This is my favorite time of year for thrift store shopping. Why? Because many folks are cleaning out their closets and de-cluttering before the holidays and the end of the year. Many people will not bother to have a garage sale because they are too busy this time of year and so many items are donated to the local thrift shop. Shopping at thrift stores is great because you can get more for your money than you would get shopping in a department store or even in a discount store. Once you know how to work the system, you can really score big at a thrift store.
Be prepared to spend some time shopping. Shopping at a thrift store is a totally different experience than shopping in a conventional retail center. You’re probably not going to find a massive display of items that are neatly sorted by size and color. You have to be willing to pick through the random assortment of items that the store has to offer to find the things you want. Your effort will be rewarded, though, when you find that first great buy.
Shop often. In a busy thrift store, merchandise is often re-stocked very regularly as new donations make their ways to the store. The items that you browse through on Monday may be completely different than the items you see on the following Saturday.
Inspect your prospective purchases closely. Many times, thrift store items will have a flaw, or two. A skirt may have a frayed edge to it. A backpack may have an ink stain on its face. Perhaps you could place a decorative patch on the backpack over the stain. The skirt may be repaired to get rid of the frayed edge. None of these flaws necessarily make the item unsuitable. You just need to know that they are there so that you can decide whether or not you can live with the flaw.
Look beyond the surface of potential purchases. Have you found a lamp that has a great shape but a crummy lampshade? Maybe your thrift store shopping has revealed a dresser that is in great shape but the wrong color. If you are willing to put in a little elbow grease to re-cover, re-paint, or re-purpose your find, you could end up with a custom piece for a bargain price.
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