Whether you thrift as a way to save money or in an effort to be more environmentally conscious, there are a few rules of thumb to follow when you step into a Goodwill.
The chaos of a Goodwill can be a little much to handle if you aren’t a frequent thrifter. It is important to have a thought out thrifting plan in order to to have a successful shopping experience at Goodwill. Following these five simple tips can help you become a thrift shopping queen.
1. Make a List
Even if you aren’t on the hunt for one specific item, it is still helpful to think about what you could be looking for when you’re browsing the racks. Since thrift stores have a little bit, or a lot, of everything it can make your shopping trip run much smoother if you list the items you would consider buying. Deciding on specific brands, colors or clothing items before you even step into Goodwill can give you a goal to achieve so don’t waste time sorting through clothes just to leave empty handed. 2. Be prepared It can take hours upon hours to sort through just one thrift store, so making sure that you dress comfortably is important. Wear shoes that you can walk around in for a long time and clothes that would be easy to take on and off so that you can easily try on items before purchasing. Thrifting becomes a lot less fun when all you can think about is how uncomfortable you are and you aren’t able to focus on finding those hidden Goodwill gems. Goodwill doesn’t always provide bags when you make a purchase so don’t forget to bring your own reusable bags from home, or be prepared to spend the extra money on purchasing one from Goodwill.
3. Shop at the Goodwill outlet stores
Referred to as “the bins”, Goodwill outlet stores are an even cheaper place to expand your wardrobe. A Goodwill outlet will price by the pound as opposed to individually pricing their items so you will end up spending even less money than you would at a regular Goodwill. The only downside to an outlet is that the clothes aren’t sorted, everything is thrown into bins for you to dig through. Shopping at the bins can be especially time consuming but some get lucky and find better clothes here than at any other thrift store.
4. Look through every section
Don’t limit yourself to the women’s section of Goodwill. When you go thrifting you should sift through every section, especially with the fashion styles that are currently trending. The comfy oversized look is in, so searching for oversized flannels, shirts and pants in the men’s section can improve your wardrobe. This is a good tip especially for people who are creative and want to make their own crop tops, boyfriend jeans and cutoff shorts.
5. Know when to go
When it comes to thrifting it is better to plan out your trips instead of just showing up like you would at a retail store. Shopping at Goodwill after each season and every new year especially will increase your chances of finding good clothes since this is a popular time for people to get rid of their clothes by donating to thrift stores. As a college student you can also save more money if you plan your trip for a Wednesday, when Goodwill has their 15 percent student discount day.