I love thrifting, but that wasn’t always the case. Growing up, thrift stores were where most of my clothes were purchased, and I resented it. I wished I could go to the mall like so many of my friends to buy new things instead. But as I grew up and matured, I realized the incredible benefits of buying second-hand. As I look around my home and my wardrobe, I would say the percentage of second-hand items found there would be between 75 and 90 percent. What started off as a necessity in my youth became good common sense, and (dare I say) a passion of mine. Now I work as an interior decorator that specializes in using what you own and giving you the option to buy new or second-hand pieces to fill in the gaps.  So here are some of the reasons why I love to thrift. This is not an exhaustive list but it's a really good start:

Thrifting reduces waste.

When we buy second-hand, we reduce the demand for the manufacturing of new products and extend the lifespan of usable goods by diverting them from landfills. The amount of items thrown away each year is staggering. Canadians throw away about a BILLION pounds of fashion and home fabric items each year. And that’s just textiles! By buying second hand we can make a small contribution to reducing that amount and helping our planet.

Thrifting supports your community.

When you shop second-hand from a thrift store that contributes to the well-being of local individuals and organizations, you make a difference where you live. In Edmonton, FIND provides essential furnishings free of charge to individuals and families who are transitioning out of homelessness. On average, FIND furnishes 100 homes per month. This is just one example of the many different thrift stores that are committed to improving their communities. When you shop there, you are supporting the important services they offer their communities.

Thrifting helps your budget.

I have always been passionate about interior styling, and I love creating spaces that feel good to be in. I have also always had a very small budget for decorating my home. Buying second-hand has allowed me to create a home that I love at a fraction of the price of buying new. When I look around my home at all the interesting and unique (and often originally expensive) objects I have patiently acquired by checking out local thrift stores I can see the thousands of dollars I have saved by shopping second-hand.

Thrifting decreases our carbon footprint.

When you buy an item new, that item has to be produced, processed, and transported. A carbon footprint is the total amount of greenhouse gases (including carbon dioxide and methane) that are generated by our actions. Buying second-hand decreases the overall carbon footprint of that item.

You can find unique one-of-a-kind items.

Buying second-hand gives you the ability to find special items that aren’t in everyone’s home. My favourite items to get that are unique and special are pieces of art, pottery, and vintage accessories. If you shop only at big box stores, your home will not have as much character and flair as it does when you curate items from your favourite thrift stores.

You can thrift in any style.

One of the things that I am passionate about is that my clients’ homes reflect the style and look that they love when we are finished working together. Sometimes we think thrifting only works if you have a vintage or antique style, but all styles end up in thrift stores! I have found items to work for modern, mid-century modern, modern farmhouse, cottagecore, traditional, boho, industrial, transitional, traditional, and every other kind of style you can imagine, all at my local thrift stores.

You can find higher quality items for less.

It doesn’t matter if you have a big budget or a small budget: shopping second-hand can give you better quality items for less. For example, the thrifted sofa and two chairs that I have in my living room cost me $350. They were originally purchased from Cottswood, a high-end furniture seller in our city. The value for those pieces would have been more than $5000 new. Any brand-new furniture I would have purchased with my maximum budget of $1000 would have been far inferior to these gorgeous and high-quality thrifted pieces.

The thrill of the hunt.

One of the things that I love about thrifting is that it usually takes a little bit more time and effort. Maybe you are looking for a specific item but have a smaller budget. Finding that special piece that makes your heart sing that is within your budget is really satisfying. It helps increase your appreciation for the item and your home feels even more personal and special. And, sometimes you find something you didn’t even know you needed! A lot of the art in my home are pieces I found at thrift stores while out shopping for something else. They just caught my eye and my heart fell in love, and I knew I found a special piece. Those are exciting days too.

Thrifting is fun.

Want a low-cost activity you can do with your friends? Go thrifting. It’s different every time you go and if you go with people you care about you get to catch up, and help each other find pieces you are on the hunt for.

It stretches your creativity.

One of the cool things about buying second-hand is that you can be really creative with what you have bought. I have turned old tripods and bannisters into floor lamps, antique moldings into art and mirrors, old ploughs into coat hooks, filing cabinets into mudroom storage, dressers into record player stands, and workbenches into media units. Since the items I buy second-hand aren’t expensive and are already well-used, I have the freedom to play with and repurpose them to suit my needs. This is just one more way that thrifting makes my home the place that I feel most comfortable in.

So, on this National Thrift Store Day, know that when you shop second-hand you are making a positive impact not only in your personal life and in your community but also for the entire planet.  How many pastimes can boast such a claim?

Join Find Edmonton on Saturday Aug 17 for National Thrift Shop Day! Spin to win up to 50% off your purchase all day long and receive a 10% off coupon for donations of couches, love seats, tv stands, dressers chairs and apartment sized kitchen tables.

Every purchase benefits someone moving out of homelessness and every donation makes it HOME!

Katie Kerr is a professional interior decorator in the Edmonton, Alberta area. She is the founder of Reclaiming Home Decorating, an organization that has been transforming living spaces since 2015. She has a real heart for using what her clients already own along with a combination of secondhand and new items to create cozy, authentic, affordable homes. She truly believes and lives out the philosophy that beauty and comfort can be achieved with any budget.

When she’s not hunting for her next great thrifting find or styling people’s spaces, she can be found at home in Edmonton with her husband, three children, and dog Bruno. She enjoys reading, running, and travelling to visit family and friends.

You can find her on Instagram, Facebook, and Tiktok at reclaiminghomedecorating, and on her website www.reclaiminghome.ca