From The Pumpkin Patch

It’s common knowledge among seasoned thrifters that January is a great month to find bargains, as many people do a big clear-out at the beginning of the year and donate everything to their local thrift stores.

But before I dive into the piles of clothes and knick-knacks, I wanted to share my approach to thrifting in 2024.

I’ve decided to photograph and document every single item that I thrift each month, as this will be a great way to hold myself accountable and ensure I’m only buying items that I truly love. It will allow me to see how much I’m spending, keep track of what I’ve already bought (and therefore don’t need to buy again!) and at the end of the year I’ll be able to reflect on whether I used the items.

I’m only counting things that I find at a brick-and-mortar thrift store, as I don’t often thrift online. I find the prices on apps like Depop too high – I’ve definitely been spoiled by the great stores in my neighbourhood!

For me, thrifting is a hobby. I love scouring my local shops on a regular basis, sifting through the junk and picking out the few treasures hidden within. I’m very particular with what I buy, so don’t expect huge thrift hauls every month. I probably make a purchase around 20% of the time, and only when it’s something special.

I also set myself a budget of £20 at the start of every month and pull this amount out in cash. This allows me to indulge in my hobby without overspending – plus, I’m so picky that I very rarely hit my limit!

This year, I want to look for more vintage pieces instead of relying on modern brands. I can’t justify the prices for 90s sweaters online, but I know I can find some at my local thrift stores with a little bit of digging and patience.

Now, let me show you what I picked up at the thrift stores in January!

Vintage autumn leaf sweatshirt: £5.50

Sometimes you just know a certain thrift store holds something special. I kid you not, as I was walking into the store I thought to myself, ‘Wouldn’t it be great to find a genuine vintage sweatshirt?”

And there it was, the 90s grandma sweater of my dreams. Maybe I manifested it, maybe it called to me, maybe it was just dumb luck. Either way, I’ll take it!

Days at the Morisaki Bookshop by Satoshi Yagisawa: £0.50

I love finding a good book at the thrift store, particularly when it’s one I had been planning to read.

Japanese writers have a special place in my heart, and Days at the Morisaki Bookshop has been on my to-read list for a month or two now. So when I saw this practically brand-new copy waiting for me at one of my favourite thrift stores, I just had to grab it.

Vintage soup bowl: £1.00

Just like the vintage sweater, I’m pretty sure I manifested this soup bowl from the 80s. I was just drawn to this thrift store, even though I planned on walking past, and I headed straight to the bric-a-brac shelves with one of these exact bowls in mind.

I thrifted the mushroom version last year and resolved to collect them all, but they’ve been surprisingly elusive in my local area. This little find has given me hope!

Total spent in January: £7.00

Can you believe I found that vintage sweater? It’s easily my favourite thrift find of the month, and I’ve already worn it multiple times. I also read Days at the Morisaki Bookshop from cover to cover and thoroughly enjoyed it. As for the vintage soup bowl, it has pride of place on my mug shelf right next to its mushroom friend.

I’m so pleased with my thrifting finds this month – I was selective, thoughtful and discerning with my purchases and walked away from several items that I would have once bought on impulse. A great start to 2024!