Master the “Goodwill Bins” — Tips for Thrifting at Goodwill Outlets
Have you ever felt like thrifting the Goodwill bins is “hit or miss?” Some days you find lots of amazing items, while other days there’s nothing worth buying? Luckily, with a little bit of planning, you can become more successful at thrifting! Resellers and thrifters alike will benefit from these five tips and tricks to the art of thrift shopping.
First, What Is the Point of Thrifting?
Thrifting is an excellent way to find cheap clothes. Goodwill bins (aka goodwill clearance centers) specifically can offer finds from high-end name brands such as Champion, J. Crew, and Burberry, all the way to comfortable closet staples. Goodwill and other thrift stores sell items for a highly discounted price. At some Goodwill stores, no item is over $5 — no matter what brand it is!
Reselling has also become a popular reason for thrifting. Reselling is the act of buying cheap items at Goodwill or other thrift stores, fixing or cleaning them, and then selling them for a higher price. It’s a great way to make a little bit of money, and if you have an eye for fashion or are good at fixing up clothes, then reselling would make for a great hobby or job for you.
Tip One: Don’t Be Afraid to Buy Something That Needs a Little Work
Thrifting can sometimes seem like an impossible task because the clothes may seem to be in poor condition. At first glance, many of the items are wrinkled, stained, or have loose threads. Blazers may be missing buttons, or the zipper on a pair of jeans may be broken. This isn’t always the case, but isn’t uncommon either.
However, this shouldn’t necessarily stop you from buying the item. Lots of name brand items are still worth the purchase even if they have a little wear-and-tear. It’s often not too hard to fix up clothing items — it just requires a little time and effort. Stains are often easy to get out of clothes with the right materials. Buttons and zippers are easy to replace and fix, and small tears are simple to patch. For a cheap price, it’s definitely worth it to buy an item, fix it up, and then resell it for a profit.
Tip Two: Go at the Right Time
Another reason thrifting may seem difficult to you is because you aren’t going at the right time. Goodwill replaces their items in the morning, and some stores replace their items just before closing as well. The safest choice is to go in the morning, right when the store opens. At this point, no one else will have gone through the bins or racks and taken the good name-brand items.
Going as soon as the store opens gives you the ultimate choice for what you want to buy from the store. The products are fresh, and nothing has been bought for the day. It may seem like a hassle to get to the thrift store early, but it’s worth it for all the wonderful finds you’ll have.
Tip Three: Spend a Lot of Time Thrifting
For ultimate thrifting, you are going to need to be prepared to spend a lot of time at the store. Some recommend dedicating an entire afternoon to thrifting, but a few hours should result in some good finds. Dedicate quite a bit of time to each bin or rack. It may seem like a waste of time to look through every item of clothing, but sometimes the best clothes are hard to find. Don’t be afraid to go back through bins either, especially after someone else has gone through it. Sometimes, rearranging the clothes in the bin can unearth new finds!
Tip Four: Develop a Strategy
Having a strategy before you go into the thrift store is important. Knowing where you want to start and end, how you want to go through the racks and bins, and how you want to move through the store is important. Without a strategy, it can easily get overwhelming trying to go through the clothing items. Figuring out exactly how you want to get things done will maximize your efficiency.
One way to develop a system is to have a “dry run” in a store. Go to a Goodwill Outlet and just wander around to check out what it’s like. Practice sifting through bins and racks to see what kind of clothes they offer and how much each bin typically has in it. Then, plan out how you want to go through the store. Is it easier for you to start at the front? Maybe it’s easier if you start with shoes, and then move to clothing items. No matter how you do it, formulating your strategy is integral.
Tip Five: Know What You’re Looking for
Finally, you need to know what you’re looking for. Don’t go into the thrift store and just figure out what you want after you get there. Try to have a certain style, brand, color, or article of clothing in mind when you go in. This will help you streamline the process so you won’t get overwhelmed by everything that they have.
Depending on your store and its popularity, it may be possible to have a quick Google search to figure out what kind of brands and clothing your store typically offers. Knowing this can help you decide what you’re going to be looking for before you go to the store.
Try Your Hand at Thrifting
Thrifting is not only a good idea for resellers and those looking to upgrade their wardrobe — it’s also a fun and rewarding hobby, especially if you have a quality Goodwill Outlet in your area! With a little practice, you can be assured that you’ll have the ultimate thrifting experience.
