Tips for thrifting

1. Walk down the isle twice. I like to go down an isle one way, walk around the store, then come back to that same isle but go down it the opposite direction (if that makes sense). Sometimes ill go down an isle going from the front of the store towards the back of the store and didn't see anything i wanted but then ill go back down the isle going from the back of the store to the front of the store and find a hidden gem. Sometimes items will be hidden in between items and you can only see it if you are walking a certain direction so my #1 tip is go both directions.

 2. Make a day of it. When i go thrifting i like to go to multiple stores in one day. In my town all the stores have half off on wednesdays so I like to go to 3 or 4 thrift stores on that day. It may be more crowded and the fitting rooms might be full the entire time you are there but its worth it to get those extra savings. So see what day has the best deals and go then.

3. Learn how to hem! Hemming is super duper easy and can go a long way with thrifted items. Ive had so many instances where i found a cute dress that was too long or pants that dragged on the floor and they got left behind. The second i learned how to hem I ended finding a lot more clothes to take home with me and could easily alter.

3. Have in mind what you want. Thrift stores can be big and overwhelming so what i like to do is have in mind what i want. Sometimes it might be shirts, sometimes it might be dresses, or maybe something from the home section. What i like to do is go to that specific section and touch EVERYTHING. If you work one section and get really into the hunt of it you will find more. I found that if you just browse and don't really know what you are looking for you wont find as much. You have to pick out a specific section and dig through it all then once thats done you can browse around.

4. Don't be afraid to leave empty handed. Sometimes you can go and dig through it all and still come out empty handed and thats ok. Its better to leave empty handed then with things you don't need and don't necessarily want. I know its tempting to get things because its all so cheap but sometimes its best just to leave those items behind. I only get items that i feel like I have to have. Otherwise it just ends up never getting worn and ending up back at the thrift store. Trust me I've thought "well maybe one day ill wear this" well you won't and you never will. So just stick to the things you know you like. Don't worry if you leave with nothing and don't get discouraged if you do! I don't always leave with bags full of stuff and thats ok. I know theres always next time.

5. You don't have to shop based on season. The good thing about thrift stores is they have clothes for all seasons all the time. There is always dresses, tanks, shorts, coats, sweaters. So if you see a sweater and its July get it! Just put it in the back of your closet and wait for the day when you can wear that beauty. Or if its november and you see a sun dress you like, snatch it up because if you leave it there and it gets to the summer time you'll think " uh i wish i would have bought that dress!" We have storage organizers for a reason so just buy it and store it away for when that time of the year comes. You'll thank yourself later.