sales on Saturdays so I decided to give it one last shot yesterday. I'm soooo glad I did! I only got a few things, but one particular item made the whole trip worth it.

They were hidden behind some ugly snow boots. Candie's...my size...fit like a glove. I've been looking for a new pair of brown boots and couldn't found a pair I really liked, until these little beauties. I think these boots usually range around $80. Looking at the lack of wear on the bottom, I'd say these had been worn once, maybe twice. They were $19.99....50% off day...I got them for $10.

Pretty much made my entire day. ;)

Also picked up this little clutch by Victoria's Secret. It was on sale for $1.50. Its just big enough for my ID and credit cards and my phone. Perfect for going out. And its got a cute bracelet-type attachment so I don't have to worry about losing it.

Please pardon the Casper arms...

I also picked up a t-shirt for my guy, a snuggly flannel for lounging around the house, and a cute little white bowl for dips or sauces. I'd say it was a pretty successful day.

I found a ton of items that I would have bought if I were opening my store sooner, too. (Including the cutest black corduroy blazer from Body by VS...a little too tight for me...but a great deal at $3!) I'm trying to not buy clothing items for the store yet because I don't plan on opening it for another two years and styles change way too much to start stocking up now. I don't want to have a store filled with clothes that "were cute a few years ago".

Well, that's it for now. I'm off to the airport to wait tables so I can pay my bills. See ya in a few days with some more finds!

And so it begins...

As a little girl, my weekends were often spent with my mom shuffling through clothing racks, shelves of books, and boxes of toys in search of hidden treasures. We shopped thrift stores, flea markets, antique shops, and yard sales in search of great deals. I learned at a young age that shopping resale could not only save money, but also be a ton of fun. When I'm having a rough day or feeling a little too stressed, I turn to thrift stores to ease my mind. I set out on a search for a little diamond in the rough and my troubles seem to melt away. I've recently realized that a lot of those troubles and rough days seem to be a result of my professional life. I've changed my career path a million times and never felt a passion for my job. I've always been jealous of people who couldn't wait to go to work in the morning; those that have a sincere love for what they do. All I want is to be excited about my job and feel priviledged that I get to do it. Well, I've decided to quit being jealous and simply become one of those people. And so here we are... I'm currently a 26 year old realtor, waiting tables for extra cash, shopping resale to ease my mind. This blog will record my journey through a pretty huge change in my life. I'm quitting real estate, going back to school, and making plans to open my own thrift store. I don't expect it to be easy and I don't expect it to happen overnight, but I do expect it to be an adventure. I'm giving myself two years to pay off my debt, save up some money, take necessary business classes, and open the doors to my very own shop. I will post all of my experiences along the way...yard sale finds, business loans, final exams, and retail leases. I have no idea what I'm getting myself into, but you're more than welome to join me while I find out!