The Ultimate Beginner’s Guide to Successful Thrift Shopping
Have you watched TikTok videos or Instagram reels of people breezing through thrift stores, picking up amazing items for only a few bucks?
The idea of finding inexpensive, one-of-a-kind items while being ethical and sustainable is appealing to many. But if you’re not used to shopping at thrift stores, you may not know where to start!
At New Horizons Thrift Stores, we love helping people find that unique piece they won’t find anywhere else, at an affordable price, all while supporting local charities and keeping items out of the landfill.
If you’re new to thrifting, never fear. We’ve written this blog post just for you!
Keep reading to discover how to make the most out of your new hobby.
The Appeal and Benefits of Thrifting
Purchasing new items is always fun, but there are multiple downsides to traditional shopping. Not only is consumerism destroying the planet, but many of the things we buy every day are made by slave labor, and most of those items will eventually end up in a landfill.
But meanwhile, you still need to buy things. Your children need clothes. When your spatula breaks, you need to replace it. And wouldn’t it be nice to have a guilt-free place to stock up on cute home decor items?
Purchasing from the secondhand market is the most ethical and sustainable way to attain items you need, experiment with new styles, and try out new-to-you items you’re unsure if you’d actually use.
Not only are thrift stores typically inexpensive, but they often support a local charity, so you can feel satisfied knowing that your money is going to a good cause. For example, here at New Horizons Thrift stores, our earnings go to caring for children of incarcerated mothers.
Preparing for Your Thrift Store Visit
So you want to go thrifting. Where do you even start?
Let’s go through everything you should do to prepare for your first thrift shopping day.
Step 1: Research Local Thrift Stores
If you have family or friends who love to thrift, start by asking for their recommendations. You can also do a simple search on Google Maps and read the reviews.
Some people swear there’s a trick to finding the best thrift stores, such as going to the wealthier section of town. But ultimately, everyone finds their favorite thrift stores through trial and error.
Pick a handful of promising thrift stores in the same area, and spend a Saturday checking them out! Some of them may be be duds, but the more thrift stores you go to, the more you’ll find your favorites—places that consistently have decent stock and great prices.
Step 2: Make a list
Thrift stores can be overwhelming, and you might not have time to look at every single item in the store. That’s why it’s great to go in with a list, so you have an idea of where to spend your time.
If you go in with a general idea that you want wicker baskets, pretty skirts, and nice dinnerware, you’ll likely find at least a few items you like. But if you’re searching for something extremely specific, such as the perfect red skirt to take on your trip next week, you’ll probably be disappointed.
Step 3: Set a budget
If you’re the type of person who has a tendency to buy things you don’t need just because they’re cheap, set a budget for yourself to keep yourself on track and prevent overspending.
Step 4: Stay clean
If you’ve never been thrifting before, you may feel squeamish about the idea of buying things that other people have touched and worn.
That’s okay! Here are tips to help you to feel clean and comfortable.
- Bring a bottle of hand sanitizer in your purse
- Wear leggings and a tank top so you can try on clothes without putting them directly against your skin
- Wash items as soon as you get home
Step 5: Bring snacks
Finally, stick a few snacks in your purse because the treasure hunt of thrifting can be addicting, and it’s best to have a quick and easy way to get your blood sugar up if you lose track of time!
Thrifting Tips and Tricks
If you fall in love with thrifting and want to make it a consistent part of your life, here are a few tips and tricks for consistently scoring the best deals!
Trick #1: Go often
Really, the big secret to thrift store success is to go often. Find a secondhand shop that’s on your daily route and stop in once a week or once a month. This will also get you in the habit of leaving a thrift store without buying anything, which can feel weird when you start out, but is crucial to thrifting well!
Trick #2: Take advantage of sales and promotions
Most thrift stores have sale options, such as:
- Specific color tags that are discounted
- Discount coupons if you donate
- Senior discounts
- Rewards programs
Utilizing these sales and promotions can save you so much money in the long run!
Trick #3: Get in the habit of donating
Donating your own unused items will help you feel invested in thrifting and keep you from accumulating too much stuff. Some thrift stores also offer discount coupons if you donate.
Trick #4: Shop out of season
The really nice items often get snatched up at thrift stores long before they qualify for discounts. One way to get around this is to shop out of season. If you browse the sweaters in June or the swimsuits in December, you might find something really nice that everyone else passed up because they didn’t need it right now.
For more thrifting tips and tricks, read our blog post on How to Score Great Deals at Thrift Stores Without Losing Your Mind!
Common Thrift Store Finds and How to Use Them:
Some items, like high-quality well-fitting shoes, real-wood bookshelves, and anything with a trendy brand, can be extremely difficult to find at thrift stores. You may have to thrift consistently for years before scoring the deal.
On the other hand, there are some items that you can almost always find!
Here are some common thrift store finds and how to use them.
Vinyl Records:
Vinyl records are making such a comeback that many people today have record players. Although thrift stores rarely have trendy vinyls like Taylor Swift or The Beatles, you can always find something fun and inexpensive, like Christmas music or nostalgic musicals.
Books:
If you’re looking for aesthetic old books or paperback classics you’ve always wanted to read, thrift stores are full of them.
Unique clothing items and accessories:
It can be difficult to find well-fitting staple clothing items at thrift stores, but you can always find something one-of-a-kind and fun.
Sheets:
Thrift stores always have sheets, although they’re probably not in matched sets. Experiment with mixing-and-matching, or with using them as inexpensive fabric for your sewing project or drop cloths for light painting jobs (although be aware that large paint spills will bleed through the fabric).
Dinnerware:
Dinnerware is another thing you can always find at thrift stores. If you need mugs, pretty tea cups, or serving bowls, thrift stores will have plenty of inexpensive options. Just remember to search the shelves thoroughly, because sometimes thrift stores don’t put all the pieces to a set in the same place.
Appliances:
If you need a crock pot, a rice cooker, or a plug-in griddle, look at your thrift store. You can almost always find appliances like these.
Vases and Baskets:
Some home decor items, such as wicker baskets and glass vases, are extremely prevalent at thrift stores.
Nice lamps:
If you want to add character and charm to your home with a beautiful vintage lamp, check your local thrift store. Thrift stores almost always have inexpensive lamps for sale, and gorgeous vintage lamps are surprisingly common.
Pretty chairs:
Furniture can be very hit-or-miss at thrift stores, especially smaller stores that don’t have space to store a lot of furniture. It can feel almost impossible to find a nice couch or real-wood bookshelves. But cute, cozy chairs are the one furniture item that you can find at thrift stores fairly consistently.
Toys and games:
Finally, you can always find toys and games at thrift stores for a fraction of the price that you can get them new. Just be aware that some pieces may be missing, so if you can, check for that before buying.
How New Horizons Thrift Stores Can Help
If you live in central Colorado and are looking for a great thrift store, be sure to check out New Horizons Thrift Stores! We have locations in:
Our thrift stores are always clean and well-organized, with great discounts and many items to choose from, including clothes, furniture, shoes, books, kitchenware, decor items, toys, and so much more!
And even better, you can be sure that the money from your purpose will help the children of incarcerated women, as well as other local charities.
Stop by and see us, or call us at 719-276-2676 with any questions. We look forward to seeing you in our thrift stores!