How to Thrift Like a Pro-Best Thrifting Tips For Beginners

Are you new to thrifting?  Do you wonder how people score amazing finds at a thrift store?  Take it from me, I have found thousands of dollars worth of amazing clothes for a fraction of the price.  

My thrifting journey started well over 10 years ago.  For a few years, I would take grandma to the thrift store on senior day and as I shopped for myself, I started to find high end brands that I knew someone else would love.  After a little research, I launched into a reselling journey that I am still running with today.  

Whether you are shopping for yourself, or looking to resell and generate some cash flow, this blog post is for you!  

In this blog post, How to Thrift Like a Pro-Best Thrifting Tips for Beginners, I will teach you how to keep an open mind, know where to look for great items, trendy pieces, quality brand names, and shop the sale day.  

I’m here to share my thrifting experience and eye for choosing a great piece for a great price.  

Not All Thrift Stores Are Equal

It’s true, not all thrift stores are equal!  In my area, I have two favorite thrift stores I hit up regularly.  One is well maintained, enjoyable to shop at, has well thought out displays, but is on the pricier side.  The other is nothing special, a little run down, but it has killer deals.  Both places recognize some popular brands, but end up missing a lot of hidden gems.  

Know when your local thrift store is having sale days and get there early.  This goes for consignment shops too.  I’m sure you’ve heard the expression, “the early bird gets the worm” well, that’s true on sale day at the thrift store. Especially if there are resellers present.  

Another great tip is to be kind to the sales associate.  If you frequent the same thrift store enough and strike up conversations with the sales associate, you may be able to bargain for a better deal down the road.  I have scored multiple high-quality items that have not even hit the sales floor yet, just by creating a positive relationship with the sales associates. 

If you shop at Goodwill stores, pay attention to when new racks get rolled out onto the sales floor.  I usually kindly ask the sales associate putting the items away if they mind that I take a look through the rack.  Most of the time they don’t, but there has been a few times when they say no.  That’s okay too!  It’s worth a try.   

Feel free to ask the sales associate when the best time or day is to stop in and check for new items.  For a while the thrift store near me restocked in the evenings before closing.  It was a great time to score the best stuff. By just knowing that information made the trip worthwhile. 

The Best Way To Spot A Good Brand Name 

So you may not feel like you’re up on the latest brands.  That’s okay! I discover new brands all the time just by knowing a few simple things to look for.  

1.  Always carry your phone.  Do a simple google search to see how much the item is worth.  

2.  Sizing.  European sizing usually means a higher end brand.  This is true for shoes and for clothing (especially jeans).  Click here to download a simple denim size conversion chart. This will help you figure out what size you are in European sizing.  

3.  Material.  Just by feeling the material of a specific piece can lead you to the conclusion that it is expensive.  Usually high end brands are not stiff or cheap feeling.  If you spot a high end shirt, find a cheaper shirt and compare materials just to get more familiar with spotting a high end piece.  

4.  Labels and Stitching.  Pay attention to the label and stitching to simply figure out if it is well made.  The fashion industry is made up of fast fashion.  There is a reason it is called “fast fashion.”  To put it simply, it will look cheap. A few things to look for is poor stitching, super trendy, inexpensive material, just to name a few.  For example, keep an eye out for the brand Shien. That’s a great place to start when avoiding fast fashion pieces. 

5.  On trend items.  For example, if looking for jeans, know what’s trending.  Currently, high waisted, wide leg jeans are on trend.  If you find a pair of on trend jeans in great shape that is also in a European size, do a quick brand search and find out if you just scored a $200 pair of pants!  You would be surprised at how many people just have too much and donate almost new clothes to the thrift store. 

6.  Unique and vintage items.  There is a very high end brand of shoes that I have found twice.  I was thrifting with a friend when I spotted a pair of velvet loafers with an embroidered symbol on the toe.  My friend recognized the brand and told me I had found a gem!  The brand is Stubbs and Wooton and can sell for a high price.  My husband picked a pair of men’s Stubbs and Wooton fly velvet loafers with embroidered fishing fly on them for $50 at a thrift store.  After a quick google search, I posted them on Poshmark and sold the pair for $250!  Talk about a  thrilling thrifting adventure.  Normally I do not spend that much on a resell item except when I know I can flip it for unbeatable prices. 

Step Out Of Your Comfort Zone

When shopping for yourself at the second-hand shops, a great way to find something new is to select brands you may have never tried before.  For example, I found a cute matching lounge set from the brand Garnet Hill.  Garnet Hill mostly sells more mature women’s wear.  

I would not usually purchase anything from their website, but took a chance on the lounge set. Now I wear it all the time! The fun thing about thrifting is discovering new styles and brands for a good deal.  

Home Decor 

Home goods and decor can be really fun to find at the thrift store. A favorite thrifted find of mine was a  beautiful rattan style mirror for $14.  I’ve also picked up multiple vintage pyrex bowls for a fraction of the retail price.  

There are so many affordable items to decorate your home with at the second hand store.  If you enjoy DIY projects, go check out the furniture section for one of a kind pieces.  I’ve also seen lovely woven baskets, pretty dishes, wall art, and vintage signs.   

Go On A Treasure Hunt

Remember, not every time you walk into a secondhand store means that you will find an amazing item.  Sometimes it may feel like a bit of a treasure hunt.  My advice is to find a good thrift store, get to know your way around, have a game plan on where you want to start and end, and have fun!  You never know what you will find.  

A Few Fun Thrift Finds

Included are the brands: Farm Rio, Sundance, Anthropologie, and Pyrex.

If you enjoyed this post and are interested in learning more about reselling thrifted items, check out my ebook Poshmark 101 Back to the Basics.  Learn all the ins and outs of reselling on the Poshmark app for just $5.99.  

Thrifting with little ones? It can be done! Read my Tips on How To Go Thrifting with Your Kids here.

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