6 Tips for Scoring the Best Thrift Finds
Thrift shopping is a great way to find great clothing at lower prices while also reducing your carbon footprint. Thrift stores give a second chance to used items that still have lots of life left in them, and sometimes you can even find things that are brand new. One of the larger thrift stores near me always has tons of clothing from Target, Zara, and Banana Republic all with the original tags still attached. The easiest things to thrift are classic pieces— why buy new when the silhouette hasn’t changed In years? Clothing used to be made to last, so take advantage of something that would outlast a new item. Shopping at thrift stores is great for the environment as well, as it reduces the demand for new manufactured goods and keeps perfectly good things out of our overflowing landfills.
Browsing through a thrift store successfully takes patience, but it pays off in the end. The feeling you get when you find exactly what you’re looking for is always worth the time you put in. Whether you’re a seasoned thrifter or it’s your first time venturing into a resale shop, check out my suggestions for making the most of each shopping trip.
Make a Plan
First, flip through your current closet and try and get an idea of what you’re looking for. Pull up Pinterest and search a few of your favorite style keywords to get inspired. Write out a “looking for” list in your phone and refer back to that list while you’re in the store. Look up the stores you want to visit and find their locations and hours so you can decide what order you want to go in. Most thrift stores are located in cluster’s, so it’s pretty easy to make a day of it. If you can, find out which days they have sales, so that you can coordinate your timing.
Set Yourself Up
There’s nothing wrong with getting a little help. Set yourself up for success by being prepared! Make sure your phone is fully charged so you can look up store locations and hours, check your shopping list, or research brand names, fabric content, or prices. I also like to have headphones so I can listen to a playlist or podcast while I browse. Don’t forget to bring cash, a reusable shopping bag, hand sanitizer, and a stain remover pen— these are great in case you come across a stained item so you can test if the stain will come out before you buy! It’s also helpful to wear clothing that you can try clothes on over, as not all thrift stores have fitting rooms.
Scan and Pull
Scan through each aisle to save time. As you go down each aisle, keep an eye out for colors or prints that stand out to you and pull out the ones that interest you.
Get Creative
Don’t forget to look through the men’s and kid’s sections— get creative and think of different ways to wear things! An oversized men’s shirt could become a cool swim cover up, a children’s skirt could become a Boho crop top. If you can sew, a 3X dress with a great print can become a new dress and bolero. Furniture and housewares are especially easy to find new uses for. I love using old crystal dishes and ash trays as desk accessories or to organize jewelry.
Inspect Carefully
Items in thrift stores are donated in various states, are usually used, and are often old. All thrift stores have different policies about the state of the items put out on the floor, and because it’s humans sorting items fairly quickly, things often get missed! It’s up to you to make sure you know what you are buying, as most thrift stores don’t allow returns.
Look over the item front and back. Look at the inside, lining, pockets, and hem.
Check for stains, missing buttons, pulled threads, or beading or sequins that have come undone.
Test every zipper, button, snap, and closure.
Try the item on if you’re able to.
6. Buy What You Need
Put back items that are too damaged, being realistic about what you will actually get around to mending. Don’t go crazy! Of the pieces you still have, imagine how they will fit into your wardrobe.
Check the price tag. Is this item on sale? Does it fit your budget?
Look at the care tag or the fiber content tag if the item has one. Does it need to be cleaned a special way?
Can you think of a couple ways to wear that item?
Do the color and style flow with the rest of the things you own?
Will you need to purchase anything to go with it, like a belt or specific shoes? Are those extras in your budget?
Will the item need to be repaired or altered to fit? Are those alterations in your budget?
I consider all of these points to be imperative to a good thrift shopping trip. Do you enjoy thrifting? What are your top tips for uncovering great finds? Leave a comment and let me know!
