It all started very young for me; I would spend my days with my Nonna (that's my grandma) pulling weeds in her garden, and taking our daily trips to Value World. That's right, we wouldn't go to the park, we'd go hit up the resale store down the street. When I was in elementary school I didn't quite get it: why would someone want other peoples' used stuff? As I aged and learned more about the world around us, I found that resaling is one of the more valuable treasures you can experience for just the price of gas and a couple of dollars. I've been resaling for many years now, and love to respond with," Salvation, 50 cents," when someone asks where I got my tank top. I take pride in my finds. However, lots of my friends have also inquired as to how I locate so many great buys, and what my tactics are. Sounds pretty silly, but there is a bit of an art to resaling the right way, in my opinion. Here are my tips for becoming a resale King or Queen.
1. Know where you're going.
Seems pretty simple, right? Wrong. There are many more resale stores around than you think; the resale world is not just one big Salvation Army. Don't be afraid to do some research on resale stores near you, and even read up on their reviews (yes, resale stores can get reviews on Yelp too). You may be aware of your local Salvation or St. Vincent's, but don't discount the low-key resale stores near you. We have quite a few family and church resale shops in our town, and sometimes they have some great treasurers for cheaper prices than the bigger resale chains. There's no law that says you need to be loyal to any one resale shop, so look around, and more importantly, shop around!
2. Know when to go.
Why would resale shops have sales when they're already selling things for almost no money to begin with? Who knows! Who cares! Be there. That's right, resale shops (especially the bigger name ones) have blowout sales just like any average department store. My brother and I clean house when we walk up to the Value World entrance at 6:30 a.m. on Black Friday. I probably spend about four hours in Salvation Army every labor day weekend. You'll get so many good deals, it'll feel like you're practically stealing (but you aren't, don't worry). The fact of the matter is, many stores that function in order to benefit the less fortunate need to get rid of their inventory, because they have so many donations coming in, which is awesome! Every penny counts, and if you can get a gorgeous cashmere sweater for $2.00 while still helping those in need, why wouldn't you give it a shot?
3. Allot for more time than you think you'll need.
Like I mentioned before, reselling is a little-known art. And, like anything resulting in something beautiful, it takes a decent amount of time. I primarily go to resale shops for clothes, and we all know how many racks of garments your average Salvation Army houses (hint: it's a lot). The fact of the matter is, you're not going to find any hidden treasures if you aren't willing to search every nook and cranny. Sure, sometimes I'll get lucky and notice a great dress for a cheap price right of the bat, but not typically. I always find the best stuff after I've lapped the store about three times and am ready to get out of there. Like the classic saying goes: good things come to those who wait. Well, my saying is: really fantastic things at crazy-low prices come to those who are willing to spend a few hours sifting through ugly sweaters on a Saturday morning. I'm not saying that every trip to the resale shop has to be some grand escapade, but if you want to find a great haul, then you're going to need to dedicate a decent sum of time.
4. For goodness' sake, try stuff on.
But Analisa, what if it's dirty? What if I get some sort of mysterious rash? I don't want any of it on my body until I have seen with my own eyes that it has gone through a washing machine!
First of all, calm the heck down. Resale shops aren't in the business of transmitting weird diseases, they're trying to make some cash on things people maybe wore once or twice and could afford to get rid of. Just try the shorts on over your clothes if you're really that concerned. I can't tell you how many times I've grabbed something off of the rack, thought, "wow, this is gonna look fabulous on me," and have been completely wrong. Just because you're paying under $10 for just about everything in your cart doesn't mean that it's going to magically fit you any better. Wear spanx to protect your delicate body, bring some hand sanitizer, I promise you will live.
5. Don't be afraid to DIY.
One of the greatest parts of thrift shopping is that everything is pretty darned cheap. That means that you can afford to tear it apart and make something new! Log onto Pinterest and get some cool DIY ideas for simple garments, and make them you're own. Trust me, there's nothing more satisfying than successfully distressing a pair of jeans yourself rather than paying twenty extra dollars for Hollister to do it for you.
6. Pay it forward.
This has been something I've had trouble with over the years, because I'm self-admittedly a bit of a hoarder when it comes to clothes. What I have begun doing is every time I get something new (to me) from the resale store, I put something that I already had in the donation bag. This is a great way to control clutter, and give back to those who really need it. It's easy to justify all of the cute clothes you have when you've only collectively spent around $30 on your 20 garments, but there is simply no reason for all of that clutter. Pay it forward, and maybe the resale gods will reward you with an amazing find next time you head out thrift shopping.
7. Be on the lookout for coupons.
Again, how could we make the resale store finds even cheaper than they already are? The beauty of coupons! Whenever I go see my Nonna she has a Value World 50 percent of total purchase coupon waiting for me on the counter, and I'd be crazy not to use it. Resale coupons typically expire pretty quickly, but from what I've found, they are extremely valuable. They can be the difference between paying next-to-nothing and paying literally-almost-nothing for your finds at the thrift shop. However, beware, when a coupon is released to the public, the public will respond, so be ready for crowding and for lines up the wazoo. Which leads us to my next tidbit ...
8. Being polite will get you farther than you think.
I'd be lying if I said I've never been tempted to raise my voice when someone cuts in front of me in line or blocks an aisle with their cart, but you just have to be nice to people. Obviously, you should be polite wherever you go, but especially when shopping. I have a corresponding anecdote. A few years ago, when I was shopping around our local Salvation Army, I noticed that a garment had fallen out of a woman's shopping cart. I went over to her and gave the shirt to her, along with a kind smile. About an hour later, the lines for the dressing rooms were impossibly long, but I sat myself in the back anyway. That same woman saw me at the back, waved me over, and gave me her spot in line. Being nice pays off, my friends.
9. Go through your cart before checking out.
To save on time, I usually toss in anything that I think I'd like to buy while I'm darting through the aisles. However, this usually leaves me with a full-to-capacity shopping cart. After I've gone into the dressing room and tried things on, I part with about a third of that pile. However, I typically step to the side of the store, or somewhere I'll be out of the way of other shoppers, and go through what I have in my cart. The most effective method I've found is giving myself a cap spending amount, going through what I have, and selecting only the things that I really want/need, and that fit within my designated budget. This helps you to filter out things that you may have in the cart simply because they're cheap and cute, and to keep your spending under control.
10. Shop often, but spend less.
The beauty of resale shops is that new inventory is constantly coming in. As things leave the store, things enter the store, almost instantaneously. This means that no two trips are the same! My motto for the past few years has been shop often, but spend less. I know it seems pretty ludicrous, but you don't have to buy anything when you go shopping — it's just that, shopping around. This provides you optimal opportunities to see all of the lovely goods your resale store has to offer. This tactic also gives you a special sense of accomplishment when you do find a hidden treasure.
