Essential Items for Thrifting Success
Essential Items for Thrifting SuccessEverybody thrifts for clothes differently but it’s important to put some careful thought & planning into your thrift store outing to make it a success.
That’s a key difference between thrifting and a Target run.
In traditional retail, everything is laid out for you with clear guides, measurements, and item specifications.
But when you’re thrifting, everything is a bit of a mystery. And it takes some digging to find those stylish treasures!
In this post, I’m going to outline what I always carry in my purse when I go thrifting for clothes that helps make the shopping experience faster & less stressful.
Hopefully, these tips will be useful to you or help you look at thrifting in a new way. Let’s dive in!
Thrifting Essential: Lists
I would feel so lost if I went into a thrift store without a list. Much like I’d be overwhelmed going grocery shopping without knowing what I was looking for!
A thrifting list comes in many different varieties – written on paper, stored on your phone in a word document, a visual wishlist on Pinterest, and many more.
I use a bit of all three when I’m searching but I find a paper list the easiest to grab and look at when I’m cruising through the thrift store aisles. (And clearly, it’s come in handy when testing Bingo daubers! lol)
Thrifting Essential: Retractable Measuring Tape
Of everything on this list, I can’t emphasize enough how important it is to carry a measuring tape! My preferred type is one that’s retractable and bonus points if I can wear it like a necklace like the one I keep in my purse.
So why is a measuring tape so important? It comes in handy when looking through clothes because you can quickly assess if they’re the right size for you regardless of the size on the tag or if a fitting room is open/available.
If you don’t have a measuring tape handy, you could try one of these alternatives in the meantime: a piece of string, a belt in your size, or even a cord from an electronic (like your phone charger in your purse!).
Just use those alternatives the same way you’d use a measuring tape. Mark the place of your measurement and hold it up to an object you’re trying to decide is your size!
Thrifting Essential: Color Guide
A color wheel is my ultimate thrifting secret for finding the best clothes. Love it or hate it, having a handful of colors you love and can rely on in your closet makes life a lot easier! But sometimes it’s hard to find those exact colors at the thrift store. Enter my color wheel!
I made my color wheel out of free paint samples from the hardware store and then assembled it with an old round carabiner clip and a scrunchie so I could wear it on my wrist, of course! (I love being as hands-free as possible!)
A color wheel is so helpful when the lighting of a thrift store is inconsistent and you’re not sure if the shirt you’re holding is blue or purple. It takes all the guesswork out of what you’re looking at!
Other Thrifting Essentials
The items above are all helpful when buying secondhand clothes. Though I keep a few other essentials in my purse for general thrifting support:
- A wallet to hold all your rewards cards, gift cards, and cash.
- Hand sanitizer to clean up messy hands as soon as possible.
- Lip balm to keep my mouth hydrated in dry indoor climates. (If my mouth is dry or thirsty, chances are I’ll be uncomfortable while shopping)
- Not pictured, but just as important, a reusable shopping bag! It’s good for the environment and great to have when stores don’t have bags available
Maximize Your Thrifting Trip
With the right essentials and a strategic mindset, you’ll be well-equipped to navigate the aisles of thrift stores and uncover hidden gems.
If you’d like more thrifting tips, be sure to browse around this blog a little longer! Just like at a thrift store, you never know what surprises you will find.
So get out there, explore, and enjoy the wonderful world of thrifting to its fullest. Happy thrifting!
