Thrifting Guide

I'm chronicling my thrift store haul on Snapchat!

Thrift stores are treasure troves. You never know what you will find when you start going through those racks.

However it may be overwhelming if you've never shopped at a second-hand store before. Here are a few tips for finding amazing clothing.






1. Go In With an Open Mind. - At a traditional store you can go in looking for a specific item and find it very quickly. But a thrift store depends on donations to stock its shelves so you never know what you are to going find there.

I start my trip with a general idea of what I want, but I keep an open mind just in case I can't find what I want or discover some completely unexpected that I love.

2. Dive In. - Most second hand shops are filled with racks upon racks of clothing, shoes, accessories, furniture, books and so much more. There is minimal organization and no displays.

So how do you find the goods? Just dive in.

Pick a starting point and go through looking at each item. You will be turned off by what you see at first. But stick with it and you will start to find some hidden gems.


3. Do Not Buy Any Clothing with Spots or Stains - You will see stains when you are shopping a thrift store. No matter how much you like a piece of clothing, do not buy it if it has a stain.

Rips at the seams, missing buttons, too tight or too loose clothing can be repaired by a skilled tailor. But a stain will never come out. (That's why it was donated in the first.)

The only exception: You are a skilled tailor and can transform the garment.

                                           

4.  Try Before You Buy - You found some clothes you really like and are ready to check out. Head over to the dressing room before you jump in line because the sizes are not uniform. A size 8 at one store may be a size 4 at another. An extra large may actually fit like medium.  (This has happened to me before.)

So always try on those clothes before you purchase because most thrift stores do not offer money back back guarantees.



If you try out these tips, let me know if they were helpful or not. Also post a picture of your thrift store finds on Instagram and tag me so I can see.


                              Also follow me on Snapchat so you can see my second hand hauls.