Thrift shopping is not for the faint of heart. It definitely warms the cockles of our souls to find a designer’s dress with tags buried in a pile of polyester at a local thrift shop. If you know how to go about it, you can be successful in thrifting. The key is to know where and what to look for.
On your next thrifting trip, focus on these key areas to maximize your chances of finding valuable items:
1. Books and Textbooks
Thrift store books are always a big hit, especially for readers. You can score a set of “Harry Potter” or “Lord of the Rings” books, both paperback and hardcover, for as low $30. Is not that amazing?
Keep an eye out for college books too! Several students donate them without checking their value. You can still make good use of them, as long as they are not outdated.
2. Photo Frames
Thrift shops often have their fair share of art. Aside from paintings, you can see good frames.
Large picture frames are always in demand, especially those with ornaments. When checking racks of paintings, check the frames and choose the ones in excellent condition.
3. Video Games
Can you believe it? You can score some of the most popular titles and genres of video games from a thrift store! The oldest and the newest games sell best. Games for Nintendo and Atari are specifically popular! Fore newer games, you might want to invest on anything for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Wii U.
4. Designers’ Clothes and Bags
Thrift store clothes and bags always sell well! You can find designers’ items like Coach, Michael Kors, Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Calvin Klein, DVF, and more at a fraction of the cost you pay in department stores. Though these are second hand items, most are still in excellent condition.
If you are not a fan of high-end brands, mall brands such as Nine West, Aeropostale, Express, and Abercrombie & Fitch are also available.
If you are planning to resell thrift store clothes, you can put together a clothing lot. For example, you can combine 10 garments which are of the same size or type. Mix a few name brands with lower-end items. This will attract more people and bring in more cash through online auctions.
5. Glassware
One of the best vintage items to look for at thrift stores is glassware. It is durable, so expect to see a lot of it at your local thrift shop. If you are a collector, you will surely be interested in getting vintage Pyrex cookware, as well as glass in different colors and shapes. There are just too many options and you will surely find something that is out of the ordinary!
6. Kitchenware
We all use pots, pans, and dishes at home and excellent sources of quality kitchen ware are thrift shops.
7. Sporting Goods
Brand-new sporting goods can be very expensive. Yu can save a lot of money by snagging second hand items at a local thrift shop. Most of them are in excellent shape, without rips and tears. However, look for signs of sweat and odors before buying because sporting goods are not easy to clean.
8. Records Players
Several thrift stores have an area for old records and players, and both are highly collectible. You can find a player for as low as $10 or less.
Vinyl albums are collectible too! Diehard fans are willing to pay more for these records.
9. Furniture
Do you need furniture to restyle your home? Whether you are looking for vintage decor or DIY items, thrift store finds are quite hard to beat. You can get long tables, cabinets, bed frames, dining sets, and more at affordable prices.
10. Anything With A Tag
As a general rule of thumb, if you see something with a tag, get it! These items are considered new. They definitely have more value than the same with the same condition but without tags. Should you decide to resell it online, you will find a good number of auction shoppers who are only interested in getting items listed as “new with tags.”
If you are in Panama, Santa Rosa, or Destin FL or Lebanon TN, head to Haven House thrift store and get some of these valuable thrift store finds!
