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In case you didn’t know, here at Near to Nirvana we love a good thrift store. Not only is it better for your budget, it’s also better for the earth. By reusing items, we are keeping them out of a landfill! For other earth friendly ideas check out this post here. We are very lucky in that our local Value Village is top notch, and we are in there almost weekly. We thrift buy for our wardrobe, home, garden, holiday decor and more.  Today we decided to share with you our 8 helpful thrift store tips for buying clothes.

#1 Go in with a list.

If you are looking for certain items such as a flannel shirt you will be a lot less overwhelmed. This also prevents impulse buying. It’s so tempting when everything is $3 or $5 to justify purchasing. 

#2 Grab anything and everything that meets the requirements.

We do this because each item is a different brand and fit. Also because they are preworn, they may have shrunk a bit. If you are usually a small, you may need to look at some mediums too. Make sure the items are in good shape. No sweaters with pilling, or t-shirts with holes. Then try it all on. All of it. Like 20 different tops. Have a yes pile, a no pile, and a maybe pile. Then narrow it down. 

#3 Be picky.

If it’s not exactly what you want, don’t settle. Just keep checking back in, patience is key here. Give it a couple weeks and odds are you will find what you are looking for. For example we went on a hunt for clothing specifically for hiking and backpacking. It took us a few trips until we found some nice Columbia and North Face gear.

#4 Plan to spend a while.

Rushing means you might not have the time or mindset to dig through all the sections. Oftentimes you are going to find items in odd spots. Take your time and weed through all the relevant sections. 

#5 Don’t fall prey to the cheap prices.

Dropping $100 at the thrift store is not good. Be picky, plan your purchases, and have a budget. This way you won’t end up spending the same amount as if you went to the mall. 

#6 Be open minded.

We find a ton of brand name clothes at our thrift store. Lululemon, True Religion, Nike, Guess, Under Armour, Banana Republic, and more. I found an amazing MEC vest that’s perfect for backpacking! I also found a FCUK rose gold sequined dress. Mom found a brand new, tags still on, chunky, knit Bench scarf.

#7 Know your prices.

A brand new Under Armour hoodie with the tags still on for $16 is a good deal. (Yes this really happened!) A worn out no name hoodie for $10 is not. And it’s not always about the brand names necessarily.  Look at quality, wear, fit, and style then decide. 

# 8. Check with your local thrift store to see if they do discount days.

Our Value Village runs 50% off days once a month. Also at Value Village if you drop off a donation you get a 20% off cupon! Other local thrift stores give extra savings on certain days for certain tag colors. For eg. On Mondays, red tags are an extra 30% off.

To sum it all up, having a plan, budget, and maybe some company can make thrifting into a fun treasure hunt. Don’t get discouraged if you don’t find exactly what you’re looking for on the first try. Check out a few different stores, and keep in mind that there are some great online sites for second hand clothing as well.  We have spent time in Edmonton looking at consignment stores, as well as different thrift stores in our local area and narrowed it down to our favorite places to shop. Be picky, check often, and have fun! You never know what you’re going to find! Follow our 8 helpful thrift store tips, and tag us in your thrifted outfit photos so we can live vicariously through you! @neartonirvana on instagram and pinterest!

Looking for more budget friendly ideas? Check out this post about trying a no spend month.