Thrifting Tips ♥

vintage suede skirt, necklace, purse and t-shirt : thrifted! / sandals: Spring / sunglasses: ModCloth

I was so happy with the positive response to my posts about thrifting, I really wanted to say a big Thank You to everyone that commented or e-mailed me. Thrifting rocks and you my friends are awesome!

Even though I have just recently started thrifting I already discovered a few rookies mistake not to make and got a little strategy down. And so I really wanted to share some basic tips with you and inspire you to start thrifting if you don't already.

My thrift shopping reality looks like this: the 3 Value Village (kind of like Goodwill) that are in my area and a few garage sales. Nothing more complicated than that! You don't need more to start thrifting :)

My goals when I go shopping is always to find inspiring items, make a good deal and keep it as time efficient as possible. That's why I am currently going by these guidelines:

♥  Know what you are looking for. Thrift stores carry more variety of clothes than a regular store and it can be intimidating at first. Write down a list of items you would like to purchase to make your closet work even better*. This list should be a long term plan (chances are you won't find everything in one shopping trip). I make sure my list consists of pieces that can easily be remixed (my personal rule is an item need to go with 5 outfits to be worth purchasing).

♥  Set a budget. Finding amazing items at the thrift store can be very exciting at first and give you a little high. Which might make you want to buy everything! So I advise you to go in cool headed and have a maximal amount of money you plan on spending. Weither it's 7$ or 40$, it will help you stay on track without letting your emotions get in the way.

♥  Don't be afraid to try on a lot of things. Grab a basket and fill it up with colors and textures that inspire you, then head to the dressing room! You might need to try on 7 burnt orange silky top before you find the perfect one (for 2$ no less!). Not being afraid to try things on also means trying a variety of sizes and shapes and not letting labels dictate what fits us.

♥  Look outside of your specific section. I think this is like the #1 rule for a successful thrifting trip and the first any thrifter would share. What you are looking for might be in the man's section or in the plus sizes. Think outside the box and venture everywhere in the store! I promise you'll be pleasantly surprised.

*I think that shopping in general is probably easier when you have an organized closet and know what you own. It helps you stay steer clear of over consuming (which isn't good for your budget or the environment!) and hoarding. For great tips on making your closet work for you, check out Kendi's series!

There is much more I want to share about thrifting, more tips and strategies as well as fabulous reasons to thrift!

In the mean time I would say mostly: be creative and have fun! 

Somehow that applies to thrifting and life too ;)