Thinking Thrifty? Tips For Second Hand Clothing Shopping
Photo by Fin Prakittiphoom on Unsplash
I don’t really know where my thrifting habit started. It might have been when I got my first internship and needed business casual clothing on a college student’s budget. It might have been even before that as a teen when I would get a kick out of going to Goodwill for Halloween costumes with my friends. Maybe it was even before that.
The seeds of thrifting love were planted early for me, but it didn’t become my sole mode of shopping for clothing until around five years ago. I guess you could say that I popped in for some children’s clothes one day, entered a thrifting black hole, and have theoretically never emerged.
At first, I was shocked at the frequency of which I was able to find quality pieces. The shift away from shopping online for fast fashion happened so naturally, I truly think I was a year into purchasing exclusively second-hand pieces before I even noticed.
Over my years of thrifting, I’ve learned a lot and am more than happy to share some tricks I have picked up along the way.
01 | You have to go often.
I know you’ve probably heard this before. I know it probably has you rolling your eyes. But it’s the first truth of second-hand shopping. Many thrift stores have such an influx of items that they add pieces to the floor daily if not more. Great items also have a tendency to get snatched up fairly quickly. Just because you went to a store a week ago, or even a few days ago doesn’t mean you know what is available to you at that store at this very moment.
02 | Have a running list of items you need.
I have an extensive list on my phone of items I want to grab if I ever find them at the thrift store. I know to keep my eye out for these things and check their sections regularly when I stop in to my local spots. If I am crunched for time I know what areas of the store to make a priority.
03 | Focus on items that are out of season.
Just the other day I overheard some employees at my local Goodwill talking about how there were so many long sleeve items that they would have to clear certain tag colors out to make room for incoming ones. I asked them if it happened a lot and they both nodded and explained that once the weather started turning cold again they would have the same issue with the short sleeve shirts. If you have the forethought to shop for the upcoming season (instead of the present one), it’s very likely the items will be less picked through, which naturally means better finds.
04 | Double-check prices online.
Sometimes you simply assume you’re getting a good deal because it’s a second-hand store. This isn’t always the case. I’ve seen items that are only a few dollars new compared to what they are priced at in thrift stores. I tend to look for high-quality brands I know will stand up to the wear and tear I tend to put them through. If you find a piece you love from a more affordable brand just make sure you double-check its original price before throwing it in your cart.
05 | When you’re searching, be sure to think outside the box.
I stick by the idea of having a running list of thrifting “dream items”, but sometimes when you are thrifting a little creativity is in order. Want white sneakers? Take a walk through the men's section. Need a slip dress for a dinner date night? Don’t forget to check the pajama area! There are so many different clothes coming in and out of thrift shops it’s not uncommon for certain items to get labeled improperly and stuck in the wrong spot. I’ve found many great items in a section it didn’t “belong” in.
06 | Be aware of sale days at your local stores for even better deals.
A lot of thrift stores have “half off” days once a week. On top of that, certain tag items may be reduced in price simply to try to move them quicker off the racks. Most thrift stores I know of have teacher, military, and senior discounts. These are all things to keep in mind to make an amazing thrift find an even better deal.
In short…
I hope you found some of this helpful and it hopefully inspires you to try looking for some of your dream items secondhand. Happy thrifting!
