Today I’m going to share all the thrift store tips that I have learned over my years of thrift shopping, plus all those that my Facebook followers have shared with me! Leave a comment and let me know if you have more!

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Thrift stores… I love ’em.  Anyone else with me?  I must have a little of my grandmother in me.  She used to stop at every garage sale she could find.  She’d tell us her car just took over and followed the signs.  Now that I’m an adult I feel that urge, too.  Forget malls… take me to the thrift store!  I’ve been thrifting for over 35 years so today I’m sharing my top 50 thrift tips.

Enjoy these thrift store shopping tips!

Thrifting Tips

General Thrift Store Shopping Tips

I buy a lot of different things from different thrift stores.  You can tell that I get a lot of my DIY projects from thrift stores.  I also buy home decor, holiday decorations, and even clothes.  There are just a few things I wouldn’t buy from thrift stores. Socks and underwear for example… YUCK!

1. Shop often — I try to go once a week.  Employees of my favorite shop have told me they have dealers that come in EVERY DAY.  I’m not ready to go that far but I’m sure you would find a lot more if you did.  And don’t get discouraged.  Some days you won’t find anything, next time you may fill up your car!
2. Shop with a plan — Make a list of shops in your area and map them out in a loop.  This will save you some time, too.  Start with the shop closest to your house then try to make a loop, including other places you need to shop also, such as Target or the drug store.  (Make sure any groceries are bought at the last stop.  Or bring an ice chest. My hubby used to watch the kids one day a week for me and I was able to do ALL my shopping and errands without distraction like this!
3. Have a list but think outside the box.  I keep a running list of things I’d like to find, measurements, and clothes I’m looking for, but most often I find things I love that I hadn’t been expecting.
4. Have a price limit.  This is a hard one!  Think about this ahead of time because when you see something you like you’re gonna want it no matter what.  I have had to do that with jewelry cabinets.  Some Goodwills are charging the same for their old beat-up ones that I do for the ones I paint and makeover!  Do a quick online search on your phone if you’re not sure of the value or scarcity.
5. Shop alone.  I know a lot of people like to shop with a friend.  And I do, too.  But when I’m doing my thrift store run that really slows me down.  I can make it to 4 to 6 thrift stores if I’m by myself. Save the friend shopping day for when you’re going to a big vintage flea market!
6. Keep a thrift store “kit” in your car.  This might include hand sanitizer, bags, tissue paper, tape measure, water, and snacks.  You’ll most definitely want the hand sanitizer and carrying snacks and water will keep you from spending unnecessary money on food. I like these travel-size hand sanitizers that can hook onto a loop of your purse or tote.   Then I keep a larger one in my Jeep.And I have a couple of these reusable water bottles.  I like the flip-up straws.
7. If you need it, buy it when you see it. It won’t be there when you need it. Ie, a coat in summer or a vintage item.
8. Don’t buy swimsuits or underwear. I used to say “never” but I often see new items in stores now.
9. Set a timer when you walk into the store. 30 minutes is usually good enough for me.
10. Let your friends and family know what you’re looking for… they may have something they’ll give you for free.
11. Shop during the day when kids are in school.
12. Know what items shouldn’t be bought used: car seats, life preservers, motorcycle or bicycle helmets.
13. Take cash.  Some small shops may only take cash or there might be a cash discount.

If you like this list, check out this article too: What NOT to Buy at Thrift Stores

Which Thrift Stores Should I Shop At?

1. Shop in a different neighborhood, not always your local thrift stores.
2. Look for shops in older or more influential neighborhoods.  These places will probably have more vintage and/or high-end items donated.  I often don’t have time to go to these every week so I add them to my weekly loop every month or so. (Not necessarily with larger chains such as Goodwill, Savers, or Value Village, which moves their inventory around.)
3. Research thrift shops in areas where you’ll be traveling.  Probably not a great idea for a family vacation but if you have to travel for a business trip or to visit family do a little Google search before you leave to see what kind of thrift shops you can find in those areas.  Or maybe a rest stop along the way.  Just make sure you leave a little extra room in the vehicle in case you find something! We had a great trip back in April where I searched vintage shops while my husband went mountain biking.  I had jewelry boxes and cabinets stashed under seats and every cranny I could find in our Jeep!
4. Speed shop once through the whole store. Pick up anything that looks interesting not might not be there when you get back. Then go back and look closer.  If you don’t see anything on your first trip, head to the next shop!
5. Look for stores with “specialties”. — Different areas of the country, state, city, or even different stores can have “specialties”. For example, the Salvation Army in Mansfield has about a quarter of the store in furniture. Another local thrift store always has great books.
6. Learn about online thrift stores: thredUP, Poshmark, GoodwillFinds, Thrifted.com, eBay, Etsy
7. Small, privately owned thrift stores are often cheaper than the chains plus you’re usually supporting a local charity (just in our local area there are stores supporting a cat adoption agency, hospice, food pantry, and pregnancy care clinic)
8. Shop at the Goodwill Outlets, aka, the Goodwill Bins. But be ready to dig! These stores charge by the pound. We drive our carts right up onto the scale!
9. If you shop at the bins, bring gloves and hand sanitizer.

If you like this list, check out this article too: 25 Items You Need to Buy at Thrift Stores

Know Your Thrift Store

Get to know your local thrift shop. Here are a few things to ask:

1. Talk to employees and/or volunteers.  Once you start going to the same shops every week you’ll get to know the people that work there.  Be friendly.  Introduce yourself, call them by their first name, and let them know what you’re looking for.  Often we’ll have someone say, “Oh, we have one of those in the back.  Let me get it for you!”  Sometimes they’ll even let you leave your name and number.
2. Find out when the store restocks & has sales
3. Shop on the day the store restocks
4. Shop on Monday and Tuesday during the summer.  Lots of people have garage sales and bring in donations on Sunday and Monday.
5. Shop again on the first day of the sale
6. Learn the store return policy before purchasing
7. Ask for a price reduction if there is a stain, tear, or missing piece.
8. Ask if there are store coupons, military or senior discounts, or reward points.
9. Do a quick walk-through of the store before going back to look closer at crowded shelves.

If you like this list, check out this article too: 3 Reasons to STOP Thrift Store Shopping

Thrift Store Clothing & Accessories

This category includes clothes, shoes, purses, bags, totes, hats, socks and underwear, and jewelry. I know several people whose entire wardrobe consists of thrifted clothes. They don’t want to support fast fashion and only buy new clothes when they can’t find them at thrift stores.

1. Keep lists — the garments you’re looking for, sizes of all family members, and even a Christmas want list.
2. Know what’s already in your closet. — You may not even need to go shopping.
3. “Label Resource” on VintageFashionGuild.com (https://vintagefashionguild.org/label-resource/) — You might be able to find out how old your vintage clothing finds are.
4. Vintage clothing usually runs smaller — up to 4-6 times smaller!
5. Shop off-season — i.e., buy a jacket in the summer.
6. Buy pants to cut off as shorts.
7. Learn to sew on buttons.
8. Zippers are hard to fix. Pass if the zipper is broken.
9. Look for items in great condition if you don’t want to learn any sewing skills… deals can be found.
10. Know brands  & their sizing. (Ie, Chico has very unusual sizing)
11. Look for higher quality brands — Yes, Walmart can sometimes be cheaper than thrift stores but I can still thrift a higher quality used shirt and it will last longer than a new one from Walmart!
12. Dress in layers with a tight bottom layer so you can slip clothes on over if there’s no dressing room.
13. Check the care instructions and fabric content — Learn how to care for cotton, wool, linen, polyester, silk, etc.

If you like this list, check out these articles too:

• How to Wash Thrift Store Clothes
• 10 Tips for Buying Thrift Store Clothes
• How to Create a Cheap Summer Wardrobe 

This post may contain affiliate links.  You won’t pay any more when you use these but I will earn a small commission on any purchases you make after clicking on them and I greatly appreciate it.  Thanks for helping support my little blog!!!

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Used Furniture in Thrift Shops

1. Learn to paint and do small repairs
2. Buy items with missing hardware. That’s easy to replace.
3. Know the measurements of the space you need to fill. Keep these measurements in your notebook, too.

Check out some of these articles for help:

• Furniture Paint: What is the Best Paint for Furniture?
• How to Find the Best Used Furniture
• Where to Find the Best Free Furniture
• How to Clean Used Furniture
• 9 Things You Need to Know Before Buying Secondhand Furniture

Thrifting Home Decor/Kitchen/Electronics/Toys & Games

There are so many small items waiting to find a good home! Many of these items still have years of use left in them: cookware,

1. Look for items that need small repairs or paint.
2. Test anything with a cord before buying.
3. Learn to do small electronic repairs, ie, rewiring a lamp.
4. Make sure kitchen utensils and appliances can be washed or cleaned well.
5. Don’t buy non-stick skillets with scratches.
6. Learn to clean cast iron.
7. Check for missing pieces
8. Check the new merchandise section for small items that make good stocking stuffers.

If you like this list, check out this article too: Why Shop at Thrift Stores

Making Money from Thrifting  – Bonus Tips

I’m gonna admit to you, the reselling business is a LOT harder than it looks! But if you’re out shopping anyway, you might as well make a little money!

1. Know what things sell for online.
2. Check SOLD prices on eBay, not just what items are listed for.
3. know the fees of the platform you sell on.

There is a LOT more info that I could share in this area but it’ll have to be a different post. Please leave a comment if you’d like to know more about being a reseller.

If you like this list, check out this article too: What Does “Vintage” Mean When You Buy & Sell Online

Do You Have More Thrift Store Tips?

Do you have more thrift store tips? Leave me a comment if you do. I’d love to hear them! Featured on: Frugal Mommas Friday. Originally published on March 4, 2017.

‘Til the next project,

 Ann @ Duct Tape and Denim

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