Thrill of the Hunt: Vol 1
What (ugly?) curtains can teach us about the beauty of thrifting | recent finds + leave behinds | IG follows I'm loving | the Amazon pajamas I wish they made in my size
Musings: What Fumigation Tent Curtains Can Teach Us About Thrifting
Earlier this week, I found myself in my favorite Goodwill in the great state of Georgia: the one on Roswell Road in Atlanta. (If you’re not familiar, Roswell Road is in the heart of Buckhead, which has one of the highest per capita incomes in the Southeast. Read: Aunt Lois is donating her Louboutins - she ain’t got time for resale.)
I’m not here super often as I live a few hours away, but any time I find myself in the area, I make a point to pop in and peruse - if even for just a few minutes.
This time, I had one of my nine-year-olds in-tow. Luckily for me, he fancies himself the budding thrifter, so he was happy to tag along in hopes of finding a gently-used treasure.
Among some of my favorite finds (to be reviewed below) were these curtains:
This is just one of two panels!
Custom. Pinch pleat. Heavy. Lined. $12.99! They were colorful, fun, and well-made. I mean sure, they’re a little circus-adjacent, but for me — it was a no-brainer. My sweet son ran to the front of the store for a cart (supervised, ok!!) and they sat, happy and adorable, in our backseat. I couldn’t wait to show Mike.
When I got home, however, it became quite apparent that we were not on the same page.
“What… what are these? They look like… one of those fumigation tents you put over your house when you have termites.”
Shock. Disappointment. Outrage. Who is this man!? How dare he!?
I took to the ‘Gram to prove to myself that I was right, and found that 53% of voters sided with Mike.
Talk about a blow to my confidence.
And yet… this illustrates one of the reasons that I absolutely love thrifting.
Buying secondhand (oftentimes) affords us the freedom to make a bolder, sometimes irreverent choice without as much fear of failure.
Let me explain.
To me, $13 is a no-brainer investment for quality, custom-made (albeit for someone else) curtains. Though they’re a little funky, I can try them, essentially risk-free, as a colorful addition to a playroom, guest bedroom, or office.
And if they don’t work? I can simply resell them or donate them back to Goodwill.
If I’d been the original purchaser, paying $$$ to have them created, I wouldn’t be as comfortable with that risk.
So next time you’re questioning whether that orange sofa would really go with the rest of your decor… ask yourself: do I love it? Am I comfortable with the spend? Could I resell it for what I’m paying now? If so… I say to go for it.
Disco ball in the den? Stay alive, sister.
Life-sized llama painting in the hallway? You go, Glen Coco.
…just as long as you got a deal.
Recent Finds and Leave-Behinds
Things I couldn’t live without, and those that I left behind in an effort to not be the next star of A&E’s Hoarders.
This week’s finds were fiiiiine.
A Brooks Brothers camel hair coat for $7 - in Mike’s size. (screams internally)
Small white hobnail planter for $3 (completes the full set for me!)
A cutie little blue-and-white lamp for $5
A passable Coach Beekman briefcase knockoff for $5
Adorable leather and embroidered belts for $1 each
Set of 5 Limoges tea plates for $5 - perfect for Maeve’s tea set!
Tiny terracotta jack-o-lantern for $3 (I collect these)
Silver hinged picture frame for $3
Never-worn, leather, tasseled loafers in Mike’s size for $0.99 (Happy Dollar Day!)
An adorable burlwood side table for $5. I like to think of this as my offer to the thrifting universe in exchange for good karma. If only I had a spot for it…
Ashworth Brothers soup plate for $4.
Heavy, Italian, painted platters for $8 and $10.
A hand-painted tray for $32. Beautiful, but steep for something I don’t really need.
Fitz & Floyd porcelain basket for $6.
Pair of well-made, marbleized lamp shades for $10.
Pair of bronze lamps for $40.
A brass, chinoiserie-style tea canister lamp for $10. Another offering (and attempt to stifle my lamp addiction).
Have a find or leave behind of your own? Share it in the Chat!
Thrifting Pro Tip: it’s okay to leave empty handed.
Really and truly, the key to thrifting is consistency. Great finds are few and far between. If I have a spare 5 minutes between errands, I’ll pop into a store, make a lap, and almost always leave empty handed. If something catches my eye — great! It’s comin’ home with me. But if not… it just wasn’t my day.
Instagram Follows I’m Loving:
Cheesegal - what I wouldn’t give to drink a dirty martini and eat couch caviar with this woman. Everything she says and posts is either hilarious or delicious (sometimes both?) and I’m a fan for life.
Pantry Hill - I aspire to be this effortlessly cool. From growing her own potatoes to casually building a barn - she does it all and makes it so… beautiful.
Limpbroozkit - one of my all-time favorite TikTok follows (this ban is giving me WHIPLASH), sharing her diagnosis of ALS in her thirties with humor, grace, and candor.
Have a follow recommendation? Please share! I’d love to hear it.
The Amazon Pajamas I Wish They Made In My Size:
As many of you know, my daughter has CHD (congenital heart disease) and hearts are a year-round thing for us. However, I usually snag a pair of themed pajamas ahead of Heart Month. I found these on Amazon and wasn’t expecting much - but when I tell you they feel like BUTTAH… I want them in my size!
Sizing note: the 7-8 (biggest size) is generous, but not overly so.
That’s all for now… Happy Hunting!
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Ok Substack just recommended your page to me and they NAILED IT! So excited to follow along 💗 (and for the record, I think the curtains are fun! Haha)
I found a vintage Spalding wooden tennis racket at a thrift shop in Forsyth GA last week. With the original cover AND the original protective frame. It was also the half price tag color. Best $7.50 I have spent thus far in 2025.