You’re reading Jersey Girl Thrift’s bi-weekly newsletter! A quick, fun read full of second-hand trends, style tips, local sales, thrift store reviews, great reads, and a recipe or two. It’s everything you need to live a thrifty and luscious life.

Spring is calling

The sun is finally out!! And my partner and I took full advantage last weekend by walking around Montclair, visiting anything that looked exciting.

We planned our first stop— the Farmer’s Market and our last stop— Montclair Antique Center, but let our curiosity take us the rest of the day.

Transitioning to Spring is always full of forward-thinking energy for me. Excitement, yes, but maybe a little bit of anxiety.

What am I going to grow in my garden this year? Should I start seeds indoors? When can I retire my winter jackets? It’s sunny, shouldn’t I be outside?

Maybe you can relate.

So, I’m doing my best to settle into this season with a bit more presence. Here are seven things helping me embrace a gentle, mindful Springtime:

1. Pistachio Lattes at the new Qahwah Coffee House in Montclair. You’re welcome.

2. Antique rings from Montclair Antique Center. Make friends with Jerry!

3. Weekly collage art classes at Montclair Art Museum (they have so many great classes!). Also, check out one of their current exhibits by Nanette Carter: A Question Of Balance. Gorgeous.

4. Ria X Gallery’s latest exhibit Life In Plastic— Barbie fans, unite.

5. Resistance classes at F45 Training! Best group training vibes & they have locations all over North Jersey.

6. Gluten-free sandwich bread by Earth’s Garden (found at Montclair Farmer’s Market), which really holds together well compared to some other GF brands I’ve tried.

7. Network Spinal Analysis bodywork with the incredibly talented and experienced Dr. Kaminski in West Caldwell. It’s the most nourishing, gentle work you can do for your nervous system. If you’ve seen these videos on IG, you know what I’m talking about.

making space

I’ve been obsessed with visually optimizing my accessories lately so I can really wear all my treasures. I invested in this over-the-door mirror jewelry box, which has already inspired me to accessorize. This article also slays with easy closet tools and hacks. The belt hanger really caught my attention.

swap life

The Galentine’s Day swap was SO FUN! Thank you for schleping in the pouring rain! We loved seeing familiar faces and meeting new sustainable NJ girlies!

Swaps are truly community-driven. If you didn’t make it, we featured refreshments from The Coffee Compound, a local shop, and raffled off a headshot session for our venue host, Headshot + Brand Bar! Check out the venue, which you can rent for parties, photoshoots, meet-ups & more!

It fills our hearts to see you all make friends and snag amazing pieces. Sequence dresses, Tommy Hilfiger sweatshirts, Coach slides, and accessories galore! Thank you for bringing your amazing energy.

trend corner

Spring is on the horizon. And so are the lewks!

So far,  we’re seeing pattern maximalism (think That 70s Show), summer prep (think sailboat attire), high fem (think floofy in the best way), and my personal favorite, spring jackets!

We’re still layering, but we're lightening up the fabrics and adding a bit more color. And, of course, we’re reusing and restyling items we already have!

If you’re looking for an easy way to welcome spring to your wardrobe, you cannot go wrong with a silk scarf! Add it to your purse, wear it as a headband, or tie it around your neck.

mom tip: thrift stains

I feel like we can all commiserate about pulling out the PERFECT SECONDHAND piece from a crowded Goodwill rack only to come face to face with an undisclosed stain!?

It’s the worst. It leaves you with a universal thrift-queen question: do I take it home and try to get it out? Or put it back and think about it forever?

I usually choose the former, but I can’t keep presenting stacks of stained shirts to my mom (who you may have met at a swap!) to rehabilitate. She’s over it. So, instead of giving me a fish, so to speak, she taught me how to catch one for myself.

And I’m passing that knowledge to you, dear thrifters.

1. Her first trick for getting new stains out: Dawn soap. “Hit any stain with a drop, work it in, and rinse it out, especially if it’s a new stain.” My laundry room is in the basement, so I usually set up in the bathroom so I can get to it quickly. I have all my stain tools in the hall closet. Dawn isn’t my preferred soap for dishes, but I have a bottle just for stains.

2. For settled stains from a thrift store: “Make a Dawn soap and baking soda paste, work it into the fabric, and let it soak for an hour or so.” Sometimes, I’ll leave it on longer, especially if it’s a light-colored shirt.

3. If that pesky stain still stands tall: reach for Carbona Stain Devils. She swears by this brand. Some are liquid, and some are powder to create soaks. Each one tackles a different set of stains, like chocolate, ketchup, mustard or ink, marker, or crayon. I’m partial to the Carbona Food stain bundle because most of my stains are from cooking or eating.

4. Finally, only dry a piece once you’re done working the stain. In her experience, drying it sets the stain and makes it harder to remove.

from the closet

If you’re wondering what the Dungen Cloffice looks like after a swap…. here it is. Thrift Mountain. This is how all our swaps start. Kelli and I will start QAing bag after bag, organizing, racking, and staging for our May swap.

So0o0o0…. if you have FOMO about not getting “the good stuff” at a swap or if you’re worried there’s not enough to go around, think again. We literally have a mountain of contributions just for you.

I’ll admit: before I started this business, I thought thrifting was fun, budget-friendly, and creative. Being sustainable and shopping second-hand? A bonus. Now, coming face to face with just how much we get rid of every year, a fire is set. We have to do better, and we have to do it together! NO NEW THINGS 2025!! SWAP ONLY!

kitchen tales

Can’t stop, won’t stop making this banana & chocolate protein oatmeal bake. I recently started lifting again, and my trainer was like, “You gotta make sure your protein is right.” I also happen to have a huge sweet tooth. I’m done denying it. This recipe allows you to indulge both! My little hacks: I use Kodak Protein Oats! I may try adding a scoop of protein powder next time, too. Complex carbs for dat booty!

Until next time!

XOXOXO

Larell