Remember when going to the thrift store was a bad thing? I remember those days, until I hit college and a friend of mine told me all of the great clothes she found at our local thrift! All of the sudden I realized I could look fairly decent AND save the little money I had haha. Once we moved into our home I really started to get into thrifting as my old job had a Goodwill right next to it.
I’ve had so many great finds, and definitely some terrible ones. Following professional thrifters like Amanda Rydell, I’m constantly wishing I could find a crushed velvet couch or the perfect set of vintage quilts. However, in spite of how much I love thrifting and the thrill of finding a great deal, over the years I’ve learned a few things that I hope will help you on your next hunt!
1. Browse around.
Jumping on the first thing you see sometimes isn’t always the best. When I thrift I browse the entire store and place items in my cart, though I may not keep them. It’s always better to see what’s around before settling on just one thing. I’ve found the same, a similar, or even a better find by simply looking around!
2. Go frequently!
This is tricky, because you don’t always have time to thrift. But I have found that going at least twice a week to your local thrift stores and shops make a difference in finding great deals! Since the best and worst part about thrift shops is they aren’t like Target or other stores with consistent and abundant merchandise. So items come are constantly scarce and on heavy rotation. Going on a regular basis helps to offset missing something new.
3. Do NOT overlook Quality!
I’ve made this mistake too many times when thrifting and it’s not worth it! Inspect your items, especially if it’s a furniture piece. Knowing that you’re not purchasing something brand new does not mean you have to sacrifice its quality. Some of our best furniture pieces are vintage thrifts, but I’ve learned to make sure there isn’t any significant damage I cannot repair. I remember purchasing chairs that would need new cane webbing. I ended up tossing them, because the repair cost 3 times more than what I paid for the chairs. So in short – the best deals are the ones that are worth the purchase!
