I love thrift stores.
Well, I love all but the funky feeling you get when you're in there. If I could shop in surgical gloves and an oxygen mask I would certainly do it, but I don't have access to either of those things. I just don't know where any of that stuff's been, so I get a tinsy bit panicky if I get stuck on that thought for too long. I always carry germ-X with me while shopping there because I can all but see the germs flying around in the air. And then if for some reason I get in there and I realize I have no antibacterial gel, then I can hardly drive home without worrying about what I'm rubbing all over my steering wheel and my stereo.
I mean, we all do the "normal stuff" while shopping, right? Like always breathing out for about 20 feet after someone sneezes, so as not to breathe in any germs. I mean, who doesn't do that?Oh...or the regular "never touch your face or eyes while in public because you don't know what you've touched and are about to infect yourself with." routine. Helloooo? Don't even get me started on public bathrooms...
Well, clearly I may be what some might call a "germ-a-phobe", so I won't pin those routines on you, but I think the general "thrift store feeling" is universal.
I mean, think of the difference...in new stores, you can bank on the fact that all the merchandise comes out of plastic bags and goes right onto the shelf, therefore you've cut your germ contamination down considerably just with that whole process. But in the thrift store, I can't help but think, "What is that mark on that toy? Is it a booger? Is it food? Is it contagious?? What if some child had the throw up virus right before her mommy donated these things and they were in her mouth? How many germy hands did these things pass through before they landed on that spot on the shelf?" Those are the thoughts that try to ruin my experience in the thrift store.
But the positives are way better, though. I can always somehow overcome my germ fears and enjoy "thrifting" because of my love for bargains. I so enjoy finding great, unique things inexpensively. And knowing my money is going to a good cause helps. So thankfully, in the end, my hate for germs is always defeated by my love for someone else's junk.
Take today, for example. I got two great sweaters for 2 bucks, a little something for my Lutong, and then found an unnecessary treasure for myself. All this and I'm only 10 bucks in the hole.
I love it. I feel like I really splurged, when really I just spent $10. I could be quite the thrift store junkie. I could go every day. (Actually, I couldn't go every day cause then I would have to invest in surgical gloves and a mask, so I don't think those particular purchases would even out the savings.)
So I guess I'm more of a "once in a blue moon thrift store junkie".
And a fabulous blue moon it was. That is a fact.
Now....I'm off to the showers.
Saturday, November 03, 2007
Blue Moon Thrifting
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12 comments:
I think the breathing out and no touchy facey ARE normal. Seriously. Wal-Mart is another place I feel especially panicky because there has always been about 500,000,000 other people there with who knows what. Also anywhere that has a pharmacy because VERY sick people with VERY contagious things have to go there to pick up there meds.
But, I am glad you were brave and faced your fears...and bought be something!!!! YAY!!!! I can't wait! That was so fun waking up and checking blogland to discover I had a gift.
I was thinking...What if the thrift store sold used masks and gloves? Eeeeeeewwwwwww. ha ha
looooooove me some good deals. Gee, I think I have a great idea on what to get you for christmas
I love it when you blog. It makes me laugh. A hearty outloud, germless laugh.
There's just something about that smell at the thrift store...kind of a stale smell.
okay 90% of my kids clothes come from the Thrift Store.. for some reason I can pick through the clothes and get cute stuff very quickly.. we have a routine.. i buy the little candies, that require a quarter, and feed them to my kids while shopping. this buys me some good time.
I thrift so much that when I pick something up that is over 2 bucks i think, "what are they crazy..thats too much." how wild is that!
I'm with Michelle...WalMart's got to be the worst...
Take the buggies for example. Who pushed that cart today? Did they wash their hands when they went potty? Did their 2 year old put boogers on the handle? Did her baby have an explosion in her diaper that leaked out and onto the seat and that's right where you have your pocket book sitting. I mean gross me out!
Oh, and for public bathrooms, I don't leave home without a pack of toilet seatcovers, my own TP (maybe they got "something" on their fingers and it got onto the store's TP) and then I even carry a little pack of hand wipes so I can open the door to get out.
I'm sorry, do I sound frighteningly OCD? Well, how else do you think I've lived this long?!
I'm not OCD about germs. Surprise. I'm weird OCD about particular things being next to each other, or how I eat M&M's, or relationships, but not germs. I even hate Germ-x. It tears my skin apart and I hate the way it smells.
So, is it gross for me to say that I still love the thrift store? Most of my kids' clothes come from there and mine, too. Big Saver in Roebuck is the best thrift store I've ever been, too.
I DO use a baby wipe when I come out though. And since my children love laying on the floor and hiding in the clothes (NASTY) then I usually bathe them with wipes when we get to the car. Kids are SO gross.
I'm with everyone else. I am drawn by the bargains and disgusted with the germs!
We all love to shop there and I love to thoroughly clean us all when we are done. I also wash everything we get immediately.
You are such a fun blogger!! I laughed and laughed at this entry! WE LOVE THE THRIFT STORE!! My hubby is the germaphobe in this family. I do think it is gross, but as long as we germ x when we leave - then, I'm okay.
We should all go thrift store shopping together! Okay, THAT would be AWESOME!!!!
I'm with Rachel, if they charge 3.oo for a pair of jeans it totally offends me. Now if I found jeans at Old Navy for the same price, well, that's a whole different matter.
I learned to have OCD about germs from my dad. When we were little my dad taught us to wash our hands like the surgeons do!! Even now my dad gives estimates for Warren and he has a HUGE sams size bottle of germ x Every time he gets in his car he washes up!!
I MISS THE THRIFT STORE. I told Danny today I need long sleeve T's for the kids but I Do Not want to pay the price. They don't have thrift stores here. YIKES what will I do?
Good to see you at the bazaar! I hope you made lots of money so you can continue to get lots of good thrift store finds.
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