25 best thrift shopping tips

Today is National Thrift Shop Day (August 17). It’s a day to eat cake AND go thrifting. Some of us plan that kind of day every week. But there is a certain amount of extra festivity around the official holiday and official seal of approval from whomever governs such things that comes with it, right? It’s a perfect day to share our best thrift shopping tips, and heaven knows, we do plenty of it.

Thrifting is good for the economy, good for helping others and good for promoting sustainability in a disposable world. It’s also a good adventure sport, akin to rock climbing and spelunking. You need to use all your senses to strategize and evaluate on the fly. Do I love this? Can it be loved back to life? How much loving is it going to take? Is it real or a knockoff? Is it a good value? Will it light up Instagram with the coveted red heart of admiration and envy?

The Vintage Unscripted team compiled this list thrift shopping tips to help novices and amateurs sharpen their skills. And for you seasoned thrifters out there, there’s always room for more. Add your best tips in the comments section!

Strategic thrift shopping tips

Know what days your favorite thrift store adds new merchandise. One favorite store is closed on Monday but they are there adding new merchandise, so I try to be there when they open on Tuesday.

Become a frequent shopper. Thrift stores are always adding new merchandise to their shelves – the more frequent you shop, the more treasures you will find.

Location can really make a difference to the kinds of things you can find in a thrift store. Stores that are near more affluent areas typically have higher end labels and designs. This isn’t always the case, of course, but it is definitely worth checking out thrift stores in up-scale neighborhoods.

Watch the calendar. Thrift shops near colleges have lots of great things donated when students leave at the end of the semester. Many people box up donations when their resolution to reduce clutter is still strong.

Shop off season. You can often find things for summer decor in the middle of winter and vice versa – often at better prices, too.

Check to see what’s on sale. Most thrift stores have rotating sales, either based on when items arrived or by item type. i.e. clothing, housewares, sporting goods. Some have a special discount day every week.

Get to know the employees at your favorite thrift. They can alert you to new items before they go to the floor.

Shop the small town thrift stores. The prices tend to be better than the big well-know thrift stores who seem to price collectibles based on a certain auction site.

Left turn! Most shoppers turn right and are either tired or out of money by the time they reach the end. By starting at the end you may find things that have been overlooked.

Keep packing materials in your car. You never know when you are going to stumble across a perfect mid century bar set that deserves some packing TLC.

Believe in serendipity, particularly when it comes to glassware. If you find a couple of pieces you love in minty good condition snap them up. There’s a great chance you’ll find more pieces in the future to complete your set. That’s what makes thrifting such a great sport.

Caveat Emptor Thrift Shopping Tips

Don’t make the mistake of finding an awesome piece only to discover when you get home that is has a flaw. Put it in your cart when you find it but look it over carefully before you check out.

Fall in love with the item, not the price. Even a thrift store price does not make a high end designer shirt that is a peculiar cut or an unappealing color more attractive when you get it home. Even if it’s NWT.

Give a finger flick to glassware and pottery. If there is a crack, it won’t ring pretty, it will thunk.

That mineralization ring inside the vase? It might be removable. But then again, it might not.

Vintage jewelry is always a thrift store treat. Check for loose stones, broken clasps, earring clips that don’t have any spring and anything else that might make it difficult to wear. Broken jewelry can be great for projects, but it’s disappointing if your fabulous rhinestone brooch keeps falling off your lapel.

Check the cord on electrical items. Is it flexible? Does the wiring look like it escaped from a 1950s mad scientist movie? If you’re not able to wire it yourself, will it be worth the investment to pay a professional to do it?

If you are purchasing an appliance or lamp and the wiring looks reasonable, plug it in to make sure it works. If it’s an appliance with multiple pieces, use your phone to look up the instruction manual so you can be sure all the pieces are there.

Flip tablecloths and sheets over to look for stains on the non-printed side. They’re much easier to spot when there is no pattern. Many stains can be removed without a lot of effort. (Check out our series on Cleaning Vintage Linens )

Check furniture for structural integrity and stability. Spray paint and chalk paint can fix a myriad of furniture woes, but they can’t make a table with a cracked leg grow a new one.

Vintage games are awesome fun. Take the time to make sure all the important game pieces are there. There’s about a 50/50 chance that swell jigsaw puzzle is missing a piece or two, but that’s hardly enough to discourage a puzzle fiend who has stumbled on an awesome design.

Common Kindness Thrift Store Tips

Donate nice things you don’t need anymore back to your favorite thrift store to complete the circle.

Inform the cashier if an article is way more valuable than priced. This will bring you good karma and the respect of the thrift staff.

Thank the staff for their hard work. Sorting things for a thrift can be tough and messy. Not every donation is carefully packed (think broken glass) or clean (think basement surprises like mold, mildew and mouse poop).

Many charity thrift shops make money by selling damaged textiles and footwear to recyclers. Do your thrift a favorite by bagging those items separately and label the bag.

What are your best thrift shopping tips? Or the best thing you ever found? Share it with us in the comments section or post it on Instagram with the hashtag #vintageunscripted