8 Thrifting Tips From A Former Thrift Store Employee

I'm going to share some of my tips for shopping in thrift stores. I worked as a manager for a non-profit thrift store for years, it was one of the most fun jobs I've ever had. Before working there, I was a huge thrift store shopper and I became an even bigger one during my time there. I don't work in a thrift store anymore, but I still go to them all the time, it's one of my favourite things to do! Hopefully you'll find some of these tips (and a rant) helpful and let me know some of your finds if you do!

1. Don’t get carried away. Set a budget and stick to it!

It’s easy to get caught up in those low-prices but keep yourself in check before you buy the whole damn store. Those $3.00 tags add up! You also want to avoid the mentality of “Well, it’s only a few bucks and if I don’t wear it, I’ll just re-donate it”. Be super careful with this mindset, this is a sure-fire way to end up with a pile of shit that you don’t even like and you STILL spent money on it. Everyone’s price range is different, but personally I set a spending limit of $50.00 unless a once-in-a-lifetime find crosses my path.

2. Try on EVERYTHING

I don’t care if it’s the exact same pair of jeans in your usual size that you own 10 pairs of already (“But I don’t have it in this shade of indigo!”). Jeans are a good example of a clothing item that gets “broken in” the more you wear them. Pay close attention to the fit of everything. Where your knees rest in your jeans might have been 6 inches higher for the original owner and you’ll see that wear and tear. Or maybe you don’t quite fill out the ass groove left behind (pun intended) like they did, leaving you with a soggy bottom. Save the hassle of returning, try it on.

3. You CAN return or exchange items

Speaking of returning items, it’s pretty rare to find a thrift store that doesn’t accept returns or at the very least, exchanges. Unless you’re absolutely positive you won’t be bringing it back, be sure to ask the employees anyways before buying. That black silk top you tried on looked amazing under the fluorescent lights but it wasn’t until you brought it home under your own lighting that you noticed that oil stain…Keep your receipt and the tags on until you’re sure!

4. Be open-minded

You hear this a lot in thrifting guides and that’s because it’s true. If something looks even remotely your style, try it on. If it isn’t your size but looks like it might fit, try it on. If it’s from the men’s or children’s department, is remotely your style and looks like it might fit, try it on. You see where I’m going with this? TIP: Don’t only limit your browsing to your size section. Customers (and even employees) misplace items in the wrong spot ALL THE TIME! Check in the section with size but also a few sizes above and below yours, you’d be surprised what’s in there.

5. Check the change room rack and accessories

Looking through everyone else’s discards on the change room rack is one of my favourite things to do. Think about it, everyone else has already done the work for you! I can’t even tell you how many gems I’ve found for myself while cleaning out the change room rack. Checking the change room rack is especially important to do on a busy day, the more people trying things on, the less hunting for you.

Check the accessories! Every knows that you can wear a cheap outfit but pairing it with quality shoes and a nice bag can really elevate your whole look. Believe it or not, but mid to high-end bags and shoes are not as rare a find as you might think. Belts are also something that’s commonly overlooked in thrift stores, but nice leather belts can cost a pretty penny at retail prices and thrift stores are over flowing with them!  Ask an employee if they have any gold/sterling silver jewelry in the cases, most will know if they do. Check the sunglasses, too – thrift stores get a lot of cute, quirky sunglasses.

6. Thrift store donations are not washed before being put on the sales floor

Contrary to popular belief, thrift stores do not wash the clothes before putting them out on the sales floor. My store put out 1000 items of clothing a DAY – can you imagine the logistics and cost of washing 1000 pieces everyday?! Thrift stores rely on their donors to wash their clothes before donating them and honestly, it’s just common courtesy to wash before you donate. An actual person has to open those musty old bags, you know! The things from donations that I’ve seen and had to deal with personally would give you nightmares (don’t worry, those things don’t make it to the floor). Just wash everything before you wear it and you’ll be fine.

7. Thrift store employees know if you’re trying to scam them (Spoiler: This is a rant)

You know who you are, that person who rips the tag off so you can innocently say to the employee “This one doesn’t seem to have a price on it. Must be free! Hyuck hyuck hyuck!” Hilaaaaarious. We’ve neeeeever heard that one before! Or worse, that person who switches the price tag with a lower priced item. WE KNOW! WE’RE THE ONES WHO PRICE EVERYTHING, FOOLS. Everything is priced using a “base price” guide. Example: all shoes start at $6.00. Changing the tag on a pair of shoes to $1.00 fools no one, and it just makes you look like an asshole. If the employee doesn’t call you on your bullshit and lets you get away with it, it isn’t because you’ve bamboozled them, it’s because they’ve dealt with too many other assholes that day and they’re tired. Go away.

8. Nice neighbourhoods VS. Regular neighbourhoods

I know everyone loves to prattle on about going to thrift stores in nicer neighbourhoods because they think they produce better treasures since the donations tend to be from wealthier people. This is true to an extent but know that the competition is fiercer in these locations and you’ll spend more time digging. The store I worked at wasn’t the nicest one in the city and I’ve seen some crazy good stuff come through.

For fun, here’s a tiny list of things I’ve seen:

• Brand new, current season wool J. Crew $400 winter coat, tags on.
• Frye $600 leather riding boots, mint condition.
• TWO vintage wool Hudson’s Bay Blankets (and I bought one of them!)
• Brand new Lululemon leggings, $90, tags on

My point is, it doesn’t really matter how fancy the location is, you’ll find some good stuff if you look regularly.

BONUS: Enjoy the process!

If you’re serious about thrifting you have to put the time in, there’s no way around it. Not every trip is going to reap rewards and you need to accept this before you start this journey, but if you’re committed, the rewards can be sweet. Go often, be nice to the employees (we’re more helpful to the friendly regulars and if we know about specific things that you like, we might even put them aside for you) and most of all, just have fun. It’s like having every store clearance in the same place!