By Belle O'Hara
When I moved into my apartment almost 2 months ago at the beginning of the semester, I was… unprepared. I had little to no idea what my space would look like so, I was hesitant to buy decorations on the off chance they wouldn’t fit. This is the first year I have had my own living room or kitchen, and I have had Pinterest boards of future apartment decorating since I was 10. However, once I realized how expensive some decorations could be, my expectations quickly lowered for myself. After going on Amazon nearly everyday trying to find a new deal on throw blankets or wall prints, I realized I had the perfect solution to my problems one bus ride away. The South Side Goodwill has always been one of my favorite places to go to for clothes, but I have never looked at their home items until now. On Tuesday both of my classes got cancelled… it was sunny with a little bit of chill in the air... it was the perfect day to do some goodwill hunting.
When I first walked in, the main thing I was crossing my fingers to find was a mirror. There didn’t seem to be any in store, but I quickly found these big mason jars that I thought would be perfect as a vase or storage in my kitchen.
They had SO many frames and little wall prints that I had to do some digging through to find a cute one. If you ever need a little frame for pictures, I would definitely recommend checking out Goodwill instead of somewhere like Target first. They were all in super good condition and $0.50-$1.00 in price. I ended up grabbing this ‘Sun, Moon, and Stars’ print with the frame. I thought the colors were super cute together; it’s the perfect mix between cheesy and cute, making it a great, unironic addition to my apartment.
My next order of business was tackling their very large wall of trinkets. They had a lot of options, but the main thing that caught my eye was this adorable little bird. It reminds me of something my mom would always have in our house, and it’s the perfect little shade of green.
Wandering over to the electronics section, I found this cool little fixture that I thought would look perfect with this vintage style bulb I had back at my place. I wasn’t sold on the color, so I think I might spray paint it gold in the future.
I am a total sucker for records and I love the look of them used for decoration, so I of course had to take a peek at their selection. I was able to find these two with super cool covers. I loved the colors and thought they would pair nicely with the ones I already had hanging on my wall.
Since I have no self control, I also did some clothes shopping and was able to find some great sweaters and pants that are perfect for the colder weather coming up. Including a perfectly good condition Eddie Bauer grey sweatshirt for like $5 (normally retailed for $60-$70)
Now for the grand total (drumroll please) … $25.01!!
Final Thoughts!
Overall I was super happy with everything I was able to find on this trip to Goodwill. I have to admit it, the bus ride back with all of that stuff was not the best time, but it was worth it once I got to play around with everything and find the perfect space for it. I love all of the apartment pieces I got. They match the vibe I am going for super well in the space. I still need a few more things to really complete the area, but all of these are perfect as starter decorations.
The lamp that I got sadly does not seem to want to turn on, but I am going to continue to fidget with it and hope for the best, but honestly I might still just keep it there because I am obsessed with that lightbulb in it.
The clothes that I got I was also super pumped about because they are perfect for the fall and winter seasons quickly approaching us. Goodwill once again did not disappoint me, and it's always a good feeling of accomplishment to know that you were able to find beauty and potential in random little pieces lying around a thrift store. So next time you feel like you're missing something in your living space or wardrobe, try out goodwill before Amazon or Target, and you might be pleasantly surprised with your findings ☺.
Also the price at which I got everything almost feels like stealing, I got 11 items for $25, that’s on average 0.44 per item! A great final reminder for my fellow Goodwill shoppers, on Tuesdays students get a 20% discount!
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