Thrifting Tips for the Inexperienced Thrifter

Here are some of our favourite thrifting tips that are sure to help out anyone inexperienced in the art of thrifting!

Look in Sizes That You Wouldn’t Normally

When shopping for clothes, we tend to gravitate towards the sizes that we would normally fit at a new clothing store. However, unlike a new clothing store, thrift stores carry clothes from many different brands. A medium in one brand might fit you, but a medium in another brand might be too small. Bear in mind that these clothes are not brand new and thus may have stretched or shrunk in the wash (as regular clothes do). There’s often a greater variety of clothes in larger sizes, so try shopping a couple of sizes higher than you usually would and keep an open mind! You might find some super cute items!

Check Back Often

Frequently, people will go to a thrift store and search for a couple of minutes and leave disappointed. Don’t get discouraged! Thrift stores are always getting new donations, so be sure to check back at your local thrift stores often to see if they’ve brought out any new items. It’s also good to remember that thrift stores carry a huge variety of clothes in many different styles, so it will take you a bit of time to be able to find something you like. Try spending a little more time looking for clothes than you would in a new clothing store!

Shop to Alter

Some of the best clothes at a thrift store might take a bit of work. If you’re crafty, try looking for clothes with fabric that you can repurpose and don’t shy away from clothes that might need a bit of work! A dress might work better as a skirt or a top, or you might find that a long skirt can be repurposed into a cute dress or shirt. Play around a bit with sizes and alter the clothes to fit you better when you get home. Or, if you can’t sew, try picking up a jean jacket and painting a design on the back! Buy some clothes in complementary colours and cut them into strips to use as yarn (this trick also works with denim)! The possibilities are endless. Get creative and use your crafting skills to not only make old clothes into new ones but also to decorate your home!

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Check Kitchenware and Appliances

When you think of thrifting, you might just think of clothing, but thrift stores carry much more than that! If you’re setting up a new apartment or need some new appliances, check out your local thrift store. You can find some great might be surprised at what you can find in the appliance section. Often, you can find appliances that would usually be very expensive like food processors, high-powered blenders, electric mixers, air-fryers, and slow cookers for super cheap! You can also often find household appliances like sewing machines and space heaters as well. Most thrift stores test their appliances and allow you to return things as well. Make sure to check out the kitchenware section as well. Thrift stores sometimes carry knife sets, sets of silverware, drinking glasses, empty jars, and much more all in good condition. Before going to a kitchen store and spending hundreds of dollars on two items, try hitting up your local thrift stores and checking to see what they have first!

Take a Look at the Home Goods

Sometimes there are irresistible finds just waiting in the home goods section! This section can carry barely used scented candles, decorative vases, tea sets, clocks, and so much more. The best time to search this section is after the holidays once people have had time to drop off all the gifts they received and didn’t want or need. You know what they say, one person’s trash is another’s treasure!