5 tips to step your thrifting game up

Last year, thrifting was something I enjoyed but found it heightened my anxiety tremendously. As time has gone on, I've grown to create it more into something that's a coping mechanism rather than a trigger. I find myself inside a thrift store practically every week, sometimes even multiple times a week. 

I've created posts on here and sometimes on my other social media sites like Twitter and Instagram to showcase my finds. Everytime I do the responses are always along the lines of: "omg how'd you get that for so cheap?!" "I wish the thrift stores around me were as cool as yours!" "That stuff is so cute, I can never find anything like that at mine!" and so on. So here I am today, making this post for you to share some important thrifting tips I've accumulated to always make your trips good ones. 

PATIENCE IS KEY 

I'd say the biggest issue when it comes to thrifting is the patience factor. A lot of people see these hauls of things other people find and they go into a store thinking they could just walk in and all the treasures will be up front waiting for them. Unfortunately, it doesn't work that way. 

9 times out of 10 the cute finds you see were found after someone sifted through rows and rows of racks or dug through piles of clothing. Sometimes you will get lucky and find an item without having to do too much work, but it's definitely not an always thing. 

BE PREPARED 

If you're planning a trip to a thrift store, making sure you're fully prepared is key to a successful trip. 

Dress comfortably - throw on some leggings, loose tee and some shoes you won't mind standing in for long periods of time. Make sure your clothing is easy/quick to get on and off (or tight enough if you want to try on over your clothes for sanitary reasons) to make the dressing room process smoother. 

Make sure to eat beforehand or bring snacks/water with you to munch on while there. Some stores are specific on what's let in or not so keep that in mind before going. Doing anything on an empty stomach is the worst, but combined with some of the frustrations thrifting can bring - your time spent will not be fun. An hour planned trip can turn into a 3 hour one real quick! 

DON'T BE DISCOURAGED 

Like I mentioned above, you're going to have to do some digging to find the best of the best. You're going to come across a lot of garments you aren't fond of and its going to bring that energetic/excited mood you once held down and you'll probably end up just wanting to leave after 10 minutes. 

Thrift stores are filled with tons and tons of clothing. It's vintage and sometimes that specific style isn't something you're into, but I promise if you skip through what you don't like rather than letting it discourage you, you'll soon find little pieces here and there that you do take a liking to. 

OVERTHINKING - STOP IT! 

This is one of the most important tips you need to remember. DON'T OVERTHINK AN ITEM. The amount of times I've picked out an item that my mom thought was hideous in store, came home and tried it on and her whole outlook on it changed can't be counted on two hands. 

A lot of the times stuff will look hideous on the hanger, but look amazing on. I feel like that's something that happens in all stores, not just thrift shops. Always keep an open mind. If you find yourself drawn to something, grab it and throw it in your basket! What's the harm in just trying it on? 

Being able to see a piece of clothing in your hand and envision a whole outfit around it helps tremendously as well. Let your imagination run wild, don't limit yourself because of others opinions/inputs. 

HAVE FUN 

To end off this short list of tips, the most important thing to remember is to have fun. Thrifting is suppose to be an exciting experience filled with adrenaline and thrill over finding a nice treasure. Take it easy and don't stress out! Some trips you'll come out with bags full of things and others you'll be leaving empty handed - both are completely fine. There is always next time! 

KRISTINA X 

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