Thrift store shopping is like a special skill that you craft over time. Eons different that antique shopping, learning how to score every time you thrift becomes its own art. Whether you are a seasoned thrifter or you’ve never graced the doors of your local Goodwill, there are always ways to improve your ‘technique’.
I am desperately yearning for some thrift store action right now. I am by no means a shopper in the classical sense, the department stores do not sway me. But boy would I swoon if my husband asked if I wanted to go thrift or antique shopping! As a lover of old and secondhand things, I’ve picked up a few tricks on how to score at the thrift store without having to sort through every single item on EVERY single rack.
I used to spend hours in the thrift store (and I still totally could) sliding every hanger across the rack to look at every piece of clothing and then sorting through ALL the trinkets and not find anything. What I learned is that you have to know what you’re looking for, otherwise you’ll come out empty-handed. Here are my tips on how to score every single time you go to the thrift store.
If you want to score while thrifting, it is so important to know your fibers. What you find in the thrift store has already been loved by someone else, so if you are going to take it home, you want it to have the best chance possible to last.
Now I could completely tangent on why you should throw anything polyester out of your closet (I mean, are we seriously still wearing plastic?), but it’s more important to note that natural fibers will last significantly longer than synthetic fibers. Not only that, but cotton and linen are amazing at keeping your body cool in the summer and wool is soooo warm in winter.
How do you do this? Start familiarizing yourself with that these fibers feel and look like. I don’t pick up every piece of clothing anymore, I just carefully scan with my eyes and fingers until I see something that looks like a quality natural fiber and then I pick it up. You will find pieces that are more sustainable, last longer, are higher quality, and feel better on your skin this way.
Most thrift store at least relatively have their clothing sorted by color. If I know I’m looking for a blue shirt that has ¾ length sleeves, I will go to that color shirt (scan for natural fibers!), and pull any and all shirts that meet the criteria and I even half-way like. I don’t spend any time looking it over, I just pull several of the same kind of shirt until I have plenty to sort through.
Once I have a collection, then I go through with the fine tooth comb. Does it have stains? Are there any holes? Is there a seam ripped that I will never actually get around the fixing? The moment I see an issue with an item I put it in the “no” pile. Usually this technique alone narrows down the pile significantly. If I pull 10 shirts it brings it down to about 2-4 shirts.
At this point I will try on whatever is left. Though I pull things that I sometimes only halfway like, I will still try it on because often it looks completely different on a body than on the hanger. Give each remaining piece a fair chance and you may be surprised by what you like best.
If none of them fit you well (I even will pull from just above and below my size because often it still works well; if you are a medium, don’t be afraid to pull from small and large) or you don’t like the way they look, then you’ve lost nothing but a little time. Fortunately, I find that this technique almost always guarantees a great score.
Keep this little rhyme in your head whenever you go thrift store shopping. Regardless of the still current trend of basket walls, baskets are a homemaker’s best friend and thrift stores have the goods.
I have found baskets of all sizes at the thrift store, from wicker laundry baskets to prairie-style gathering baskets to adorable woven lace baskets to hold my eggs on the countertop. A good basket can serve as décor and be completely functional. No matter what you need, ALWAYS take a look at the baskets.
Finding copper or bronze at the thrift store just tickles me pink! These are two very sought-after textiles that you should always be on the lookout for, especially copper cookware.
You will find copper in many antique stores, and it’s usually high-priced and slim-pickin’s. If you can snag a copper pot or pan at the thrift store in good condition, that is its own gold mine!
Bronze usually comes more in the trinket department as figurines or fixtures, and those are a great find too. These two textiles are probably my favorite way to bring some new life into my décor and create that old world feel that I love so much!
I’ve gone in thrift stores where it looks like the cookware section is just totally trashed, but I dig through it anyway. Why? Because there is usually an amazing piece to be found.
I’m not the kind of person who is concerned with all the cookware pieces in the kitchen matching, in fact, I think there is a certain charm to mismatched items. I have found great stainless steel pans as well as some trusty cast iron skillets. You will even find really nice knives that only need a sharpening to be put to good use.
If you plan to sort through the cookware mess, make sure you avoid Teflon or nonstick pans. The PFOAs that coat them are toxic and damaging to your body- no one wants to cook and eat on that!
Possibly the most important tip for thrift store shopping, make a list! If you go in unprepared and with no direction, you will inevitably end up with another black shirt to add to your collection from other aimless thrifting sessions.
Do a walk-through at your home (especially your closet) and note the things you actually need. You are much more likely to find a great score if you know what you are looking for. Finding extra goodies along the way is just a bonus!
Make your list at home, check it when you first walk in the store to refresh your memory, and check it again before you checkout to see if you missed anything. Creating a shopping list is like setting a goal- you can see where you achieve, where you get close, and where you need to try again.
One of my most consistent thrift store finds is frames and mirrors. You can search Marketplace high and low for vintage frames and they will basically ask for your liver in exchange, but thrift stores are the place to go.
Recently I bought a handful of vintage frames and printed out my own pictures and digital prints to use in them. They look so great collaged on the wall and add that lovely vintage feel. When looking at thrift store, ignore the actual art and pay attention to the frame. The painting may be horrendous, but you can find amazing frames that would cost you an arm and a leg elsewhere and just put your own art in them!
If you want to print out some digital prints at your local copy store, check out the national gallery of historical art to get free prints!
If you don’t have a plan, trying to score great finds at the thrift store can be challenging. I don’t like walking away empty-handed and I know you don’t either, so try out these tips to make sure you leave with great finds every time you go thrift shopping!