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Bored Panda got in touch with Carolyn Becker, artist, thrifter, and creative from Findingyourgood.org to learn more about thrifting, old items, and how it affects the world around us. Naturally, we wanted to know how she got into thrifting in the first place. 

“I sometimes joke that I was born at a nonprofit Goodwill store! I’ve been thrifting my whole life, ever since I was a kid in the ‘90s. My parents would take my brother and me thrifting for necessities and clothing for school. For us, it was the economical thing to do and a no-brainer way to save money for other life priorities.”

“I sometimes think back, with regret, about all the vintage I saw and didn’t think of buying as a teen. The memory of the acid-washed jeans that I passed on live rent-free in my brain. The only Abercrombie I ever wore came straight from a Goodwill store.” While this might seem like looking for a needle in a haystack, it’s more possible than you might think. 

Naturally, given the “risks” involved, we were curious to hear what exactly she liked about thrifting so much. “Personally, I love thrifting for so many reasons….I could write a whole book. As a petite woman, it’s very difficult to find clothing in my style that fits me just right. Thrifting has opened up the opportunity for me to find the uniquely sized pieces that fit just right (thank you, small Grandmas, with stellar retro wardrobes) and/or experiment without breaking the bank. Since thrift finds also cost close to nothing, I can use the money saved to alter/tailor pieces that I can truly enjoy forever.”

“Thrifting is also, for me, self-care, a way to be in a flow state, looking, perusing, and vibing. The thrift community is diverse and enriching. I learn so much from the people I thrift with and simply see at Goodwill. Thrifting is for everyone, and I am always surprised and delighted by the people I meet,” she shared with Bored Panda. In general, there are a lot of interesting examples out there of the strange things people collect.

“I have new creative ideas when thrifting, inspired by finds that come from the past and present. Learning: I love learning about the history of my community, human behavior, fashion music….everything via thrifting.” While this might seem counterintuitive, there is a whole list of interesting ideas from the past, just waiting to be rediscovered.

“Giving back to others feeds my soul and I love knowing that when I use my dollar to support nonprofits like Goodwill, I am truly helping others in need and important missions. Our purchases have power and shape the world we want to live in! Thrifting benefits the environment in so many ways we don’t realize or think about.”