My Process When Thrifting

Thrifting

Jul 18

Thrifting is one of my favorite past times and of course I appreciate the thrill of the hunt.

You NEVER know what you might find within the walls of a thrift store. I thoroughly shopping ones locally but I also like to make a pitstop at ones off the beaten path. Again, you just never know!

One day I will compile a list of some of my favorite places to shop, organized by location of course. :)

I follow a standard operating procedure when thrifting and then dial in if I feel like the store is worth an investment of time.

Grab a shopping cart (also known as a buggy)

I always grab a cart first thing because walking back to get a cart seems so unnecessary.

Review my shopping list

After I get settled, I will browse my list of things I’m searching for. I keep a list on Google Keep and like to refresh my memory before making my way through a store.

Head to the home decor department

I prefer to browse the home goods before taking the time to sift through clothing and shoes.

Within the home goods, I browse cookware and dishes and then head to the “decor” aisle.

I’m always shopping for:

Cookware & dishes
- Pyrex
- Pampered Chef cookware (my favorite)
- Dutch ovens
- Coffee mugs (I love a cheeky mug)
- Pretty serving pieces
  - I would own every beautiful piece of china and crystal if I had a house big enough to hold it all :)
Lamps
- Always looking for pairs and lampshades
Books
- Journals
- Devotions
- Bibles
- Large coffee table style books with beautiful hardcover spines

Shop the shoes & purses

I don’t buy shoes often for myself but it never hurts to look. I have a very limited space to store shoes in my home so I like to keep these at a minimum.

And while I’m not big on purses (I only carry one afterall), I LOVE looking through clutches. I carry them often enough to justify adding one more to the mix. ;)

Sift through some of the clothes

I always look at the dresses. ALWAYS.

I’ll browse for colors that I like (usually solids), quality fabric (this is so easy to spot once you train your eye), and length (always on the hunt for a maxi or a midi).

Then I will make my way to the skirts. I need no new dresses or skirts but I’m like a moth to a flame.

Lastly I will look at jackets, vests, and sometimes pajamas pants.

I rarely shop for tops or pants (so boring) and I really don’t wear shorts (something I have to remind myself of every year).

If the store seems to be worthy, then I might spend a little extra time sorting and sifting but one hour is a good stopping point for me. Especially if I want to hit up more stores.

Research for market value

After I go through the store, I will spend a few minutes researching market value of pieces that caught my eye. Sometimes I find a valuable item priced right, but most of the time I find everyday items. While I like to look for things for myself, I am ALWAYS looking for things to resell. It’s what we do afterall.