Shannon Polojac started thrifting long before it became a fad. The Buffalo native adores browsing estate sales, flea markets, garage sales, and vintage stores for one-of-a-kind items. She loves the individualized style that every vintage piece brings to the table. Plus, it’s good for the earth.
Since being locked up at home during the pandemic, Shannon decided to start selling vintage items she found, and it has grown into both a hobby and a side hustle she loves!
Shop the Greenhouse
Before moving, Shannon collected all types of vintage items. However, since moving back to Buffalo from Florida about ten years ago with her two boys and dog Winnie, she says she’d like to think of herself as more minimalist. Now, she mainly looks for home décor items, such as artwork, shelves, furniture, vintage plant pots (like McCoy pottery pieces!), mirrors, and anything else that catches her eye!
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Thrifting Therapy
While Shannon’s sisters will send her ideas and her friends will occasionally accompany her to a thrift store, (whom she calls her “fellow vintage nerds”), she usually attends garage sales, flea markets, and other places where she discovers unique finds by herself. She reflects that shopping alone gives her the time and space to sift through items that draw her attention. Plus, going by herself is easiest and allows her to decompress. Shannon coins it “thrifting therapy!”
Shannon’s Décor Tips
- Real plants are the best. They make a room feel fresh, clean, and alive.
- Funky mirrors can open up a small space while adding another dimension.
- Mix textures. The juxtaposition of mixing leather, metal, and a soft neutral can be a nice surprise!
- Got neutral walls? Colorful, textured home décor pieces add a pop of color to any space.
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Thrifting Is Helping Our Planet
Shannon is not only a thrifter. She also cares deeply about the environment. Consumerism is at an all-time high, and items are constantly being thrown away due to poor quality and impulse buys. This is terrible for the earth, and we can do more to prevent it. Little changes can go a long way!
Instead of heading to a big box store for a new side table, head to a thrift store instead. If you’d like a unique piece of artwork for your home, a garage sale may surprise you. Flea markets are stocked with trinkets you can’t quite find anywhere else, as well. It’s very important to think about the decisions we make now; they will affect our planet forever.
Give Living Décor a Try!
- Hang plants in front of kitchen windows. They’ll get great lighting and add some green to your cooking space.
- Have fun with trailing plants. Each one can become a piece of art and create contrast with other colors on a wall.
- Get funky with pots. A handful of all-white pots, for example, will let the plants speak for themselves, especially against a white wall!
- Incorporate disco balls. When light hits one, all of its light will reflect in a space. Disco balls look especially cool with plants, as they can be used as unique plant holders!
"Follow me on Instagram @shopthegreenhouse. Shoutout to my friend and fellow Buffalo thrifter Erin on IG: @vintage_remix_716"
