Thrift Store Shopping Tips

I absolutely love shopping at thrift stores. I think there is something primal about the hunt. I know I get a rush from finding the perfect article of clothing or home decorating accent. I went through a furniture phase and added to my previous and current homes (along with the help of Craig's List). And lets not forget, I'm about a cheap as they come. Or as I like to say, "Using my resources wisely". 

When I go thrifting I like to make it an all day activity. I know, not everyone has that luxury - even I don't most times, but it is my preferred way of shopping. Kind of like a drug binge (not that I know what that is like ... but hey, I watch Intervention).

So here are a few of my shopping tips, even if you only go to one store:

• If at all possible, leave the kids and husbands home. They just slow you down and ask questions like, "but do we need it?"
• Using a maping software (like Google Map) and determine your route from store to store. You don't want to waste any precious time trying to figure out where to go next, or the best way to get there.
• Make sure you bring water and snacks. Thrifting is hot and tiring work. Why go somewhere and eat out - that just takes away money for possible finds.
• Wear comfortable shoes.
• Take a purse with a long strap so you can wear it across your body. It keeps it safe and close at hand and keeps your hands free.
• If you can, try on clothes at the store. Most of my local thrift stores have no dressing rooms and a no return policy.
• Learn what the store's return policy is. 
• Double check that the item works, all buttons are there, the zipper zips, etc. before you purchase it.
  
• Wear a t-shirt that fits close to the body. You can try on blouses and jackets over it easily.
  
• If you are hard core - wear a skirt so you can try on pants underneath and lift the skirt and check them out. I haven't been able to bring myself to do this.
• If you can try on clothes at the store, make sure you are wearing easy on and off clothes - pull on shirts without buttons, comfortable pants or yoga pants, and slip on not tie shoes.
  
• Leave your jacket in the car, even in freezing weather.
• Go with a friend, you can cover the store twice as fast.
• When looking for cloths shop smart. Without taking the item from the rack first look at colors (I will only wear cool colors, no horizontal strips, subdued prints), then fabric type (no polyester) then the style of the item (fitted, not loose and floaty for me) then if it meets all that criteria then pick it up and look at the size, label and overall look (designer here we come!). You can power through racks of clothing quickly.
• For furniture have an idea where you will put the item before purchasing it. Difficult with great buys I know, but unless you can return it later don't bring it home to sit it in your garage.
• Make sure what you buy can fit in your car or there is a hold and pick up policy. 
• With home accents, my most favorite part of thrift store shopping, try to keep some guidelines in mind.
• Paint covers a multitude of sins
• Is the style consistent with what you currently have going on in your house?
• Do you need or just want the item? (Neither is bad, it just allows you to budget a little better).
• Do you have a possible place for the item? Bringing it home to sit in the basement is not a good use of your money. You could be buying a better and more useful thing at the next store!
  
• The item doesn't have to be used for its intended purpose. My friend Alison uses a cute baby changing table with wooden details as a stand for her multitude of  hand made quilts. (It was my idea - great huh?!)
• I ask myself, "Is this $5 (or whatever) worth of cute?" Some things are cute but outside of what I want to spend. It's OK to put it back and walk away. 
  
• There are bargains to be had, just look. I found a $4200 mink coat for $25 in fantastic condition. It unfortunately didn't fit me and Alison is now the proud owner. If only I knew I could have the coat resized ..... 
• And last but not least, it's OK to buy nothing. Some days you come back empty handed. You can shop again another day.
• Check out The Thrift Shopper.Com for listings of thrift stores in your area you might not be aware of.
  

Do you have any thrift store shopping tips you'd like to share? Do tell!

Photography Tips and Tricks

Since starting my blog I've been taking many more indoor photos than in the past. Unfortunately they haven't been turning out as nice as I would like. I see much advice in blogland about not using a flash to take your pictures. Most of my crafts and blog writing takes place at night. I don't have enough ambient light to not use a flash. I take great pictures outdoors but inside is a different ball game. I did some research and talked with my son the photographer and here is what I found:

Natural light produces an overall soft effect.

Using a flash creates shadow. Avoid the flash if at all possible. A low contrast picture (dim room, no flash) is preferable to high contrast (dim room, flash). For those really technical people you would want to increase the ISO setting with no flash. But if you know what that is you probably already do it.

Avoid taking a picture with flash in front of or next to any shiny, reflective surface (windows, mirrors, glass, highly polished surfaces). It will create "hot spots", those white blotches. Picture from www.family-photo.com

If you have to take a picture in front of a shiny, reflective surface position yourself at least a 30 degree angle from the surface to avoid the reflection bouncing back to the camera.

Position yourself directly in front of the primary object you are taking a picture of to minimize shadow. This seems obvious. I think what it means is take the picture head on. If you take it from the side, the front of the object will be in shadow.

Being closer than 5 feet in front of a wall will create shadows. My best pictures are taken on my dining room table away from walls.

If you have to be in front of a wall, position yourself and the the object in a straight line which is at a 90 degree angle from the wall.

Use a Tripod. You'll take many more in focus pictures. 

If you use a high enough ISO to not use a flash, the shutter speed will be much too slow to be hand held so use a tripod. What the heck does this mean? I don't adjust ISO settings. Well you actually might. My digital camera has little pictures on the turny knobby thing where I can adjust to daylight, candle light, nighttime, indoor, outdoor snow, manual and automatic settings. These different settings automatically adjust the ISO and white balance (cool or warm colored light) for those general conditions. 

We're not going to talk about adjusting your white balance for cool or warm light. Again, if you know what that is you know how to do it.

Actually use the turny knobby thing to adjust for dim lighting settings while indoor. I always forget to change from automatic which wants to use a flash.

Light from behind an object turns the object into a silhouette.

Light from the side of an object lights the close side and puts the far side in shadow.

With side lighting a white reflective surface (like poster board) will bounce light back to the shadow side and produce depth to your picture. 

The best way to get good lighting indoor is to use a three point approach. Have your primary source of light  at a 45 degree angle to the object; have a reflective surface (like white cardboard) directly across from the light to bounce light back onto the surface and reduce side shadow; and have a light directly behind the object but at a slight angle so it isn't shining directly into the camera.  I use a similar set up when taking pictures for ebay using several desk lamps with a sheet draped over them to soften any harshness. Why I never thought to pull all the equipment out and give it a go for my blog pictures, I don't know! Granted this has limited application for room size decorating pictures! But the general theory of multiple light sources still works.

With all this said and done, for me my best and easiest pictures with no flash indoor are on my dining room table. I have a ceiling light fixture with a defuser which bounces light off the ceiling and provides nice soft light. 

Did this help you at all? I know I picked up some good information.

Tip of the Week - Take a Picture

Want to know a great way to get a new perspective on your decorating? Take a picture! For some reason, looking at photographs of your space allows you to see it in a new and fresh way.  (Actually is a psychological phenomenon called the Mere Exposure Effect). It's easier to notice that the artwork is hung too high over the sofa (the middle of the art should be at eye level, unless it's over a piece of furniture in that case...well that's really a post for another day) or that having the two chairs next to the fireplace makes it look cramped. Give it a try sometime. What have you been missing?

Tip of the Week - Craigs List

If you've read my blog posts about organizing, you probably know I have a deep and abiding LOVE for Craig's List. I have furnished, repurposed and redecorated, sold and furnished yet again many items in my condo. (Probably more purchasing than reselling, but whatever). I shop for family and friends. I find so many cute things for so little $$ that I seriously have considered going into business purchasing, fixing and reselling stuff. The only thing that holds me back is 1) 650 sq. foot condo so no space. 2) a small-ish Saturn car so no way to pick up the large items. 3) my predisposition to hyper focus and become a wee bit obsessive about things but easily distracted so follow-through is an issue. (That last one is hard to admit to.)

Lets back up a step. Do you know what Craig's List is? It's free (!!) online classified ads for stuff, jobs, housing, and other things I don't pay attention to. I focus on the stuff. You choose your city and search for anything, say 1960's or walnut, or dresser. Since it's free to post and it's free to buy, you can find a bunch of neat, local things. Anywho, onto the tip.

The listings on Craig's List are just a bunch of titles. It's not like eBay where you see the picture and the title. If you use Firefox as your browser (and you should, it's great) you can use an "add-ons" (little program or widgets) to add the pictures to listings. That way you can quickly scroll through volumes of ads glancing at the photo and not even having to read each title. I stop when I see something good looking then read the details. If it's not cheap enough, I move on.

Go here to get Firefox. Add-ons are available at the top of the page, just click and search for Craigs List. There are about 1/2 dozen add-ons that will come up. The program I use is called CLIP:CraigsList Image Prefetcher. There is a suggested donation of $.99 cents for this add-on and it's so worth it. Choose Add to Firefox and follow the on screen directions.

It's so simple! Here's hoping you'll find it as addictive as I do.