Last Monday was a very fun day for me. Not only did I get a clean bill of health status from my cardiologist, but I also went thrift shopping with one of my best friends. We hit 3 different value village locations since they were having a 50% off sale. We went to one each separately and then we met up at a huge one in Toronto located at Victoria park and Eglington.
My first stop was the one closest to my house where I did most of my thrifting damage. All together I purchased 16 items and spent a total of 61 dollars. I may have went a little crazy in the hour and a half I was in the store, but there were so many good things to grab and look at!
Tip 1: Make a list, plan it out!
As soon as I walked into the store, I grabbed that last cart known to man at that point and headed straight for the blazer and jacket section. I always make a plan before hand, and a list of things I hope to find before stepping foot in the store. This helps to keep me on track, and stops me from buying useless things I will never wear... for the most part. After grabbing 30+ items, I figured I should park myself in front of a mirror and take a look at what I had picked up.
Tip 2: Try on as much as you can outside of a fitting room!
I always hate going into fitting rooms when I go thrifting, mainly because the rooms are tiny, dimly lit cages where you can't get a good look at what you actually have on. Not to mention line ups on days like Monday usually take anywhere from 15-45 min before you even see a change room available. I usually have tights and a tank top on so i can just try everything on outside, but as I had a quickly approaching Drs appointment, I had to throw things on and off as quickly as possible.
Tip 3: Eliminate the unnecessary!
While I was trying on I realized most things I had picked up were either not the right size, not for me, or had a few imperfections. This quickly helped to lessen the load of clothes as I made executive decisions to make sure I was getting great pieces and not just closet stuffers. I always say its best to try new styles or trends at a thrift store since your paying a third of the price anyways, but if it isn't working out then things are going back on the shelf.
Tip 4: Do a Round 2!
After I had gotten through my cart, I referred back to my list to see how many things I actually picked up, and what I still needed to get. I always do a round to whether I picked up everything or not just to make sure I didn't miss out on any great pieces that I bypassed on my initial hunt.
Tip 5: Check your items and your tags!
By the end of the night I had 3 bags in toe and 20 items which came to about 4 dollars each! From my list I had prepared, I walked away with 10 times crossed off and I am extremely happy with everything I purchased. Nothing had any stains, tears or imperfections, and some items I purchased were real leather or made in France, Canada and the USA. Always check your tags to see care instructions, materials used and where items were made. You may be pleasantly surprised by what you find!
Now for all the goodies I purchased!!
