Thrifting 101: Beginner's Guide to Thrifting

When I first started thrifting it took me a while to fully appreciate the art of it. As someone who isn’t a full blown germaphobe but close to it, places like thrift stores can be a little cringey. So that makes rule #1: bring hand sanitizer. :) My goal here is to educate you about thrifting. Why you should try it if you haven’t and give you some tips for making the best use of your time. First, let’s talk about the why…

Why thrift?

Personally, I thrift because a) it’s fun, b) to save money, c) to be less wasteful and last but certainly not least d) you never know what you will find. It is truly a treasure hunt each time you thrift. When you walk into a major retailer, you generally have an idea of what you’ll see. At a thrift store, you just never know.

Yes there will be ugly rooster decor and lots of self help books but when you look past all of that, you can find some really great things if you’re willing to really look. From shop to shop it’s different as well. There is so much variety everyone is bound to find something.

Donating

Did you know that something like 25 billion pounds of clothes are thrown away in the United States alone each year? Only about 15% gets donated to thrift stores or charities. Why throw something away when you can pass things down or donate? There are so many wonderful things that happen when you donate to a charity and when you buy from one.

When you donate, you are: helping others (those who benefit from the charity proceeds and those buying from the charity), reducing waste from what would have been thrown away and lastly, creating good thrifting karma. :) I love thinking about who will end up buying what I donate and how excited they might be to score certain items. Whether you’ve just outgrown something physically or emotionally, you know someone else will find great value in what you once found great value in.

Wasteful Fashion

This is a huge reason why I’ve tried to thrift more and buy less new whenever possible. If you haven’t read up on the waste produced by the fashion industry, please do so. It is INSANE how wasteful companies are and the practices they have in place. Did you know that Burberry BURNED over $60 million worth of clothes, accessories and perfume over a five year period? More on that here. They aren’t the only company who destroys inventory rather than selling it at a reduced cost in order to retain brand exclusivity and value.

Companies like Louis Vuitton and Chanel have done the same. Meanwhile, companies like Zara make smaller batches of clothing at the beginning of the season and gauge customer interest before producing more. Buying something that already exists versus buying something new is better for the environment and creates a recycling mentality.

The Stigma

So many people are hesitant to thrift. Some are purely afraid of what other people think. To this I say, who cares what other people think! A lot of people who would never thrift in person would buy from places like Poshmark. Either way, you are buying second hand.

There is also a huge misconception that everything in thrift stores is out dated and out of fashion. This is simply untrue. If you have a good eye, know what you like and have an open mind, you will score some awesome finds. Give it a chance and you'll be shocked what you can find! And don’t be so surprised when you show up for an event in a thrifted outfit and look way more put together than everyone else.

The way I see it, once you take something home and clean it, it’s yours. Wash thrifted clothes with steam if you’ve got the capabilities and then tumble dry low. You can even add a little vinegar with your detergent to help with strong perfumes or fabric softener smells.

Top Tips for a Successful Thrift:

Have an idea of what you’re looking for.

It can be easy to feel overwhelmed by the number of racks, especially if you’re just starting out thrifting. Having a list of what you’d like to find can be helpful. Go through and see what your home or closet is missing and write it down. It’s a fun challenge to see what you can find thrifting first before buying something new.

Be open to sizing.

Don’t get me wrong, please don’t search through ALL the sizes! :) But be open to a size larger and smaller. We all know brands run so differently and a lot of clothing you will find has been washed and possibly dried so this can all factor into sizing. For kids clothing especially, I always search through the size larger. And keep an eye out for brands that you know fit you well.

Thoroughly inspect before you buy.

Before things are put out on the floor to sell, they are inspected for stains, rips, etc. But always check seams for holes, buttons that might be missing and functionality of zippers, etc.

Avoid shops that organize clothing solely by color and not size.

This drives me crazy. Yes, as someone who almost always wears black you would think this would be a great option but really, finding something you love and then realizing its nowhere near your size is beyond frustrating. Clothing organized by color within size is wonderful but solely by color, forgettaboutit.

Go when you have plenty of time to peruse.

If you go thrifting when you’re in a rush, you will be frustrated and probably not find much or leave with something that you’ll end up not being crazy about. Don’t be afraid to take multiple trips around the store. Take your time, enjoy going through the racks and be open minded. I always check clothing first and then the furniture, books, home decor, etc. along the outer edges last.

Give different stores in your area a try.

Once you’ve visited multiple thrift stores, you will definitely develop favorites. You may also come to find that there are some you just don’t like and never find anything worthwhile. This is totally normal. I have certain favorites for clothing, others for books, it all just depends on what you like to thrift.

I love our old college town so much that I make a special effort to donate and shop there to support the local community. That same store is also where I find the best kids clothes and really good ones at that. Again, the thrifting karma.

Don’t buy something just because.

Patience is key. I’ve been there. Wanting so badly to find something that just isn’t there. You will find great things, other times you’ll find nothing. It’s hard to not feel discouraged especially if you’re following a really good thrifting run and are feeling very confident. But sadly, sometimes it’s just not meant to be and that’s okay.

Thrifting Online

If you just don’t enjoy thrift stores or prefer to shop online, there are great options like ThredUp and Poshmark. ThredUp is an awesome service that allows you to send in clothes and they will pay you for items they want to resell and you can choose to donate what’s leftover or have them sent back to you.

Poshmark is an online marketplace where you list things from your closet, set your own price, take your own pictures, etc. When something sells, Poshmark emails you a shipping label and you are responsible for getting it in the mail.

I hope these tips become useful in your thrifting journeys! What is the best thing you’ve ever found or what is your holy grail item you’d love to find?

Best,