There are so many reasons to be a huge fan of thrifting! It’s a more sustainable shopping option. Thrifted clothes by and large are cheaper than brand new clothes. For every item you pick, there is usually nothing else like it in the store. A real treasure!
Even with all of those benefits, the actual shopping experience can be a little overwhelming without some guidelines. Learn how to simplify your thrifting experience. Follow these do’s and don’ts of thrifting the next time you shop second hand.
1. Do Give Yourself Time To Look Around
Give yourself at least an hour to browse through the racks when you’re thrifting. Even when you narrow down all of the items that are your style and that you need, you’ll find that there are still so many treasures to peruse!
Being rushed can lead to bad purchases or missing out on something awesome because you didn’t have the time to deliberate. Simply set aside an hour or so to shop and have fun.
2. Do Put Anything That Catches Your Eye Into Your Cart
Laying physical claim to something that catches your eye, even if you don’t ultimately buy it, is the way to thrift. You may see something cute that you don’t want now, but then realize you want later.
Whether it’s 30 seconds or 30 minutes later, the item you’re looking for may have been picked up, bought, or placed elsewhere by a different patron. Do you see something smart? Just put it in your cart!
3. Do Bring Your Own Bag
This is one of the most fundamental do’s. If you’re a thrifter, you likely own reusable bags. They aren’t just for grocery shopping! Bring one or two reusable bags with you when you go thrifting and skip the plastic bags at check out.
4. Do Try On Items You’re Unsure About
When you’re on the fence about an item that you haven’t tried on yet, try it on! Seeing how it looks on you and how it feels to wear it (sitting, standing, walking, jumping, reaching) will help you decide if it goes in your “go home cart” or on the “go back rack.” Second hand stores tend to have strict return policies. It’s best to avoid returning altogether by just making a decision after trying an item on in-store.
5. Do Check Out The Go Back Racks
The go back rack is a great place to shop because it’s curated shopping. If someone else was willing to try it on, then it’s probably pretty cute and worth a look!
Perhaps the other shopper put the item back because it didn’t fit them, or because buying this item would put them over budget. Whatever the reason, the go back rack items are yours for the taking! We find our best pieces when we check out the go back rack.
6. Don’t Comb Through The Racks
This took us years to figure out, but it’s best to not actually go through each item on the rack. There are so many things to shop, your arm will get tired (and maybe even sore)!
Instead, slowly walk down each aisle, looking for textures, colors, and patterns that fit your style. When you see something that looks interesting, that’s when to pick something off the rack. Save time and energy with this shopping technique.
7. Don’t Immediately Give Up On A Store
Sometimes you will leave a thrift store empty-handed. This is okay! It’s certainly not a good reason to write off that thrift store in particular. We recommend going to a thrift store three to four times. If they have little to nothing for you after each try, that’s when it’s okay to pass on that store in future.
8. Don’t Buy Until Thoroughly Inspected
Thoroughly inspect each item before you buy it. Realizing that there are holes, stains, smells, snags, or missing buttons after you buy something is disappointing. When you shop, make sure to truly look each item over: top to bottom and side to side.
The best time to do this is before you get in line to check out. Choose an out of the way spot to assess each piece. Unless you are truly the type of person who finds joy in mending things, the best thing to do is put the item back when you find something wrong.
9. Don’t Buy Something Just Because The Price Is Good
Whether you are used to shopping at the mall or shopping at the thrift store, thrift store prices can be intoxicating! Just because an item is fifty cents or a dollar doesn’t mean you have to have it. Ask yourself, “Would I buy this if it cost more?” If the answer is no, then put it back. Making purchases primarily based on cheap prices will leave you with a closet full of things you don’t wear. A quality item that fits your body and your style is always the best buy.
10. Don’t Buy Something Just Because Of The Brand
A name brand item at a thrift store can be super tempting, but again, you need to ask yourself if the item is something you really want. “Would I buy this if I did not know the brand?” That’s a helpful question to ask yourself. We’re lead to believe that brand name clothes and accessories are superior in every way to other clothing, but this just isn’t the case. Buy quality items that you love regardless of the brand.
*Bonus Tip: Don’t Shop Quantity, Shop Quality
Shop items that are high quality. This clothing should fit your body and your style. They should also last you a long time. These items should honestly be something you love! On sale days, it can be tempting to buy literally whatever, but the only thing you should buy at sale price is something you genuinely want.
What guidelines do you follow when thrifting?
