Tips for finding modern for less

image © Tonx via Flickr

I have been shopping at thrift stores for most of my life, but it's only been the last four or five years that I have been on a regular basis. Over the past few years I have learned some tricks for being more successful on my thrifting trips. I'm sure there are things that I haven't figured out yet, and I'm always ready to hear what works for other people. Here's what I suggest:

1. Do your research - look at modern websites, blogs, and magazines in order to become familiar with designers, styles, and specific types of furniture. If you love the Saarinen dining table, study the details. Go and check out DWR to see what the authentic table looks like. That way if you see something at a thrift store or on Craigslist, you will know if it's a cheap knock-off or the real thing.

2. Know what's important to you - I'm happy when I find a modern looking piece at a thrift store even if it's a knock-off in need of some tlc. I know what I'm willing to pay, and for furniture, it's usually under the $30 range. I am pickier when I'm buying off craigslist because the price is usually higher. I won't spend a lot of money on a piece that's not the real thing. I'm most likely not going to pay hundreds of dollars on a new knock-off. It seems better to me to save my money a little longer for the real thing.

3. Go often - I go to my favorite thrift store once a week and I usually block off an hour or two to comb through the goods. I also donate items there and every few times I get a 30% coupon. I save those for bigger items.

4. Examine things thoroughly - I've learned this the hard way. After bringing home tables with wobbly legs that refuse to tighten, kitchen items with broken handles, and an enameled tea kettle with a burnt bottom, I've had my share of disappointments. Make sure you plug in appliances and lamps at the store, check clothing items for holes, and examine the sturdiness of furniture pieces. Know what your skill level is for fixing items, as well as how much time you'll have to commit to projects. Sometimes things get purchased with the best intentions only to sit in a corner collecting dust, awaiting that coat of paint or those new knobs.

5. Be realistic - As many times as I go to the thrift store, I've still never seen that Eames Molded Plywood Lounge Chair that I've been hoping for. I'm not saying that no one will ever find it, but I know the chances of coming across it are next to nothing. For now I'm content to furnish my home with things that fit my style even though they aren't the iconic, high-brow pieces in the magazines... but one of these days I might just buy that chair.