Thrift shopping is something many people have done because they need to and many now are doing because they want to. From my own experience, I have learned some valuable lessons about buying clothes second-hand and hope to save you from some difficulty by sharing them with you.

1. Have a Plan

You can aimlessly browse if you want, but if you’re looking to refresh your winter wardrobe then have an idea of what kind of things you want. Going through piles/racks/boxes of dubiously organized assortments of clothes can be overwhelming if you are going in with no vision in mind. You might end up choosing entirely different things but having a plan is a good starting point.

2. Block out time

Shopping in general takes a long time but even if you are normally a quick shopper and this store is particularly well-organized thrift shopping will still take you a while. Plan to make a day of it (unless you are endowed with a gift for sorting through nonsense).

3. Be Patient, be thorough

After the third rack of denim, you might begin to despair in ever finding that perfect pair of high-waisted jeans, you might be tempted to not even bother looking through the last rack. LOOK. THROUGH. THE. LAST. RACK. Once I went through five racks of jeans and tried on at least 6 different pairs before finding my favorite and most comfy pair of jeans I have ever stuck my legs in.

4. Try Everything On

Grab the things you like, grab the things you sort of think you might like, grab things that are your size, grab things that might be just a bit too big/small, grab things from the men’s AND the women’s section, grab that grandma cardigan. Try them all on. Every. Single. One. Thrift shopping is going to make you question a lot of your perceptions. Places like Goodwill and Savers usually have fitting rooms but if you’re going to a second-hand place that doesn’t have fitting rooms, wear a dress or leggings or shorts. Anything that it is easy to pull other clothing over. Most sales from thrift shops are final so go prepared if you want to be comfortable with your choices.

5. Go with a Friend

A friend can provide a second opinion on that rust colored turtleneck you’re not quite sure of and stop you from buying those ridiculous sunglasses that you will never end up wearing. You can laugh together about that weird vest that has hot tomatoes printed all over it (an actual thing I have seen with my own two eyes) and debate the wisdom of that american flag baseball cap that is completely covered in sequins (also real). You can also team up on searching through racks and just generally enjoy each other’s company.

6. Have Fun

Thrift stores make daring purchases less scary (they’ll put you out three dollars instead of twenty) and can give you a chance to have fun flexing your fashion muscles or just getting that coat you need before winter without demolishing your food budget. It gets easier with practice and makes the long list of expenses in life just a bit less scary.