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By Felicia Czochanski Bisaro
With the start of the new year comes the opportunity to tap into your intuition, reflect on what makes you happy, and determine what steps you can take to do more of what you love this year. If you’re reading this, there’s a good chance that something that makes you happy is scoring an incredible find while shopping secondhand at Goodwill. Let’s bottle that “thrift bliss” feeling and manifest more of that this year!
Photo: @victoria_jacksonneeley
There’s a special kind of magic that happens when you walk into your favorite Goodwill store. Endless possibilities are waiting to be discovered on the racks and shelves. Especially after the holidays, as people bring in donations to make room for gifts, or even gifts that didn’t suit them, you might step into Goodwill to find the store bursting with more items than usual. This is a particularly great time of year to shop secondhand. Still, it’s easy to walk into the store, see so many items to go through, and feel a mixture of overwhelm and excitement. That’s why, if you want to manifest “thrift bliss,” there are a few steps you may want to take before heading to Goodwill.
Set Your Thrift Intention
First, as you’re planning a trip to Goodwill, make sure you set an intention. Your energy can make or break your success — not just in thrifting, but in anything you do in life. Flip the script from “I’m so rushed; I probably won’t find anything good,” to “The items meant for me will find me today.” This positive mindset helps you walk into the store feeling open-minded, optimistic and curious. It can even help you stay patient as you browse rack after rack before you finally find the treasure that makes the whole trip worth it.
Next, don’t show up empty-handed. As if you’re heading to a friend’s house for dinner, you don’t want to show up at Goodwill expecting to come away with a bag full of great items for your home without bringing something as a gesture of goodwill (pun intended). Take a few minutes to scan your closet and pull out three items you know you haven’t worn in years or aren’t sure still fit. Thank these clothes for serving you for all this time, and drop them in the donation bin on your way into Goodwill, where they can be of better use to someone else. Similarly, during this post-holiday time of year, do a quick look-through of any decorations you may not want to use again and drop those off too.
Photos: @maggierosethrift
Keep an Open Mind When Thrifting
A positive mindset, plus a gesture that gives back, is a great start. Finally, the last step to remember as you enter the store is to let go of perfection. Part of the beauty of shopping at Goodwill is that it’s likely every item you see in the store is the only one of its kind at that location. It’s part of the thrill of shopping secondhand, and it also means you may not find an item you love in exactly the right size for you. Don’t sweat it if that’s the case, but always keep an open mind and still consider trying it on. Like this nearly new Burberry men’s button-down shirt that the Goodwill shopper above found for a steal. It might not have been exactly what she was looking for, but she styled it perfectly for her.
Finally, remember that “thrift bliss” shouldn’t be measured by how much you buy, but by how good you feel when leaving the store. Sometimes, manifesting “thrift bliss” can look like finding the exact item you were hoping for when heading out to shop that day. Other times, you may walk out empty-handed, but inspired with new outfit or DIY ideas that you know you’ll tackle later on. Goodwill is a place of reuse, creativity and possibility — and when you show up with intention, optimism and patience, “thrift bliss” has a way of showing up however you need it.
