Adventuring Through Thrift
Today is my last day to purchase anything before having to figure out how to get it back to my neck of the woods. This may not seem like such a big deal, but when you have to pay to ship stuff 1500+miles away, every ounce becomes precious to you!
Here's the situation. I am currently visiting my parents and will have to send my holiday presents and everything I purchase today back to my home on Monday. I have one backpack and one checked bag to take back with me. The conundrum?? How many boxes will I need to send, and how much will it cost??
Regardless of that conundrum (which I will take up seriously after my adventures today), I am going out shopping with my Mom and Sister. This fills me with a bit of trepidation as they are champion shoppers who often disappear for hours at a time and travel all over the lower half of the state looking for "just the right thing." Now, I consider myself a decent shopper - I like a good deal and will hunt until I find the right thing, but I am NOTHING like these two! So, I hope to a) survive, b) find some great things for my clients back home, and c) escape after only four stores! (Dad's on tap to get me if they aren't ready to go home after two hours!!! I love my Dad and his difficulty understanding their need to shop!)
So, we are going to start off at the thrift stores.
I am a music therapist for a school district and a non-profit organization. I have no annual budget for instruments, music purchases, or materials. I do get assistance when my stereo breaks, but no other financial assistance from my facility. (I have asked about getting a budget line item, but am always denied by the powers that be!) So, getting new things for use in my clinic is my responsibility. As a result, I am quite the penny-pincher when it comes to materials for my clinic.
I have learned how to make my own instruments, mallets, visual aids, seat covers, bags, you name it! One of the things that I have found, however, is that there are just things I cannot make. For those things, I prefer to buy on the cheap! The first place to look is a thrift store.
I love thrift stores, but really like going with my Mom and Sister. They can sniff out bargains and have creative imaginations. The thrift stores that they have found are always crowded both with people and with wonderful things for my music therapy clinic, Mom's Occupational Therapy practice, and my Sister's 1st/2nd grade classroom. We've decided that lots of teachers must donate their stuff there since it is easy to find things to use in our various roles as school personnel. Saturday is also buy one, get one day! So, when I go into the store and find an electronic drum toy for $3.98, I can get another one! This sends a thrill down my spine!!
Now, in order to be a really good thrifter (which I admit, I am not), you have to go at least once a week, pay very close attention to what is available, and learn to buy what you see when you see it! If you wait, you will miss out on the item and the deal. Sometimes the thing that you want is part of a larger packet full of things that you don't really want. Buy it anyway and donate the things you don't really want back to the thrift store. Understand the layout of the store, and get to know the people who work there - they can help you find things!
Once you have your things, remember that they may need some loving care to get back into full use. Find a really good stain removing formula. Use large lingerie bags to wash the stuffed animals. Be prepared to repair book covers or seams. Use wipes to clean the electronics and use fresh batteries. Always remember that you are getting something used, so its life may not be as long as something new, but the cost of the item was great for the amount of life that you will be getting! (Does that even make sense??) I don't know about you, but I am much more comfortable giving a used item to a potentially destructive client than something that cost me $25 and is just out of the box.
In previous trips, I have found a mini drum set (missing the cymbals but that is all - I wonder who would give up the drums but keep the cymbals??? Obviously someone who knows nothing about kids and cymbals!), many electronic guitar toys and keyboards, and a thing called a Learn Through Music Device. I have two of these devices and about 15 cartridges that offer learning concepts and songs in a friendly, cartoon character environment. Best of all, in my humble opinion, these devices are old, clunky, but still use a touch screen to operate. I love them and eagerly scour the thrift stores for the devices every chance I can get. I just recently took them out of the closet and used them with my little kids. A young lady to prefers to scream in music therapy because I won't only sing the songs that she wants to hear sat and played with the buttons for 20 minutes before losing interest! It was amazing to me!!
Who knows what my shopping trip will yield today??
Off to my adventure for the day!!
Here's the situation. I am currently visiting my parents and will have to send my holiday presents and everything I purchase today back to my home on Monday. I have one backpack and one checked bag to take back with me. The conundrum?? How many boxes will I need to send, and how much will it cost??
Regardless of that conundrum (which I will take up seriously after my adventures today), I am going out shopping with my Mom and Sister. This fills me with a bit of trepidation as they are champion shoppers who often disappear for hours at a time and travel all over the lower half of the state looking for "just the right thing." Now, I consider myself a decent shopper - I like a good deal and will hunt until I find the right thing, but I am NOTHING like these two! So, I hope to a) survive, b) find some great things for my clients back home, and c) escape after only four stores! (Dad's on tap to get me if they aren't ready to go home after two hours!!! I love my Dad and his difficulty understanding their need to shop!)
So, we are going to start off at the thrift stores.
I am a music therapist for a school district and a non-profit organization. I have no annual budget for instruments, music purchases, or materials. I do get assistance when my stereo breaks, but no other financial assistance from my facility. (I have asked about getting a budget line item, but am always denied by the powers that be!) So, getting new things for use in my clinic is my responsibility. As a result, I am quite the penny-pincher when it comes to materials for my clinic.
I have learned how to make my own instruments, mallets, visual aids, seat covers, bags, you name it! One of the things that I have found, however, is that there are just things I cannot make. For those things, I prefer to buy on the cheap! The first place to look is a thrift store.
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| My inspiration - Mom's Garage - almost all thrifted! |
Now, in order to be a really good thrifter (which I admit, I am not), you have to go at least once a week, pay very close attention to what is available, and learn to buy what you see when you see it! If you wait, you will miss out on the item and the deal. Sometimes the thing that you want is part of a larger packet full of things that you don't really want. Buy it anyway and donate the things you don't really want back to the thrift store. Understand the layout of the store, and get to know the people who work there - they can help you find things!
Once you have your things, remember that they may need some loving care to get back into full use. Find a really good stain removing formula. Use large lingerie bags to wash the stuffed animals. Be prepared to repair book covers or seams. Use wipes to clean the electronics and use fresh batteries. Always remember that you are getting something used, so its life may not be as long as something new, but the cost of the item was great for the amount of life that you will be getting! (Does that even make sense??) I don't know about you, but I am much more comfortable giving a used item to a potentially destructive client than something that cost me $25 and is just out of the box.
In previous trips, I have found a mini drum set (missing the cymbals but that is all - I wonder who would give up the drums but keep the cymbals??? Obviously someone who knows nothing about kids and cymbals!), many electronic guitar toys and keyboards, and a thing called a Learn Through Music Device. I have two of these devices and about 15 cartridges that offer learning concepts and songs in a friendly, cartoon character environment. Best of all, in my humble opinion, these devices are old, clunky, but still use a touch screen to operate. I love them and eagerly scour the thrift stores for the devices every chance I can get. I just recently took them out of the closet and used them with my little kids. A young lady to prefers to scream in music therapy because I won't only sing the songs that she wants to hear sat and played with the buttons for 20 minutes before losing interest! It was amazing to me!!
Who knows what my shopping trip will yield today??
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