When I hear "thrift shop" I no longer think of dusty old furniture or severely outdated clothing. Instead, I think about all the great finds I've collected over the years. Between Goodwill, garage sales, and thrift shops I have managed to sift through the piles of unwanted items to come out with items I love. By the end of letting you in on all my steals and secrets of thrifting, you'll be diving straight into heaps of the "unwanted" to find treasures of your own.
Alyssa Gasa
Start with a Goodwill store.
Not all Goodwill's are alike but you can almost always find something that will catching your eye. Above is a picture of my most recent Goodwill haul. It only cost $30 for all of that! What I love about Goodwill is that they have everything organized by sizes, colors, and types of items. Starting here is a good place because this is where you can find the widest assortment of items at the cheapest prices. Search through the belts, bags, and homeware to see if you can find any unique additions to your home. I always rifle through the books and games first to see which ones stand out and which ones I've been hoping to find. You will save so much money looking here first, then by going to a bookstore and buying brand new at retail prices or even sale prices. My favorite game Sequence is $18 in store but I found it brand new for $4.99. Not to mention the books above were only .99 cents!
Next, I'll usually search through the clothing. To save some time, I always stick to looking in the sections of colors that I wear most. These tend to be neutrals, blues, and reds. Colors like these are where there will be better quality pieces, but also where those terribly printed and out of style shirts can be avoided. You might find lots of clothing pieces that should have been left alone in the 80's and 90's but don't let that deter you. I skim the clothing sections quickly just by feeling the fabrics as I flip through. You can tell straight away if the fabric is quality made or just cheap. Following that, I look at the brand. While the brand isn't the most important at all, it can give you a better indication of how well the piece will last and if it's even worth your $4.99. Above are shirts from my latest trip which included Charlotte Russe, American Eagle, and Target. I know I can trust these brands from past purchases so I am more included to buy them. Like any other clothing store, check for stains, rips, and try it on. After all that, I hope you come out with some unique pieces to add to your wardrobe.
Alyssa Gasa
Garage sales should be on your summer "to-do" list.
Here is where I like the find really cheap home items. While you can find the same things you found at Goodwill, I tend to find the best steals on furniture, books, knickknacks, kitchenware, and unique decorations. This is where garage sales shine in the world of thrifting. I found this metal hanging basket to spice up my room for only .75 cents! People tend to sell items for the home that are in great condition but for a fraction of the price in store. Garage sale prices are usually negotiable and a good tip is if you go on the last day of the sale or even the end of the day you are more inclined to get things even cheaper since people just want the items gone.
Alyssa Gasa
Consignment shops are for the real hidden gems.
When you go to a local thrift store you really never know what you are going to find. Depending on locations and what they accept, every time you go they will have something completely new. One of the most exciting parts of visiting consignment shops is being able to search through all the weird and completely unexpected items only to come out with new things you love. While items here can tend to be a tad bit pricier than at a Goodwill, you are going to find out of the box pieces that you can't live without. Places like these take more time to search through but when you do you'll usually be rewarded. Another one of my favorite aspects is having things that no one else will have. I found this ring for $15 and I'm absolutely in love with it. My tips for consignment shops are to just look everywhere and anywhere while keeping an open mind. One of my favorite winter sweaters is a white chunky knit find from the men's section of all places.
Reusing does more for the planet than it does for your wallet.
Besides saving you a lot of money compared to if you bought all your items brand new, thrifting also gives a helping hand to the planet. It is no secret that fast fashion is one of the biggest contributors to environmental waste and unsafe working conditions. We all turn a blind eye to the negative impacts of our purchases at places like Forever 21 or even Nike. However, by going thrifting first, items that you would be buying brand new anyways could instead be given a second chance from a landfill and placed into your home. There is a reason we all have "Reduce, Reuse, Recycle" drilled into our heads from a young age. By slowing down our consumption of goods and reusing what's already here we save resources, money, and potential waste. Individually changing habits to be reusing other's items seems small, any change is some change in helping reduce our carbon and waste footprints on the planet.
Alyssa Gasa
Alyssa Gasa
Alyssa Gasa
