My "new" syrup/honey pitcher looks just like this one.
I am constantly amazed by how I’m able to easily locate exactly what I want from local thrift stores, specifically Goodwill. My husband likes honey in his coffee, and being the bargain hunters that we are, we buy the big jug from Costco. But a huge plastic jug of honey is not so attractive on the counter, so I decided to start keeping an eye out for a vintage syrup dispenser as an attractive solution. (You know, the type with the Bakelite handle?) And guess what, I found pretty much exactly what I had envisioned on my first expedition. Sure, the handle was green instead of red, but it’s still cute as can bee, dispenses honey with minimal drippage and only set me back a buck ninety-nine.
I harbor no fantasies that this pitcher was meant to be, I simply believe that there is just too much Stuff on this planet! Walk into any thrift store in the world, and it’s no stretch to realize that we could put a moratorium on any new manufacturing for a year and still have more than we need.
And the best part of buying this item at a thrift store? If I ever tire of it I can resell it at a profit, as there’s one listed here for $57.
And yeah, we also bought new looking boys’ Vans for $6.99, and enough sheer fabric to re-do my dining room curtains for $4.99.
Thank you, Goodwill. You’re my ace in the hole!
Katy Wolk-Stanley
“Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without”
{ 22 comments… read them below or add one }
I love it!! Nice find!
I’m off to my thrift store today to see if I can find some spring placemats or a table runner for my table.
I wrote almost the exact same post two days ago!
http://tacomagreenmama.blogspot.com/2011/02/gotta-love-thrift-shopping.html
I guess great minds think alike!
Katy
Very nice!
BTW, Every time I see a set of fancy metal/ceramic shower curtain rings I think about buying them for you, but I imagine the shipping costs would negate the low price.
I’m totally fine with my cheapie rings. 🙂
Katy
Yay!!!
Great find! I now keep a running list of wants in my purse-and very rarely do I not find at least one thing on it at Goodwill or other thrift stores.
My list is in my head, which makes it all the most of a fun challenge!
Uh . . . what was it I was looking for?
Katy
I found the exact same ice cream dishes that we had in my house growing up at Good will for .50 once. Granted, there was only 3 so I don’t have a set, but I was pretty excited!
Love it!
Katy
Fantastic thrifting find. I need to start scheduling a few thrifting days into ours lives without three kiddos in tow(it negates the fun of the find). Of course, I am not sure I truly “need” anything. A new to us honey pot would be nice as would a manual typewriter, however we don’t really need them. I am really trying to remember need versus want these days.
What a sweet honey dispenser, Katy! I love the green handle. I always keep an eye out for soulful-looking glass containers and Goodwill rarely lets me down. It really makes my day to find the perfect container for spices, jam etc, and know that I’m not causing anything new to be made.
I’ve been looking for a pitcher from Goodwill, too, but I’ve been having the opposite luck. I’m just looking for one of those big, plain, plastic pitchers that everyone seems to have, and I don’t even care if the lid is missing! But, so far, no luck. I have much better luck falling in love with random thrift-store finds than I do going with something in particular in mind.
Very cool find! I have a Goodwill store two doors away from my office…so organized and well run. They do good work.
You’re right, Katy: Thrift stores always seem to have what we need, even if it takes some patience, and we could place a moratorium on making STUFF for a year and still have more than enough in this country!!
Thanks for the link to Addoway — I was looking for somewhere to sell a pair of Doc Martens after I read about (and signed a petition against) eBay’s allowing animals for sale on its eBay Classifieds site, opening the way for puppy mills and backyard breeders to make a profit. I’m going to check out this Addoway!
We used to live near an excellent thrift store run by a church group. I was able to outfit all three of my girls in good quality clothing for $1-$2 a piece. Brand new raincoats and winter coats, boots and even toys. One of our best deals was a Buzz lightyear pack that had blow up wings on it and a chest plate that made noises. We got it for $1 and I sewed her a costume to wear with it for Halloween. She wore that costume and those wings for almost three years. Happy memories!
I’m tryng to clear out my laundry – and came across a bag of sheer curtains, probably gotten from my Dad’s home – so wish I could get them to you, because I have no use for them. Problem is they are quite gray instead of white and I have no time/energy to clean them, but will put them anyways on our local freecycyle group and hope someone doesn’t mind doing the work. I always feel guilty if I want to give away something not perfect, but always thrilled when someone really wants them.
That’s it, I’m movin’ to Portland. Between your affordable food and amazing Goodwill stores I must go!
I never have quite that good luck that you do at the thrift stores. But I keep on trying!
I have never heard of addoway.com. Have you ever done a posting on the various websites where a person can buy and sell her goods? No double entendre intended there. Anyway, I’d love to hear about the websites out there for selling and buying cheap stuff. (Sorry, there’s just doesn’t seem to be any way around this one.)
$57 really?! That’s a crazy price for such a small item! If you could find an extra though, and sell it for such a price, wow!, more power to you!
Hi Katy,
Your piece inspired me because I also love honey and the big jar from Costco is indeed really really big. Not what you want to deal with when you sit down for a nice relaxing mug of tea.
At Salvation Army there were no honey pitchers. However, I’d broken several pieces of my stoneware, which was way too big and heavy anyway. I’d been thinking of replacing it. Now I’ve replaced them with a full set of re-used china plates and mugs for $6.50 with tax.
I also think we’ll eat a little less since our dinner plates are now normal-sized.