Thrifting is trending all over social media right now. Everyone’s sharing their thrift hauls, sharing reasons for buying second-hand, and showing how it fits into their perfect Saturday routine. It might be one of the most positive things the internet’s been obsessed with!
Thrifting, or shopping at second-hand stores, has many benefits. The prices at thrift stores are much cheaper than when buying something brand-new, and, in most cases, something doesn’t have to be new in order to work perfectly! Thrift stores also have more unique pieces than you’ll find for sale in other places, so you can get clothing, furniture, and other things that very few (if any at all) other people have. Of course, there’s some moral reasons to thrift as well. Many thrift stores support a charity, so you know your money is going to a good cause and not a billionaire. Thrifting also helps to save the environment by keeping items out of landfills and finding a second life for items that would otherwise be thrown away.
Now, if you’ve been convinced to go thrifting, here’s some of my favorite tips as someone who’s thrifted her whole life and also volunteered at a thrift store!
Tip #1
Find a locally owned thrift store! These will typically have lower prices than chains such as Goodwill ($5 for a singular second-hand t-shirt is NOT a thrift store price). They’re also more likely to be volunteer-run to support a local cause.
Tip #2
Wear layers or tight-fitting clothes! Some thrift stores don’t have a changing room or bathroom to try clothes on in. If you wear clothes that you can try items on on top of, then you can get a good idea of whether or not something will fit.
Tip #3
Know the store’s return policy! Some thrift stores allow items to be returned and refunded with tags and a receipt within a certain amount of days from purchase, but others don’t. Some might only do exchanges for store credit or have an all-sales-are-final policy.
Tip #4
Look through everything! Some thrift stores don’t sort their clothes by size or by style, so look in every section you can to make sure you don’t miss anything. Additionally, sometimes people put items back in the wrong section and it gets overlooked by the employees or volunteers. Many smaller thrift stores are not the most organized in general, and you never know when you might find a hidden treasure!
Tip #5
Know the difference between thrift, vintage, and antique stores! Vintage and antique stores are typically very curated with older items. These stores are more expensive and tend to have more collectible items than ones that you can use in your daily life. Thrift stores, on the other hand, will have cheaper items with more practical uses. I’m more of a thrifter, but I still enjoy going to vintage and antique stores just to look around!
Tip #6
Go thrifting with the right people! I love thrifting, but I hate it when I’m with people who rush me. You can help make this less likely by deciding on a specific amount of time you’ll be thrifting together for; this will give everyone an idea of what to expect. If you like to set your own pace and not be tied to anyone else’s schedule, going alone could be a good option.
Tip #7
Have an idea of what you’re looking for! This can be useful to save time while thrifting, especially if you’re on a tight schedule. It also helps you to be more careful with your money and less likely to come home with much more than you planned to.
Tip #8
Don’t underestimate rural thrift stores! While urban thrifts might have more trendy items for sale, they’re usually more expensive and crowded. Rural locations might be smaller, but you can still find unique items. For example, I found a Frank Iero t-shirt in my tiny hometown’s thrift shop, and it’s one of my favorite shirts now!
Tip #9
Haggle with prices if an item is damaged! Sometimes items in thrift stores might be scratched, torn, or stained. Thrift stores typically want to clear out unwanted inventory to make room for new items, so definitely talk to the cashier before you pay. It can be scary to ask a stranger for a favor, but a simple line is, “I noticed this item has X wrong with it, would it be possible for me to get a discount on it?” Most of the time, they’ll be glad to help you out!
Tip #10
Thrifting can take time! It’s taken me about four years to create a closet of mostly second-hand pieces that I truly love. Don’t expect to have the perfect vintage y2k thrift haul you’ve seen on TikTok; it’s completely normal to end a thrifting session with only a few new items, or even none at all. The amazing things you find on good days will more than make up for the less successful days.
Happy thrifting!