Haven’t you heard? Thrifting is back in. It has been for a while but I feel like it’s definitely gaining in popularity again.
There are tons of benefits to thrift shopping. And you can read all about them right here.
But today I’m spilling the beans. I’m sharing all of my top secrets, my tips and tricks and all that good stuff on how to thrift like a pro.
If you follow me on Instagram or YouTube then you’d know I’m a bit of a professional thrifter. Or thrift queen, if you will. Point is, I thrift a LOT. And I find some really, really good stuff. (Don’t mind my humble brag)
I always get asked how I find such good pieces. So here’s the post you’ve all been waiting for!
My top thrifting tips:
1. Check every rack regardless of size – Thrfting is basically like a treasure hunt, by limiting yourself to one section, you’re limiting yourself to the amount of treasure you can find.
Baggy t-shirt? Crop it. And who doesn’t love an over-sized sweater?
2. Check the men’s section – Again, don’t limit yourself. You’d be surprised at the cute things you can find in the men’s section. Men’s clothing also tend to be made better and sturdier.
3. Scan for colors, patterns and textures you like – Don’t stand there and sift through every. piece. of clothing. It’ll take too long and you’ll get exhausted before you find anything goo. Get really good at scanning for the colors and patterns that you know you like.
4. Thoroughly inspect every item – The last thing you want is to purchase an item with rips, holes, stains etc. Make sure to check out every item in it’s entirety before purchasing!
5. Try on everything before you buy – You’ll need patience but most thrift stores don’t accept returns. (that I know of!) And it may be tempting because it’s so cheap, but buying clothes that don’t fit wouldn’t exactly qualify as a successful thrift trip in my opinion.
6. If you don’t love it, don’t buy it – Returns are hard when it comes to thrift stores. And don’t waste your money on something you’re not completely in love with.
7. Look for quality pieces and brand names – Always be on the look out for brand names and well made materials. You can always find hidden brand names for a fraction of the price.
8. Don’t shop on the weekends, aim for the middle of the week – weekends in general are just hectic shopping times. To get a relaxing shop in, aim for the middle of the week. It’s no fun to shop when it’s crowded and busy and you’ll end up just ducking out.
9. Wear comfy, easy to change clothes – Don’t wear lace up boots or tie back dresses. You should be wearing clothes that can come on and off with ease like a t-shirt and slip on shoes so you can try on all your clothes in less time.
10. Learn to make basic alterations – Turn jeans into cut off shorts, crop shorts, sew a tiny hole. Being able to do these things makes it a lot easier to find hidden gems and pieces worth saving.
11. Bring cash and set a budget – It’s easy to fall down the rabbit hole that is cheap thrift store clothing. It’s similar to fast fashion stores where we think “oh, it’s so cheap I can get lots of things!” But we don’t want to add to over consumption so it’s best to set yourself a budget, take that amount of cash, and that way you don’t run the risk of over spending!
12. Use a cart – Self explanatory, but you’ll want your hands free when you’re looking through all those piles and piles of clothing.
As always, it’s important to remember to have patience. I think a lot of people go into thrift stores with the mindset that they’re going to find the perfect piece within 10 minutes. And I hate to say that’s not always the case.
Just relax, go with the flow and have fun with it! Some times you’ll walk out with nothing but other times you’ll find the best pieces!
And these are my top thrifting tips! Go out there and thrift up a storm!
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