A Little Retail Therapy to Combat My Moving Blues | Thrifting Antique China

Today, I’m sharing my bittersweet journey of preparing to move from North Carolina to Wisconsin. Between the excitement of decorating our new home and the sadness of leaving the South, I’ve found comfort in my love for antique china dishes and thrifting treasures.

Today I’ve been feeling all of the feels. Well, I’m lying, they’ve been happening for a few days now. I have been working on the long awaited for blog post about our kitchen renovation and looking back through my photos trying to find ones about our kitchen, I am realizing how much life we have actually lived here in North Carolina. Out of all of the states Clayton and I have lived together in (Ohio, Georgia, South Carolina …and if you count us growing up in the same town in Illinois), North Carolina has been our home for the longest.

Our kids have done the majority of their growing here – and I have made friends that honestly I never ever want to let go of. (**insert balling eyes!) Gosh, it’s just got me so sad. Then to top it off, I saw an old friend who had moved away about 2 years ago and just moved back…and that has really played with my emotions today because I know how good it is here in North Carolina and I guess I’m just scared going to the unchartered territory of Wisconsin…with no friends.

So to help with my unstable emotions, I went shopping. Why is this such a comfort? Buying crap I don’t actually “need” (well wait, I do NEED this stuff. And if anyone, like my hubby, says otherwise, I’ll be ready to battle them! lol)

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Reflecting on Life in North Carolina

It’s so funny because I have known for a looong time that we were moving. But the reality of it sinking in in the last hours is really sucky. We are moving because my husband took a new job that he was (and is) super excited about and it’s a whole heck of a lot closer to family.

For years, we’ve toyed with the idea of going closer to “home” but I have been the one who has put my foot down every time (yes, I’m an awful person, go ahead and say it). We’ve also had an insane amount of opportunities to go live elsewhere – ie: California, etc. However, when real life boils down, I haven’t wanted to leave the South.

Why I Love the South and Its Charm

Besides the fact that it doesn’t snow (well for the most part), that there are snakes (ugh!!! my worst nightmare), and that the summers are unbearably hot to me, I really love it here. The people are just good people, that I adore and respect. The Southern morals (generally speaking…like in the family aspect, etc) align with what I believe in. And the amazing, differing landscape terrains (ocean, mountains) are just some of my favorite things.

I mean when we moved South when I was 22 years old (a baby out of college about to be married) I never thought we would spend the rest of our lives here. But at the same time, I couldn’t see myself leaving. It’s odd to describe and even harder to explain – or to even figure out what I am feeling.

Throughout our course here in the South, we’ve lived in Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina and I’ve loved it. Truly I have. I’ve become such a different person than I was when I lived in Illinois (and even Ohio for that matter when I went to college). I’ve grown in ways I never knew I could (I’ve even gotten fat! haha!) But my thoughts on life, thoughts on community, thoughts on the future have definitely been shaped and redefined by living here. And it’s just making me so sad to leave!

Moving to Wisconsin: A New Chapter

I know that there’s no turning back now. Heck, we’ve already sold our house here (which for a minute it was sad, but really I’m glad because that was never a forever house for us) and bought a new house – which I am head over heels about – but I just wish that I could bring my favorite parts of the South with me to Wisconsin and live a happily ever after life!

Decorating with Antique China: A Personal Touch

But because I can’t do that – I’m filling my broken heart with stuff. For years and years, I have loved buying random dishes that have no matches at antique or thrift stores. It literally drives my husband crazy because he can’t stand extra “crap” nor can he handle things that have no mates. (ugh, what a boring life he prefers to live, haha!)

But it’s like an addiction, I just can’t help myself. I absolutely love buying random pieces of dishware and finding homes for it in my home – or for sprucing up my recipes that I share.

I’ve always loved dainty, pretty patterned dishes. In fact, our main dishes, that we registered for for our wedding, are paisley. They are busy and beautiful all in one! My mom has always wondered how I like such patterns! lol

But I really love color and I love intricate designs. They simply make me happy. So, when I find pieces that have both of these requirements, I have to buy them!

It’s amazing to me what people donate to thrift shops. Almost all of these pieces are porcelain and have beautiful cracking. They are hand painted and are painted with 22k gold.

While I am excited about our new house, and am planning on decorating in a lot of blue and white, I am enjoying collecting random pieces that have probably been owned by several people!

I have made it a goal of mine, that everything that comes into our house (decor wise, etc) will be old! I really don’t want to buy anything new. I want it to be repurposed, or to have a story that I can’t wait to tell others about! Just like the antique bedroom set I bought my daughter that I can’t wait to make over!

And because moving is so hard, and the older you get, the harder it is to make friends, I am planning on finding friends by having dinner parties, etc. HA! I’ll force them to be my friends by serving them yummy food on my antique dishes! – For Christmas my parents bought me the most beautiful set of Green Depression Glass dishware set! (but they are already at the new house in Wisconsin, so I’ll have to share those pictures later!)

And hopefully someone will share in my likeliness of old dishware! lol – like my BFF, who seriously gets me and shares my same love of old stuff!

So for today, while I’m sad about leaving, I’ve filled the gap in my heart with antique china. Haha! And the best part is, I have spent less than $30 on all of this! woot woot!

Have you ever decorated with antique china or thrifted treasures? Check out my posts on 6 Must-Have Kitchen Finds and Decorating with Old Wooden Rolling Pins for more ideas, then share your favorite finds in the comments below or tag me on Instagram!