I spent a few hours yesterday going to area Goodwills with my thirteen-year-old son. He is almost as big a fan of hitting the thrift shops as I am, and here’s what we bought:
A stair-step shelf that I call "spice bleachers." I already have one, which I *love* as it makes it so much easier to find what I want.
Here is my cupboard before the new "spice bleachers." Note that the (bulk purchased) spices on the lower left-hand side are already all nice and organized.
My cupboard after the addition of the new "spice bleachers." I found that I had multiples of a few spices and was able to consolidate.
I needed new muffin tins to replace blackened ones that required me to always use muffin liners. I am especially in love with the vintage smaller one. Isn't it cute with the darling bullseye detail?!
- I also bought two interlocking DVD/video game crates which coordinate with a set we already have, yet is no longer sold; a Polish coffee mug that I love the style of, a small “Tiffin” food canister that I will use for my son’s school lunches, (Yay for no plastic!) a wide-mouth funnel for canning and two T-shirts, which were the half-off price.
I know very few of these purchases are particularly brag worthy. There were no fantastic decor items nor were there any $3 jars of marbles to sell for $500 on eBay. But the muffin tins, wide-mouth funnel and tiny Tiffin were all items I was specifically keeping an eye out for. The T-shirts were a necessity for me; (all of my T-shirts recently spontaneously combusted) and the DVD crates and spice bleachers will both serve to keep my home a little more organized. The mug is a birthday gift for my friend Sasha, who loves this style of Polish pottery.
In all, I spent around $15, which was not bad for how much I bought. I am being very deliberate about bringing extra Stuff into my home, but I feel like everything I bought was practical and will serve to enhance our lives.
Man, do I love thrift stores!
Katy Wolk-Stanley
“Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without”
{ 14 comments… read them below or add one }
I love a successful thrift store trip too. Yay!
“Spice bleachers” is a great name for those little shelves. I would be picturing my spices raucously cheering me on as I cook. And the crowd goes wild! heehee.
It seems a 2X4 or 1X2 would work just as well. I just stack them on top of each other.
Sorry Katie, I love your blog, it seems like I’m such a killjoy.
Enjoy your new spice rack:-)
Not a killjoy, just seeing a different option, which is always welcome.
Katy
I love your spice racks – glad to see someone else using old jam and condiment jars for spice containers.
When my kids were in preschool I had another mother save her baby food jars for me. Because of course, I wasn’t buying “baby food.”
Katy
Hi Katy,
I looked at your blog this a.m. and was impressed with your find. My family and I went to goodwill today as well and while I was not looking for “spice bleachers” at all, I found one while looking for something else and snatched it up quick thanks to your inspiration. Now I have a very nicely organized spice cupboard AND it was 50% off so it cost me a whole $.50! Thanks for the idea!
I have never lived in a brand new house. When we bought an eight year old house in Colorado, I was pleased. There was a funny drawer in the kitchen that had plastic slanty things in it. Didn’t know what it was for. Several years later, I found out it was for spices. The spice jars kind of recline on the plastic things. Go figure. Ann
Our spice cabinet looks like yours, minus the bleachers!
I love the Thrift Store! And my current obsession is Craigslist. I have been getting great baby items there for at least half the cost of buying new. And I’m re-using!
Hi Katy
PLEASE keep ‘bragging’ about your thrift store purchases. They remind me of all the useful stuff I could get there for a couple of dollars, instead of paying up at retail stores.
Very motivating!
Thanks Ann
I’m doing my best to stay away from thrift store shopping at the moment — trying to sell my house, so I am desperately trying not to clutter it.
Of course, all that de-cluttering means that I am taking loads and loads to donate at the thrift store. It’s sooooo hard not to walk in and just “look around.” Two weeks ago I found a pyrex baking dish and a pyrex measuring cup, which I could not resist (have been keeping my “eye out” for them for a while). But since then I have managed to donate without purchasing anything. A triumph!
Love the vintage muffin tin….oooh, kitchen envy rears it’s ugly head!
Totally in love with your spice bleacher and muffin tins!! Every goodwill purchase is noteworthy in my book!!! 🙂
I keep looking for tiffins at Goodwill and our local Village Thrift to no available, so I think that score is especially brag worthy! I was starting to think they were too new an item to be found at the thrift shops but apparently I just need to look a little harder. Thanks for the inspiration!