Thrift stores are a “goldmine” for Halloween costumes, the Gurl blog says. Many are a treasure trove of clothing from bygone eras, meaning that finding your inner flower child or going grunge won’t cost a fortune. Better still, you can amp up the gore by smearing those finds with fake blood, and never worry about ruining something you’ll want to wear again! The blog suggests 15 thriftastically creative costume ideas for women, including Carrie, Disco Diva and Eleven from Stranger Things.
Tag: thrift shops
Build a Thrifty Halloween Costume
For the do-it-yourselfer, there is no better place to source a Halloween costume than the local thrift store, says Parade magazine. Combine clothing you already have with thrifted items such as a wig and tiara to transform your toddler into a princess, it says. Or buy a lightly-used puffy shirt at the thrift, add a bandana, eyepatch and toy sword, and (poof!) you’re a pirate. Goodwill Industries even offers a complete costume generator that can help build a weird, wild or scary costume from a variety of thrift-store finds.
A Trash-to-Treasure Mother’s Day
Feeling crafty? A handmade Mother’s Day gift is a great way to show you care, and Country Living magazine has more than 50 ideas for turning trash into treasure with a little bit of paint, a dab of glue and a thoughtful inscription. Many of the source materials can be found at local thrift stores (some supplied by generous donations to ClothingDonations.org) and repurposed to make whimsical wares that Mom can cherish, use and display for years to come.
Thrifting Through St. Patrick’s Day
Face it: Not everyone has a perfect kelly-green sweater or T-shirt in their closet to throw on for St. Patrick’s Day, so when you’re suddenly invited to attend a party that asks you to be a little bit more Irish or wear seasonal clothes to work, you may be at a loss. Fortunately, many thrift stores supplied by generous donations to ClothingDonations.org now sort articles of clothing by color, meaning you can snag a new green outfit while saving some green over buying new.
Keep Cozy with Thrifty Craft Projects
The holidays are now a memory, and everything has finally been put away — hopefully, following some “editing” that keeps the volume of your stuff in check and your shelves and closets clean and clutter-free. It’s time to hole up and prepare to cope with the worst that winter has to offer.
Many people spend a lot of time getting creative ahead of the holidays, crafting wreaths, ornaments and other items that brighten the home for entertaining. But you can continue to make your home a cozy place during the darkest, dreariest months of the year by letting your creativity run wild.
Visit the local thrift store for inspiration and raw materials. Many secondhand goods are supplied by generous donations to ClothingDonations.org from families like yours, and repurposing the items sold there helps fund programs that support the nation’s veterans.
When it comes to warmth, old sweaters can provide a source of warm cloth that helps keep other parts of the body comfy. The do-it-yourself blog Ecouterre suggests turning sweaters into slipper-socks; with just a few stitches, that old pullover will keep your pinky toes protected from drafty floors.
Old sweaters can also serve as the source material for handwarmers, vase holders and stocking caps, according to Design Bump. If you don’t have any sewing skills beyond a square knot, you can get a few yards of fleece fabric and make this no-sew blanket to hide under for a night of Netflix and warmth.
Another—slightly more complicated—idea from the Making Our Sustainable Life blog is to take old linens and sew dry grains inside to make a microwavable bed warmer. Bonus: In the hot, humid summer months that will be here eventually, you can use the same item as a bed cooler by throwing it in the refrigerator.
For those in older homes, Good Housekeeping offers 20 ideas for making “adorable” draft stoppers to place under doors. Pet parents, be forewarned: Many of these stuffed snakes will also be irresistible to dogs and cats. And if you happen to be a quilter, of course, you already know that the thrift store is a treasure trove of interesting fabrics and patterns.
If the weather has you housebound, in other words, there are lots of creative ways to keep winter’s chill at bay. Don’t despair: Try out a few of these ideas, and spring will be here before you know it. Stay warm!