Round the Sphere Again: Dressing for Less (and with Less)
Monday, May 31, 2010 at 9:53PM Thrift Store Shopping
Several reasons to love it. (Nicole Starling) I’m already a regular at my local Salvation Army thrift store, so I don’t need convincing. I’m especially pleased that Nicole tackles the common misconception that those with enough ought to leave the thrift store goodies for people without anything. She explains why it’s ethical to op-shop, as she calls it.
[W]e went to a church that was involved in running an op shop (as a point of contact with locals, not as a fundraiser) and I saw things from the other side, and realised how much more stock comes in than they are ever able to sell, and how glad they are to shift it. So now I don’t feel guilty about shopping there!
And chances are your local charity-run store makes money to fund other charity programs and if you don’t buy, there is less funding.
Ten Days of Traveling
With only a carry-on. “Heather Poole, a flight attendant from Los Angeles, [demonstrates] how to pack enough for a 10-day trip into a single standard carry-on.” (The New York Times)
I’ve read traveling-light articles, and they always seem to require a few well-chosen and versatile pieces purchased especially for travellng. Not so with Heather’s system. She packs “three pairs of shorts, three pairs of dress pants, one skirt, three pairs of casual pants or jeans, three nightgowns, three bathing suits, one sarong, three lightweight sweaters, four dresses, 10 casual shirts, six dress shirts, a clutch, toiletries and two pairs of shoes” in her one standard carry-on. The key is not packing fewer items, but packing those items in the right way.
Reader Comments (4)
Re: light packing...
We once had a visitor from Alaska who was given the third degree at the border when he tried to return to Alaska. The problem? He'd brought only a small suitcase for a four day trip. The customs agent did not believe he'd actually been out of country for 4 days. Fortunately, he'd kept receipts that proved how long he'd been traveling and everything turned out okay....after he'd had his luggage and the car searched.
Yes, I comment on my own posts. Wanna make something of it? Didn't think so.
I love thrift store shopping! I used to shop for vintage clothing but I can't fit into most vintage clothing anymore. It is such a satisfying feeling to find something really good....like cashmere! I also look for old silverware and dishes. Anything old.
Our own Sandy H. is an expert on packing only carry-ons. She goes much longer than 10 days. Last winter she demonstrated her system to some of us.
Concerning Heather's article ~I don't get the 3 nightgowns for 10 days. Am I the only one?
I assume from the number of clothing items that she plans to not do any laundry, but still, 3 nightgowns seems like overkill. I take fewer iterms, even for a longer trip, and just do laundry. Otherwise, I find it too hard to keep track of stuff and remember what I brought.