Where can you go to purchase holiday décor, presents, and maybe even a surfing Santa Hawaiian shirt? Well, Goodwill Keystone Area, of course! Goodwill is a one-stop-shop when it comes to most of your shopping needs. They even sell snacks at some of the ones I frequent! You almost don’t need to go anywhere else.

I always do a lot of my holiday shopping at Goodwill. I begin looking at the Christmas wares and apparel as soon as they hit the shelves.

The very festive surfing Santa Hawaiian shirt is a fun piece for me to model, but would also make a great gift for a dad, grandfather, or another man in your life. It certainly is a conversation starter, and for $4.99, it is a great novelty gift.

Accessories are always good presents, and I picked this scarf and hat combo at the Goodwill outlet. Scarves are great pieces to liven up a simple outfit, especially when they are a bold color or a festive pattern.

My daughters often go thrifting with me, and on Black Friday we visited a Goodwill store. They picked out a few things for me to tuck away for Christmas. My oldest daughter chose the framed butterfly (Goodwill $1.99; Retail $30), and my youngest chose a stack of books.

As for décor, the shelves have been full of colorful baubles, housewares, and decorations for several months now. I always look for something to catch my eye, and on my latest trip, I found the outdoor Snoopy flag and something I was very excited about finding – a Margaret Furlong porcelain ornament. I have collected these seashell-themed ornaments for years. They regularly sell for $30 – $60, but my Goodwill find was just $2.99!

Put Goodwill Keystone Area at the top of your list when shopping this holiday season. Besides providing economical items for yourself and your loved ones, your purchases benefit your local community and the environment.

Happy holidays from my family to yours,
Kirsten

Santa Hawaiian shirt: $4.99
Hat & scarf: $1.99
Snoopy flag: $1.99
Angel ornament: $2.99
Framed Butterfly: $1.99
Books: $1.99 each

About The Blogger

Kirsten is a 40-something mom, wife and marketing professional. She loves all things crafty, tasty and fashionable, especially while being frugal. She enjoys hunting for treasures at her local Goodwill Keystone Area stores to decorate her home and wardrobe.

The holiday season has begun! Lights, decorations, shopping! My gift list includes my husband, my girls, close family, and friends, and I’ve already found a few gifts for each of them at my local Goodwill Keystone Area stores. But, I also like to pick up a few festive additions to my wardrobe. Since the holiday season is so short, I don’t like to pay a lot for clothing that might only be worn for a month.

Goodwill already has great prices on Christmas sweaters, pajamas, and the like. But, a visit to the Goodwill Keystone Area outlet in Reading provided me with several holiday sweaters, a scarf, and a dress suitable for New Year’s Eve for under $5! (This haul also included a Gap jean jacket and tie-dye hoodie I save for later posts).

Holiday sweaters are easy to spot in the bins of clothing. Two bright red Talbots sweaters and a fluffy chenille scarf were quickly snagged up and placed into my cart. Sorting through bins of asserting clothing may not be for the novice thrifter, but I enjoy the thrill of the hunt! The Nine West sparkly dress was also an easy find. It was missing its belt, but those are easy to replace and customize.

After a wash and dry, my sweaters made their debut at two of our annual family outings. The first was our trip to a Christmas tree farm. We always get our tree early since my oldest daughter had to go back to college, and I wore the snowflake sweater along with a coordinating scarf.

The next event was an “Evening of Joy” at a local greenhouse. The Fair Isle-inspired sweater had accents of black and white and a delicate beaded accent.

Wearing bright red at the holidays is an easy way to get in the spirit. I got several compliments on each sweater, and people are always impressed when I proudly tell them they came from Goodwill.

Whether you venture to the outlets or stick to the regular stores, don’t forget to pick up a few festive additions to your holiday wardrobe. You’re helping your community and the environment, and that’s a great feeling this time of year!

From my closet to yours,
Kirsten

Sweaters: less than $1
Scarf: $0.50
Retail: Sweaters $90 each

About The Blogger

Kirsten is a 40-something mom, wife and marketing professional. She loves all things crafty, tasty and fashionable, especially while being frugal. She enjoys hunting for treasures at her local Goodwill Keystone Area stores to decorate her home and wardrobe.

Every autumn this type of outfit shows up on my feed in slightly different variations – dark windowpane plaid pants (in whatever the popular style happens to be) and a solid top featuring one of the colors in the plaid.

Earlier this season, I saw this exact outfit at a mall store. I knew it would be easy to replicate with pieces from Goodwill Keystone Area, and I had honestly been hunting for this type of pants for several years now.

This outfit came together as mine usually do when I am searching the aisles at Goodwill: I start with the pants or skirts, find a pattern I like and then head to the tops to find a coordinating piece. (Or sometimes I start with the patterned top). Either way, I know I will have something that works and not take home an orphan piece of clothing that will never get worn.

I love these pants because they are cozy and flattering. Covid has made me realize I want to be comfortable in my clothing, and items that pinch, bind, or otherwise make me feel bad have no room in my closet.

Stretch fabrics are forgiving, and pairing these classic pants from Attyre (Goodwill: $5.29; Retail: $50) with a well-cut, structured sweatshirt from Aerie (Goodwill: $4.99; Retail: $50) make it even more perfect of an outfit. And navy and burgundy are always a perfect fall color combo.

As for accessories, I pulled a few classic pieces from my closet purchased years ago from Goodwill, but regularly reused and loved: Kate Spade patent leather wedges, a Banana Republic bag, and a vintage gold necklace.

All of these pieces together make this the perfect autumn outfit. The fact that it is from Goodwill Keystone Area is even better. Every day, your purchases at Goodwill help your local community and keep items out of landfills. It’s a win-win!

From my closet to yours,
Kirsten

Pants: $5.29
Shirt: $4.99
Shoes: $19.99
Bag: $6.97
Necklace: $3.97
Total: $41.21
Retail: $450

About The Blogger

Kirsten is a 40-something mom, wife and marketing professional. She loves all things crafty, tasty and fashionable, especially while being frugal. She enjoys hunting for treasures at her local Goodwill Keystone Area stores to decorate her home and wardrobe.

Earlier this month, I had the pleasure of styling two models for the Breast Cancer Support Services of Berks County fashion show in completely thrifted outfits from Goodwill Keystone Area.

Featured models in the fashion show were all breast cancer survivors. Each of them had amazing stories of how their cancer was discovered, their treatment, and their recovery. They glowed as they walked the runway cheered on by family and friends. One of my models, Tracey, graciously offered to pose and be featured on this blog. Tracey was diagnosed with stage 1 breast cancer at age 42 in 2018. She is now cancer-free and living life to the fullest. She’s grateful for the support she received from her friends and family, her mother, Marge (also a survivor) and her husband, Matt

Tracey’s casual date-night or weekend brunch look is 100% thrifted from Goodwill Keystone Area. The sheer floral blouse is from Forever 21. We layered it over an orange tank top for an extra dose of color. Chico’s Perfect Stretch pants are a great staple for her wardrobe. To add more autumnal hues, we added an olive jacket from Michael Kors, and a Universal Thread bag in a beautiful pumpkin shade. Purple loafers from Vionic completed the look. Tracey’s complete look was only $37 but retailed for over $400.

Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among American women, and about 1 in 8 U.S. women (about 13%) will develop invasive breast cancer over the course of their lifetime. I had my own brush with a potential breast cancer diagnosis earlier this year, but diligent doctors and regular mammograms revealed all was well. I am grateful for the dedicated medical professionals who advocate for women’s health. Breast cancer awareness isn’t just wearing pink – it’s something we all should be aware of, if not for us, for the women in our lives. I’m grateful to Goodwill Keystone Area for supporting my models and helping them look great for less!

From my closet to yours,
Kirsten

About The Blogger

Kirsten is a 40-something mom, wife and marketing professional. She loves all things crafty, tasty and fashionable, especially while being frugal. She enjoys hunting for treasures at her local Goodwill Keystone Area stores to decorate her home and wardrobe.

Fall will be here any moment now. School is back in session, days are getting shorter and cooler, and my thoughts are turning to autumnal fashion.

I can still remember from my junior high days the thrill of going to the mall to look at the latest offerings from Gap (a gold standard in my teen years in the 80s), Esprit, and Bennetton. The popped collars, the pegged jeans (little did we know then that this trend would take on a life of its own as skinny jeans), and v-neck cable sweaters could all be seen in the hallways of my school. Bold colors, plaid patterns, and textured fabrics, including corduroy, are still among my favorite styles.

Luckily, Goodwill Keystone Area stores offer all these items and so much more. I decided to recreate a look from my teen years, but give it a modern spin, when I found these yellow suede, tasseled loafers from Coach. 15-year-old Kirsten would have loved these as much as 48-year-old Kirsten does. They were a splurge at $19.99 (retail: $195), but they are timeless and will be a unique addition to my closet.

Since the shoes are a very specific color, I looked around for a sweater or blouse to coordinate with them. When I found the yellow plaid blouse, with front ruffled detail from Gap, I knew I had a winner. This piece would have also been an 80s-approved look. My cost was $4.99, retail was $69.

Instead of skinny jeans, I wanted a different silhouette so the Heartbreaker High Rise Bootcut jeans from Hudson were perfect. They have a unique cut hem that will look even better with heeled booties. Hudson is another premium denim brand I love finding at Goodwill. My cost was $7.25, but you can still buy this style for $185.

To finish off the outfit, I added a hunter green bag from Relic. Relic is a brand owned by Fossil (who made watches and accessories starting in 1984), so this was the perfect finishing touch for my 80s homage look. (Goodwill: $9.99; Retail: $50).

What goes around, comes around, and updating styles from your younger days adds a layer of fun and nostalgia to your wardrobe. Goodwill Keystone Area makes it easy and affordable to channel whatever look you are going for.

From my closet to yours,
Kirsten

Loafers: $19.99
Blouse: $4.99
Jeans: $7.25
Bag: $9.99

Total: $42.22
Retail: $500

About The Blogger

Kirsten is a 40-something mom, wife and marketing professional. She loves all things crafty, tasty and fashionable, especially while being frugal. She enjoys hunting for treasures at her local Goodwill Keystone Area stores to decorate her home and wardrobe.

A back-to-school staple for any active girl (or mom-on-the-go) is athletic leggings. But not just any leggings anymore – the kind with pockets are game-changers. Thrown them on to wear to school with a sweatshirt and sneakers, or for most sports practices, yoga classes, a simple jog in the park, or like me – a walk around the neighborhood with my pup, Penny.

As with any trend – good, bad, or with practical features like leggings with pockets – it eventually makes its way to Goodwill Keystone Area stores, and recently I easily snapped up three pairs of these fabulously utilitarian and comfortable wardrobe staples.

No more sticking a key in your shoe for a run, or looking for a fanny pack to tuck your phone into. These pockets hold all that and more.

Ask any woman what her wardrobe needs, and the answer may be pockets. I’ve seen wedding dresses with pockets, and it always feels like a win when you find a casual dress with them. They make life a whole lot more convenient.

The pair featured in the photos is from Calia from Carrie Underwood. They retailed for about $60, but my Goodwill cost was $4.95. I wasn’t real familiar with Calia, but their website states “ We believe it’s the smallest details that make the biggest impact in your everyday. Like stay-put waistbands, clothes that are easy to care for, and styles that fit seamlessly into whatever you’re doing, in and out of the gym. It’s fitness apparel designed for your life, so you never have to sacrifice fashion for function or your lifestyle for your workout.”

The other leggings with pockets pictured include the black and gray color block ones from Reebok (Goodwill: $4.95; retail: $55) and the green camouflage from All In Motion (a Target brand – Goodwill: $4.95; retail: $35).

The pandemic has made athleisure pieces such as these leggings a necessity. With Zoom meetings, you could be wearing a blouse or blazer for the camera, but be super comfortable with leggings underneath. Or, if you’re back to work in an office and dressing up, you may reach for these and a t-shirt as soon as you get home.

No matter what trend you are looking for, it eventually makes its way to your local Goodwill Keystone Area store. Keep thrifting and today’s fashions are tomorrow’s treasures at Goodwill.

From my closet to yours,
Kirsten

Leggings: $4.95 each

About The Blogger

Kirsten is a 40-something mom, wife and marketing professional. She loves all things crafty, tasty and fashionable, especially while being frugal. She enjoys hunting for treasures at her local Goodwill Keystone Area stores to decorate her home and wardrobe.

August is all about back-to-school! Clothing, new shoes, school supplies, and much more! I may not have small children buying a new box of crayons and lunch bags, but I do have older children that still need school supplies and eventually, some new clothes. And Goodwill Keystone Area is always our favorite place to search for whatever they might need.

My oldest, a college junior, is moving into an apartment with three other friends. They wisely created a spreadsheet to decide who was bringing what. Among the things she was tasked with supplying, was a set of dishes and a few miscellaneous kitchen supplies.

She could have easily gone to a big box store and quickly picked up a standard set of dishes and probably not spent that much. However, she likes a more vintage aesthetic and is already a fan of thrift shopping and other sustainable activities.

We hit up the largest store in our area – the Shillington Goodwill store. There are aisles of home goods – all sorted by color – like most stores are. It was easy to check the aisles of the colors she liked. We passed over the pink and purple sections and concentrated on the white, yellow, and orange sections.

After some deliberation and comparing how some pieces would look together, she decided on this Hearthside Garden Festival Prarie Flower pattern set for $9.99. The set included a platter, seven large plates, seven small plates, two bowls, eight saucers, and another bowl. There was also a covered dish, being sold separately, that matched the set she selected for $3.99. If you are keeping track, that’s 26 pieces for $13 or .50 cents per piece.

Not only is she helping her local community by supporting Goodwill with her purchases, but she is also keeping items out of a landfill, and she got a much higher quality product than she could have on her budget.

Most college students have a mug collection, so she knew her friends would bring their own. After combing the aisles a few more times, she also chose this Frida Kahlo mug for $1.99 and another vintage piece – a funky chicken trivet for .99 cents.

Goodwill Keystone Area should always be your first choice for homewares. I love that my daughters embrace and choose thrift shopping for items at Goodwill versus going to the mall or large department stores. Now we have to start shopping for their new wardrobes. I’m sure that’s going to take a lot longer than just half an hour!

From my closet to yours,
Kirsten

Dishes: $9.99
Covered Dish: $2.99
Mug: $1.99
Trivet: .99

About The Blogger

Kirsten is a 40-something mom, wife and marketing professional. She loves all things crafty, tasty and fashionable, especially while being frugal. She enjoys hunting for treasures at her local Goodwill Keystone Area stores to decorate her home and wardrobe.

My family and I have still been sticking close to home this summer, but we have been doing some exploring in our back yard, visiting sites in our county we may have not seen before. It’s surprising how many local attractions, shops, restaurants and more that we had not had the chance to visit yet. The pandemic made me realize that my county (Berks) is full of unique architecture, lots of history, beautiful vistas, and much more.

Touring the towns, neighborhoods, and countryside close to home, even if just for a few hours, might help you reminisce about childhood memories, provide more background about your local history and heritage and give you more pride about where you live. Do an internet search for your city, town, or county’s attractions and explore the results! You may find a few things you didn’t know were so close by. Don’t forget to think like a tourist!

On a recent visit to Reading, I coordinated a blog outfit for a site-seeing excursion. We’ve been battling our way through a hot, humid summer, so comfortable and lightweight are must-haves every day lately. I’m ready for fall fashions, but we still have July and August to get through!

This navy floral blouse from Loft (Goodwill: $4.95; Retail: $59) just skimmed my frame and didn’t cling to me. Come fall, I can add a cardigan or jacket and extend this summer staple into a new season. InStyle just shared an article that dark florals will be popular this autumn and winter. Why not start adding some to your wardrobe now?

Who doesn’t love denim shorts? You can dress them up or down, wear them out or mow your lawn. These classics from Gap (Goodwill: $4.99; Retail: $49) are perfect for any summer occasion.

Comfortable shoes are a must and these Bandolino navy sandals (Goodwill: $7.47; Retail: $79) worked well for a cruise around some historic neighborhoods. I definitely would have worn something sturdier if we had been walking farther. But, these work well for a casual tour or a day at work, or a night out.

For a final pop of color, I added a large tote from Kate Spade(Goodwill: $20; Retail: $300). I splurged on this at $20 at my local Goodwill Keystone Area store, but it was well worth it. After checking it over for authenticity, I knew I would get my money’s worth from the investment. It held all my necessities – sunscreen, water bottles, and snacks.

When exploring, don’t forget to Google the locations of all your nearby Goodwill Keystone Area stores! You need a souvenir of your travels, and I can’t think of a better place to get something special to remind you of your staycation!

From my closet to yours,
Kirsten

Top: $4.95
Shorts: $4.99
Sandals: $7.47
Bag: $20.00
Total: $37.41
Retail: $487

About The Blogger

Kirsten is a 40-something mom, wife and marketing professional. She loves all things crafty, tasty and fashionable, especially while being frugal. She enjoys hunting for treasures at her local Goodwill Keystone Area stores to decorate her home and wardrobe.

Summer has arrived in the Goodwill Keystone Area, and it brought its friends – heat and humidity. I expect heat waves in July and August, but this early bout of warm weather has me dressing as light as possible. I want to stay looking stylish and cool, especially now that restrictions are being lifted, and I’m spending more time out and about, not just going to work and the grocery store.

When the temps soar, I don’t reach for shorts and tank tops – my go-to article of clothing is a dress. I love a light A-line cut in the summer – one made of breezy fabric with a floaty hemline. You don’t want anything hugging or clinging to you – you want cotton, linen, or jersey fabrics with simple styles and cuts. Lighter color fabrics also reflect light, keeping you cooler.

Since I’m such a fan of prints, these two Loft dresses (Retail: $79; Goodwill: $7.95)

were obvious choices for my summer wardrobe. With the addition of a few accessories, these dresses are perfect for the office, brunch, or a night on the town. They could even double as bathing suit cover-ups at the beach.

I wore the white floral dress to dinner to celebrate my 25th anniversary recently. I love the cap sleeve and ruffled hem. I added pink and gray snakeskin-print sandals from Bobs (by Sketchers) which are some of the most comfortable shoes I own. (Retail: $50; Goodwill: $7.47) Throw on a coordinating Coach bag (Retail: $200; Goodwill: $12.99), and I’m ready for whatever the heatwave throws at me.

The next look is a graphic red and black print Loft dress with tassels on the neckline. It is extremely lightweight, and I have worn it several times to work with different shoes and even flip-flops. I love the versatility of the style. I added gold sandals from J Crew I featured before and were a great find for $7.47 (Retail: $100). The final touch was a Michael Kors crossbody bag (Retail: $99; Goodwill: $6.99). I like carrying smaller, lighter-weight bags in the summer, so I don’t overload them with unnecessary items. My necessities in the summer, besides the regular items, include a small tube of sunscreen and a hair tie.

No matter the weather, Goodwill Keystone Area has got you covered, or uncovered, whatever the case may be. Feel good about spending your dollars on an organization that keeps your community cool.

Kirsten

Outfit 1:
Dress: $7.95
Sandals: $7.47
Bag: $12.99
Total: $28.41
Retail: $329

Outfit 2:
Dress: $7.95
Sandals: $7.47
Bag: $6.99
Total: $22.41
Retail: $278

About The Blogger

Kirsten is a 40-something mom, wife and marketing professional. She loves all things crafty, tasty and fashionable, especially while being frugal. She enjoys hunting for treasures at her local Goodwill Keystone Area stores to decorate her home and wardrobe.

On a recent afternoon after work, I decided to head to the Goodwill Keystone Area outlet in Reading. It was around the time I was tie-dyeing, and I was looking for some clothing victims to bleach or dye. I didn’t have an agenda, but I did have a timeline – about 45 minutes.

Goodwill Keystone Outlet stores are very different than their regular retail stores. First of all, the Reading location is huge! Clothing, accessories, and housewares are sold by the pound (which varies as to the class of item). Shoes are a flat rate of $2.75. Merchandise is rotated regularly, and there’s always a rush to get the new bins to discover treasures that were missed from other stores.

Items I typically look for at the outlet include: premium denim (I have found Paige, Hudson, 7 for All Mankind, and more as well as the Citizens of Humanity pair (see below), vintage t-shirts, collegiate sweatshirts for my daughter, and items I can alter without guilt if I mess them up. You can find Christmas items in July and shorts in winter – it’s never the same place twice.

I spent about $8 that day, and this is what I got:

• Citizens of Humanity Arielle mid-rise slim jeans (Retail: $170)
• 2015 Vintage Fall Out Boy t-shirt (Retail: $30)
• Loft beige and pink polka dot blouse (Retail $59)
• Chico’s Premium Denim shorts (Retail: $65)
• Turkey Hill Experience t-shirt (Retail: $15)
• Gap cropped boot cut denim (Retail: 69)
• Maeve (Anthropologie brand) velvet tunic (Retail: $138)
• Talbots white denim jacket (Retail: $99)

Retail on all these items when new was about $650! I saved over 98%, helped support my local community and fostered sustainability. Wearing used clothes is a choice I have been making for over 30 years. It makes sense for the environment, and I feel good that my purchases support Goodwill Keystone Area’s mission.

Shopping at outlet stores may be a little more challenging than a typical Goodwill Keystone Area retail store, but the rewards are much bigger I have found some of my best treasures in the bins. Keep digging – you never know what you may find!

From my closet to yours,
Kirsten

Goodwill cost: $8
Retail value: $650

About The Blogger

Kirsten is a 40-something mom, wife and marketing professional. She loves all things crafty, tasty and fashionable, especially while being frugal. She enjoys hunting for treasures at her local Goodwill Keystone Area stores to decorate her home and wardrobe.