Monday, September 12, 2011

How to Shop Quckly in A Thrift Shop

My friends and family are generally amazed that I find so many great deals in thrift shops and tag sales.  Among my many physical limitations, I am practically blind and have been blind for some time.  To compensate I developed a strong tactile sense to search for clothes.  I walk down the aisle and let my hands lightly touch the fabric along the way.  With my hand I am able to distinguish quite quickly the quality fabrics from the synthetics.  I don't have to go piece by piece in general.  When I find a good fabric I pull out the article of clothing and check for wear and damage.  At a consignment shop always remember to look up.  Sometimes they have things hanging on the walls.  Explore nooks and crannies where things sometimes get lost and ignored.
At a tag sale I always ask for what I want.  Hi Good Morning. Do you have any jewelry for sale?  This gives me just enough lead time to to beat my mother, my toughest competition, to the jewelry table.  Since I have trouble with bright sunlight, I try to move into the shade to examine things carefully.  This doesn't always work.  Sometimes I don't find shade and I ask my husband to check something out.  For glass and porcelain I use my hands again to check the edges for chips.  Also glass and porcelain in good shape will ring like a bell when flicked with your fingers.  If it makes a dull thudding noise, it has a crack somewhere.  Don't buy anything  that has damage.

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