Top 7 Thrift Shopping Tips

Last Updated on December 4, 2024

It wasn’t until recently that I started shopping thrift stores. The smell at Goodwill kinda skeezed me out, and more often than not, they are full of discarded junk that no one wants. Broke vases, mismatched glasses, holiday decor, old pots and pans, 100s of vases you get from the floral shop, fake Coach purses…shelf after shelf after shelf of downright garbage, right? WRONG!

7 Thrift Shopping Tips To Help You Score Vintage Decor And Furniture Like A Pro

You’ve read my estate sale post and online estate sale shopping post…so how do you find the diamond in the rough when thrifting? The hidden gems? I used to own a vintage shop and learned how to shop like a pro. Here are my best tips.

1. Shop With An Open Mind

If you walk into a thrift shop looking for something in particular, you’ll come out empty-handed every time. Walk in with a very basic plan. When I’m thrift store shopping, I grab a cart and walk past the clothes, past the purses, past the toys, and head straight for home decor. I’m there for one reason, and one reason only…home decor. If your jam is t-shirts, stay in the clothing aisle. If something catches my eye, I pop it into my cart. You can always reevaluate before checking out.

2. Multiple Passes

Be sure to walk the aisles multiple times. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve missed something amazing. So now I walk through not once, not twice, but three times a lady. Scan the shelves from top to bottom. Look way in the back, and get low. Look all the way to the bottom. If you can’t see, move items in the front out of your way. Don’t be shy, just dig in.

3. Watch The Restock Employees

Watch for employees restocking. You’ll see them with big rolling bins or carts loaded up with new treasures. Don’t be afraid of walking over and asking if you can take a peek. Most will let you. Be respectful, though. You don’t want to act like a raccoon digging through the garbage bin looking for a midnight snack…although that will be exactly what will go through your mind.

4. Make Friends

The employees know what’s in the back stock room. If you’re peeking through a restocking bin, chat up the employees and tell them what you like. They might give you a hint or two on what to stick around for.

5. Repurpose / Think Outside The Box

Now that you are shopping for vintage with an open mind and chasing the stock boy in a non-stalkeresque way, think of what you can repurpose. There will be a heaping pile of bad art. Pick through it all, but pay close attention to the frames. Bad art can be a gold mine for antique gilded frames. A vintage teacup saucer can make for a whimsical soap dish. Mismatched glasses can be beautiful! I mean, look at those pink beauties up there.

6. Go Often. Go Early

I like to go thrift store shopping a couple of hours after they open. It gives the employees time to restock from the previous day. By the end of the day, the shelves have been picked over.

Why go often? Every day they receive new donations. That means new merchandise on the shelves. Plus, the more often you go, the faster you’ll walk the aisles. Yes, there will be the same 147 glasses vases on the same shelf daily. Get to know those 147 glasses vases well because when a beautiful piece of Murano is stocked, it’ll jump right out and bite you.

7. Bring The Essential Tools

What To Bring Thrift Shopping

1. Tape Measure — even if you find a piece you know you’re going to sell, bring a tape measure. More often than not, a thrift store purchase is final. You do not want to buy a dresser only to find out it doesn’t fit in your car.
2. Flashlight — You will be looking in bins and kneeling on the floor. It’s much easier when you have a little extra light on hand.
3. Hand Sanitizer — I can’t tell you how many times I’ve picked something up at a thrift store and it’s sticky. Even the thought of this gives me the heebie jeebiez. Always, always, always have hand sanitizer on you.
4. Jeweler’s Loupe — This is a new one for me. I got burned on a piece of art that I would have sworn up and down was an original charcoal drawing. It wasn’t. When looking at artwork under a loupe, you will see a dot pattern if it is a print. Because the employees at a thrift shop are not art experts, a loupe can be very helpful if you’re trying to determine if what you’re looking at is a serigraph, lithograph, or original piece.
5. Lightbulb — For obvious reasons, you shouldn’t be walking around with a lightbulb in your purse or pocket, but bringing one with you to the thrift store can be helpful if you’re looking at lamps. You don’t want to haul a lamp home only to find out it needs to be rewired…although rewiring isn’t too difficult.
6. Smart Phone — If you find a piece that is marked or signed but unsure of the maker or artist, Google it. You’ll immediately know its worth and quality.

Are you already a thrift store shopping expert? I’d love to know your best tip. Any tips you’d like to add? I’d love to know!

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