Beautiful Existence? Is that your real name? The answer is YES, it is real.
My name is how I’ve always lived… fearless to try new things, to test the waters of life and find out what’s true for me. I have created businesses to help limit environmental impact that I had NO idea how to start! (Green Scene TV in Denver, a children’s environmental clothing line -EdgeweaR- with a partnership through EcoCycle in Boulder) I’ve pushed the limits of upcycling designs for years and have started a search on evolving humanity.
So I guess you can say that from my limitless view of possibility, this challenge and blog were born! The challenge to live one year of my life ONLY shopping at the Goodwill for EVERYTHING I need! (excluding food, hygiene, toiletries and prescription items)
This means finding items for holidays, social gatherings, personal needs… even my son’s first birthday party and gifts! I will be reflecting on how much these items would cost at other retailers, on stories about great thrifting events, interviews with not only thrifters and thrift-bloggers but thrift documentary filmmakers! The possibilities of this year are incredibly exciting!
As for me, I plan on trying to stay as open-minded to this experience as possible. To incorporate as much as I can for public consumption and to make this year as enjoyable as that one find-of-the-century item that you will tell your grandchildren about!
Thank you for joining me on this adventure… happy reading (and thrifting!)
-Beautiful Existence
Email me at: livingthegoodwilllife(at)gmail(dot)com
I would like to invite you to our Tacoma Goodwill headquarters in Tacoma. We would tour our online sales department and our outlet store and talk more about Goodwill’s mission to change lives by helping people with disabilities and disadvantages go to work.
It is extremely interesting for me to read this blog. Thank you for it. I like such topics and anything connected to them. I definitely want to read a bit more soon.
Great blog! I also love a great thrift store find. My most recent favorite was a set of King size William and Sonoma Home bed sheets for about $25 – fitted sheet, flat sheet and 4 large pillow cases! Looking at the William and Sonoma website, they retail for over $300! The new Value Village in Crown Hill has some good finds as does the Goodwill in Shoreline.
Andrea-
I have to admit, I have not been looking in the home accessories area that much because, well I don’t really need anything there right now (except maybe a curtain for my babies window?) but that sounds like a screaming deal! I agree, I like the Shoreline store but Burien (if you are out there) is pretty rockin’ too!
Thanks for posting!
It is rather interesting for me to read the article. Thanx for it. I like such themes and everything connected to this matter. I definitely want to read a bit more soon.
Nicky Swingfield
I am new to your blog, but I love it. I used to go to the thrift stores with my mom when I was younger every weekend, but then stopped when I got older. I’ve recently started going again, and I am slightly obsessed now! Your blog helps feed that obsession, so thank you!
Also, I live in West Seattle, so I love reading from someone local! I usually only go to the Burien Goodwill, but I might have to check out some of the other ones!!
Yeah, I grew up Thrifting then left it for mainstream retail for a couple of years when I was in my 20′s. Luckily my mom kept me on track by taking me to thriftstores every once in awhile & I eventually came back around!
I like Burien too! I just wore my BCBG dress out last night (that I bought @ Burien) and it was a hit!
Check back for more thriftspiration and let me know how your hunting goes!
I just gave you the stylish blogger award, please stop by my boy and see. Have a great day Jackie
Thank you so much! That is our first “award” for this blog!
It was rather interesting for me to read the article. Thank you for it. I like such topics and everything that is connected to them. I would like to read a bit more soon.
Pingback: lorraine warren
Hey, cool net web-site. I seriously came upon this on Bing, and i’m stoked I did. I’m likely to definately be revisiting much more regularly.
Google helped me to find this great internet site !
I truly appreciate your blog, Great post!
Nice to meet you today! I hope that you had a chance to shop. See you soon..
Carla
Vintage Fashion
I liked your article, thanks to google that I found you
Pingback: Elektrische Zahnbuerste
I am inspired! I, too have always loved treasure shopping at the Goodwill and I believe in their mission! Let’s keep things out of the landfill, reuse, and redesign, and help people in the process! My home is filled w/ furniture, decor, and great clothes that I found at the goodwill .I have friends give me wish lists to find things for them! High Five to you! Let’s go shop together someday!
Ann, I am speaking to Goodwill to possibly have the Living the Goodwill life live on after this 2011 challenge is over. I am so overcome by the beauty of an entire segment of our society that adores all the aspects of thrifting (environment, saving money, helping a nonprofit and our community with our dollars) that I truly feel that “I” am one of the luckiest mommies alive for the experience!
I have often commented with my other thrifting friends across the nation (most of whom I met during this challenge like Jenna Isaacson who did the “All Thrifty States” tour this summer) that there is an entire culture of thrifters/2nd handers that have so many MORE stories to tell than even we have heard. We all know that this culture needs more outlets for our community to embrace and share our creativity, inspiration and commonality together that at bare minimum we need shopping trips together, to coordinate national thrift conventions and all the way up the media ladder to REAL reality shows about how and why we do what we do!
Thank YOU, for contacting me… for reading about this wonderful year and for being apart of what I consider one of the best parts of life! Thrifting! I would absolutely LOVE to keep this momentum going by putting together more thrifting-social interactions for all of us. That is what the “Living the Goodwill Life” is all about… all thrifters and the communities and lives we support with these outlets.
All of the Goodwill stores I have visited lately in the state of Michigan do not have any FOOD in their stores. I give to the GOODWILL often and I shop there at least 2 times a week for things. I found this blog through GOOGLE search after seeing a show on TV about it. I applaud your achievement and think others could greatly learn from it. I will be following this blog from now on to see and read about your further progress. : )
Carol, thank you for finding this amazing year I’ve had buying almost everything I need from a Goodwill store! Our Washington state stores do not have a lot of food choices either, mostly snack foods… which is why i didn’t just eat all my food from Goodwill either. But it’s a nice option to have if you like chocolate or sweets and are craving such when your checking out at the register.
I am curious… which TV show did you see this challenge on? I’m constantly amazed and humbled at just how far my little challenge has made it to reach others in the world! Modern media is truly amazing that way!
I can tell you that the “Living the Goodwill Life” is possibly living on past 2011′s challenge and will hopefully have more news about that pretty soon. One of the things I have learned from this year is that there is a LARGE thrift-public in America (and the world) and we all deserve a way to connect with each other and share ideas, opinions, our great Goodwill (thrift) finds and each others company! I hope that maybe the Living the Goodwill Life will help us all do just that… connect and share the beauty of thrifting with each other and all those in the world that have not found the joy in thrifting yet!
Thanks for contacting me and saying “hi”!
A powerful share, I just given this onto a colleague who was doing somewhat an evaluation on this and he bought me breakfast as a result of discovering it for him!
Very nice post mate, I will share this with my friends on Facebook.
HI
I’m quite pleased with the information in this post. nice and useful!
thank you!
I like your fantastic web site, I was searching for this all over.
best regards
I like your helpful post. good stuff. I hope you produce others. I will continue subscribing
Located your post pretty remarkable in fact. I definitely liked reading it and you make very some fantastic points. I am going to bookmark this website for your foreseeable future! Relly terrific content.