Returning to college for the new semester with a revamped wardrobe is one way to help start off the semester looking and feeling good.

However, the expense of doing so isn’t always feasible on a college student’s budget, even with summer job’s salary. Thrifting is one way to obtain this new and improved closet without the expense of shopping in retail stores. Not only is it more affordable, it also environmentally-friendly, often supports your local community or charity, offers a lot more variety than mainstream retail stores, if that’s what you’re looking for, and is a way to shop without supporting the fast-fashion industry. Thrifted clothes have been stereotyped as dirty, dated, and off-trend, which can be true of some individual pieces in thrift stores, but the reality is a much more diverse range of options.

With the right approach, thrifting is an awesome and attainable option for taking care of your back-to-college shopping.

1. Go often.

As opposed to one big spending spree at the end of the summer, spread out your shopping over smaller trips. I try to thrift weekly in the summer, spending about $10-15 on each occasion, which usually totals to 3-4 pieces per trip. This not only helps me feel less guilty about my spending, it is also really helpful for thrifting in particular. Unlike most retail stores, thrift stores have new pieces each week and almost always only have one of each item. Going to thrift stores more often ensures that you’ll have the opportunity to see a lot more items and also to be more selective, as you have to be with thrifted clothes.

2. Find the best stores near you, as well as what items are best at each store.

All thrift stores are not created equal, at least not in my experience. Depending on where you live, the number and variety of thrift stores near you will probably determine how selective you can be with which stores you frequent. When I’m at home (small-town, suburban Massachusetts), I primarily go to one Savers and two Goodwill stores, but when I’m in Boston there are a lot of smaller, independent thrift stores that are great for finding the more unique pieces. Check out the different stores and you’ll develop a favorite. However, also keep your eye out for the items that are best or the best deal at each store. For example, Goodwill usually marks all clothes of each type (i.e. sweaters, outerwear, jeans, etc.) as one price unless otherwise marked, while Savers marks all items individually. As a result, there is a better chance of finding a better deal on outerwear at Goodwill than at Savers, usually. On the other hand, the Savers that I frequent most often has a great furniture selection and much better pricing than that of both of the Goodwill stores near me. Try to find out which store is your favorite overall, but also keep in mind which stores are best for each type of item.

3. Look for brands that you already wear.

When looking in my closet, pulling out which pieces I bought new and which were thrifted would probably be difficult. This is primarily because I seek out brands that I already wear, which helps me predict the sizing and fit. For example, I’ve thrifted a lot of Forever 21 pieces because I usually like the style of their clothes and they tend to reflect recent trends. A common criticism of thrifting is that the clothes are old, made cheaply, and not on trend, but this is not necessarily true. While the Forever 21 pieces were probably made cheaply, every thrift store that I have visited have also had nicer brands (i.e. Express, Calvin Klein, J.Crew). If you’re used to high-quality clothes, you can certainly find them in thrift stores, as long as you are willing to take the time to do a little digging.

4. Items with tags still on are hidden treasures.

Similar to the last tip, you can not only find brands that you already know and love, you can also find brand new items with their original tags still on. Of course, most clothes are used, but I will also usually come across a handful of pieces that are unworn. I’ve bought brand new items from Forever 21, Victoria’s Secret, and Under Armor for under $10, usually under $5. If you’re worried about clothes with stains or rips, seeing clothes with tags still on is a sign that they are new or worn once or twice, meaning a far lower likelihood that they will have any signs of wear.

5. Seek out sale items or discounts.

Some thrift stores offer even more deals and discounts on top of their already-low prices. Knowing the deals that each store offers comes with checking out a variety of stores. If you’re shopping at Goodwill, one color tag is 50 percent off each week. If you are a true bargain-hunter, you can search for these items specifically. Some days, I only allow myself to buy items that are on sale, forcing myself to seek out only items that are the best deal. Additionally, I know a lot of stores have day-of-the-week sales and rewards cards or programs. Part of the fun of thrifting is getting really nice items for the cheapest price possible, so do what you can to get the best deal.

6. Usually, steer clear of sweaters.

Of all items, I most rarely purchase sweaters from thrift stores. Usually, sweaters show their wear really visibly in the form of pilling, shedding, etc. Sometimes you can find a sweater in decent condition, and I have found a few, but you are taking the risk that they are only a few washes away from heavy pilling. There are hacks to reduce pilling that I’ve heard of, but I haven’t found it to be worth the effort for me, personally.

7. Try. Clothes. On.

It is a hassle, especially in some thrift stores that have less-than-optimal dressing rooms, but it is worth it. One of the positive effects of thrifting is that the clothing does not end up in landfills, and purchasing clothes that might not fit and will only be tossed out defeats this purpose. Also, having ill-fitting clothes that are never worn only clutters your closet and is a waste of money. Go thrifting when you aren’t in a rush and take the extra ten minutes to make sure you’re only buying the clothes that you will really wear.

8. Don’t go in looking for a specific piece.

I’ve found that when I do this, I’m most often disappointed. Thrifting is great for going in with an open mind and maybe a loose list of things you’re looking for for your wardrobe. You’re best off browsing the racks for pieces that you like, rather than only looking for something specific, like a white shirt. There may be no great white shirts that week, but there may be a pair of jeans calling your name that you might pass over if you go in looking for one specific item. This is contrary to the common advice that you should only go into retail stores with a list, as opposed to browsing, if you’re looking to save money. You can probably guarantee that you can find a clean white shirt that you like in any retail store, but, unfortunately, the same concept does not apply to thrifting. Through thrifting by browsing, you’re saving yourself money by adding to your wardrobe when you find pieces that you like for $5, as opposed to going to a retail store to buy specific pieces for $15 when you need that right before an event or to complete an outfit.

9. Shop for future events.

Similar to the tip above, shopping for future events while you have the leisure of time can help you to save money, but still make sure that you are buying pieces that have a purpose in your closet. For example, I am in a sorority and we wear white or white dresses and nude shoes several times during the semester, so I keep my eye open for white dresses when I go thrifting in the summer. Similarly, we have a formal event each semester, so I look for formal dresses even if the events are months in the future. I try not to outfit-repeat to big events, so the process of shopping ahead helps me to diversify my options on a low budget and at my leisure, as opposed to frantically trying to buy a dress prior to the event and having to shop at retain stores, costing me closer to $50 for a dress, as opposed to $6. And, as a perk for my roommate and my friends, I always have a closet stocked with options in advance, so they can shop my closet for free instead of spending $50 themselves.

10. Don’t be afraid of a little wear on shoes.

You’ll find everything in the thrift store shoe department from nearly-new shoes to ones with holes and missing pieces. While I wouldn’t recommend anything that looks too heavily damaged, a shoe with minimal scuffing (what looks to be from 10 wears or less) is fine by me. The reality of shoes is, they are going to get dirty and scuffed almost immediately, even if they are purchased new. I don’t mind wearing a pair that look a little worn-in, as that is how a new pair would look after I wore them a few times. While I generally won’t buy any clothing item that has any stains or visible wear-and-tear, I don’t hold shoes to that same standard. They touch the ground, so it's only a matter of time before they’re going to get dirty regardless.

11. Check out the home decor section for some easy DIY projects.

At most thrift stores, you probably won’t find a lot of beautiful artwork; however, you will likely find some great frames. New frames are surprisingly expensive and you’ll save yourself quite a bit by buying them “used.” They’re great for displaying your pictures, obviously, but also for posters, nicer prints that you find online, or for a gallery wall and a number of Pinterest crafts. Thrift stores aren’t a common place that you’d consider for finding great dorm decor, but something like a frame can easily be DIYed into something more on-trend.

12. Venture into the furniture section.

For a dorm room, you’re probably not going to have a lot of room for furniture. However, chances are, you will not be living in a dorm forever. If you find a great TV stand for $10 that won’t fit in your dorm, but you have room to store at home, pick it up. Your future apartment will thank you. This doesn’t mean pick up anything that you think you’ll use “eventually," but it is worth keeping an eye out for great finds that are in impeccable condition for a very low price. Also, there might be more room in your dorm than you think. I found a wooden shoe rack in perfect condition for $4 at my local Savers that will be going by our doorway next semester to store the shoes that we usually tossed all over our floor. By buying “real” furniture from a thrift store, as opposed to the cheaply-made items marketed as “dorm furniture” during the back-to-college season, you’re also investing in items that you may actually be able to transition into post-college living, which is saving you money yet again.