There is a magical place close to almost every college campus. It has clothing, DVDs, CDs, plates, frames, and many other glorious hidden treasures. Some think very negatively of it, but no matter what I know the majority of you have ran in there seeking to throw together the perfect costume for a fraternity or Halloween party. And there is no shame in that.
Over my past 4 collegiate years, I have become a Goodwill expert. Thrift stores have been an integral part of my college career. Whether it is an impromptu trip with some of my favorite friends or just to kill a few hours of my day.
However, there are a few tips and tricks that are crucial to your successful goodwill trip. Goodwill although full of hidden treasures is a tricky place to navigate and honestly can be a little time consuming if you want the best results.
Rule 1: Look into the 50% off Saturdays
Some Goodwill’s are every other Saturdays and some are the first Saturday of every month. This is a great way to pull in a big haul. Stocking up on oversized sweaters or in dire need of new high waisted shorts. Or a mixture of both. This way you those 5 sweaters that are usually $4’s, you get for $2. It’s a steal!
Rule 2: Look everywhere, you never know what you might find
Some of my best pieces from Goodwill are from the men’s section. The old man sweaters, flannels, and oversized hoodies are an integral part of my wardrobe due to their versatile ways. There are also a lot of great finds in the mug department, frames, and the DVD/CD section. Frames are great for decoration, especially the ones with nothing in them. I’ve found some of my favorite older movies on DVD for $1, for example: When Harry Met Sally, 50 First Dates, and several Harry Potter movies, that may have gotten lost on one of our many road trips. ALSO, DON’T FORGET TO LOOK AT THE DRESSES! I’ve found several dresses that were brand freaking new from Old Navy and one from Kohl’s that I was too cheap to buy in the store.
Rule 3: Don’t be afraid to cut things
You can take a pair of mom jeans into the ever so fashionable high-waisted shorts. A cool colored sweater into a pair of leg warmers. Or even add holes to make those black jeans a little edgier. There are plenty of resources on Pinterest to help you DIY the crap out of any of these ideas. And it’s 100% worth it.
Rule 4: Take the time to enjoy it, and try on the clothing
Especially pants. TRY ON THE PANTS. You will not regret it in the slightest. Remember if you are planning on cutting them into shorts, then length doesn’t matter, the waist does. Skirts and dresses are also important to try on. Length is extremely important in this case. Especially since it is used clothing, so it could have been stretched out or have a funny fit, so make sure that it fits in all the right places. Also, you can find some really weird, fun, unique stuff, that, honestly you’ll probably won’t ever wear except for some random party but you really can’t live without it.
Rule 5: T-SHIRTS, T-SHIRTS, T-SHIRTS
These are severely overlooked. You can find great apparel for your school, some cool vintage t-shirts, or just random shirts that are funny and a must have. From oversized to jerseys, if you take the time to look through them it is 100% worth it.
Goodwill also provides you with the opportunity to round up your purchase to the nearest dollar to help support job training for people with disabilities or disadvantages.This is the one time in the store that you shouldn't be stingy!!
These are my basic guidelines to rocking a Goodwill wardrobe almost every day of the week. Be bold, be proud, be thrifty.
