As someone who has personally put in way too many hours thrifting, here are some thrift shopping tips I wish I had known from the beginning. These tips will help you learn how to thrift shop like a pro.
Pro Thrift Shopping Tips:
1. Research the best thrift shops in your area
Do a quick yelp search or google search to determine the best thrift stores in your area. These are what I consider to be the best thrift stores in Las Vegas.
2. Make a list
Going in with a list really helps narrow your search and avoid overspending. For example, if you are going in looking for a leather jacket, you automatically know you should go to the straight to the jackets section.
3. Don’t limit yourself
It’s good to go in with a list, but the fun of thrifting really comes from finding unexpected treasures! So keep an open mind and look for items that match your style.
4. Shop on Sale Days
Most thrift stores offer different discounts depending on the day. Call your local store to find out what their sale days are. Keep in mind a lot of thrift stores offer major discounts on holidays.
5. Bring a friend
Bring someone with you who knows your style. Having a second-eye is helpful when tackling the hundreds of items on the racks. Who knows, your buddy may find something for you that you missed.
6. Eat beforehand
There’s nothing worse than thrifting on an empty stomach. Have a quick meal or snack before your shopping trip. Or pack a small snack in your bag, just in case you get hungry.
7. Wear comfortable clothes
Go thrifting in an outfit you can easily get in and out of. Or better yet, wear an outfit that you can wear underneath any clothes you try on. My go-to thrifting outfit is usually a t-shirt, leggings, flats, and a crossbody bag.
8. Scan through the racks
Do not actually dig through all of the racks, you will get burned out. Instead, slowly walk down each aisle and keep your eye out for colors, patterns, or textures that catch your eye.
9. Conquer one section at a time
To make thrifting less overwhelming, break the store up into sections. Only focus on one type of clothing at a time. Personally, I like to look at skirts first, then dresses, then tops. I really dislike going through jeans, so I usually avoid that section altogether.
10. Look at the racks near the fitting rooms
These “go-back” racks are the best, because they tend to be nicely curated. All of the clothes customers thought were cute enough to try-on but maybe didn’t fit right or weren’t their style, get put onto these racks to go-back onto the floor. Please don’t forget to check these racks!
11. If something catches your eye, put it in your cart
There have been so many times where I didn’t put an item I liked into my cart, and when I went back to get it, it was gone. Save yourself the trouble and put it in your cart from the get-go. You can always narrow down the items you want to buy right before checkout.
12. Check everything thoroughly before buying
Make sure your items are in good condition before purchasing. Check clothing items for holes, stains, or snags. A lot of thrift stores have a final sale policy, and you don’t want to be stuck with anything raggedy.
Do you have any helpful thrifting tips?
Great tips! I love that you mention snacking! ??
One that I have found handy for searching those racks is to step back and look for traits you love. I have a long torso and when lowrise jeans were in, I would step back from the rack and look only for the longest shirts that hung down below the rest. That way I saved time instead of pulling out half shrunk moni tops over and over.
Another tip I find especially useful is to search with your hands. Especially for refashioning, if you want to find the highest quality fabrics that are soft and durable, walk with your hand out running over the clothes, stop when you feel something high quality. I found a beautiful men’s merino sweater that looked hohum but felt like mithrel.
Thanks for sharing your tips! I love your tip about searching with your hands. That is something I need to start doing. Also, stepping back and looking at the racks is super helpful too. I do that a lot when I’m looking for longer jumpsuits.
Thank you for sharing this post its really helpful.
Yay, I’m glad!