12 Tips for Thrifting Success

There is a great joy in discovering treasures at your favourite thrift store. Not only are you reducing consumption of new items and keeping discards from the landfill, you’re saving money too. Here are some tips for happy hunting.

1. Have an open mind: “If you're going thrifting at a store in-person, you can't be looking for something specific,” says Robin Jones, an editor at Bluedot Living. “You have to be open to all things.” Once, she and her daughter went to a favorite thrift store looking for a new tablecloth for Christmas dinner and came home with two really great coats — plus the tablecloth and some extra dishes for their guests.
2. Test for fit: Many thrift stores don’t have a change room, so wear clothes you can try clothes overtop of, such as leggings. There is also a hack for pants fitting: The general rule floating around the internet is to wrap the waistband of a pair of pants around your neck. If the ends just touch, they will likely fit. That said, we are not all built like DaVinci’s Vitruvian Man, but you can take the principle and make it your own: In the comfort of your own bedroom, take a pair of pants that fit you well, button them up, and find a part of your body that they match. Maybe it’s around your neck, or maybe for you it’s from wrist to shoulder, or kneecap to hip. Then, in the store, you just match it up to check the sizing.
3. Embrace oversizing: Another strategy is to choose clothing styles that work even if they’re too large, such as baggy sweaters, advises Heidi Braun from Chelsea, Que., who has been scoring great finds at thrift-stores since she was a teenager. Same goes for t-shirts, coats, and jackets.
4. Be brand-loyal: You can also nail the sizing by “looking for brands you know because you’ll have a good sense of how their sizes fit you,” Braun says. This works especially well for activewear brands that are pricey when bought new — and where fit matters.
5. Look for cheap and cheerful tees: “I always head right to the t-shirt section to see if they have any fun graphic tees,” says Bluedot Institute student Julia Stockton, who has a growing collection. “They don’t need to fit — the bigger the better. The goal is always just that they make me happy.” Oversized shirts can become pjs, or, if it’s too small, you can cut off the image and sew it onto a plain shirt or a tote bag. 
6. Precision-shop online: “If you do need something specific or know exactly the brand, size, or style you want, Depop and Poshmark are the way to go,” Jones says. “Always negotiate on the apps. Most sellers (me included) will accept a 10 to 20% reduction in the price.”
7. Choose quality fabrics: “Feel the fabrics to decide the quality of a piece. If it feels high-quality, it probably is,” says Emily Cain, an associate editor at Bluedot Living. Check the tag, she suggests, so you can avoid Shein or other fast-fashion, low-quality items, and choose vintage, well-made pieces instead, such as the silk kimono she counts among her best finds. “Don’t pass up 100% wool or cashmere,” Braun says, “but do skip anything with holes or that has been shrunk.” (And if the fabric can’t go in the dryer, they’ll need to be freeze-treated — see #12 for more on that). 
8. Prepare to nip and tuck: Learn how to do little alterations (such as taking in a waistband, bringing up a hem, or turning pants into shorts) so you don’t have to worry about finding your exact size, Cain says. You can have some fun with upcycling, as Char Kelly, one of our Second-Hand Sisters did with this pair of jeans. Also, if you know how to do basic repairs, such as replacing a button, you don’t have to walk away from an otherwise great item.
9. Have fun with bells and whistles: One-size-fits-all accessories such as jewellery, belts, and bags are an easy way to try playing around with some fun elements without breaking the bank. “I never pass up a well-made handbag,” Jones says. Tara Kenney, Bluedot’s Creative Director recalled what is probably her best find of all time: a silver bracelet with enamel work and semi-precious stones for $2, which was valued at $400.
10. Don’t skip the housewares section: Stock your kitchen with great dish sets, casserole dishes and pottery, drinking glasses, cutlery, and even cast-iron pans. “I buy my silverware from thrift stores,” Kenny says. “I got amazing Cuisinart 18/10 silverware for 50 cents each.” Check for chips and cracks, and avoid non-stick cookware and plastic bowls. You can also get blankets, decor, books, and sometimes even electronics. 
11. Consider artwork (and the frame!): Kenny has also scored some favourite art pieces at second-hand stores. And remember that if the art is not to your taste but you like the frame, you just have to remove the art from inside, Jones notes. “The price might be worth it for the frame alone.“ 
12. Shop smart, treat everything: No one wants to bring home bedbugs with their prize find, but luckily, managing the risk is straightforward. Upholstered furniture, mattresses, and other bedroom furniture may not be worth taking the chance. It’s worth doing visual inspections of clothing and other household items in the store, but always treat everything that comes home from the vintage shop, using simple heat or deep freeze methods, just to be safe, so you can breathe easy and enjoy your sweet, sweet finds.

Want more? Check out our Second-Hand Sisters series, on the secrets to upcycling, adapting, and scoring pre-loved treasures.