where my thrift goblins at?! 👺

My most important tip about thrifting is to not get greedy just because something is at a good price. What I mean by this is, look at the item you're holding and consider "Do I want this enough that I would've paid full price for it?". Does the quality hold up? Is it comfortable? Does it fit you well? Does it match your style and things you already own? Otherwise it's so easy to hoard up an entire bag of barely-okay clothing, none of which will become a favorite and only end taking up space in your closet.

I was at a goodwill recently and there was a person shopping who out of nowhere yells "who likes yellow because this is beautiful?!?!?" And I loved it

My favorite thrifting tip is it's okay to leave empty-handed. Sometimes there's a pressure to score a find but sometimes there's nothing much to find and overconsumption in thrifting is real too. Your storage spaces will thank you that you left an item that's meh even though good enough because it's cheap

Worked in a thrift store for 3+ years and got trained by the most incredible older ladies who knew everything - I loved that you talked about touch, but your nose is one of your most valuable tools with vintage pieces in determining not only use smells (weird chemicals, pee, sweat, mould, water damage), but also certain natural fibers like wool and leather have incredibly distinct smells and may not be labelled! Yes, you will look strange huffing everything in the thrift, but that's why my wardrobe is so fly.

My Thrift Goblin tips: 1. Carry a Tide pen with you to test any stains you might come across. If the Tide pen lifts the stain even a little, you can probably get the whole stain out with laundering. 2. If you like the clothing brand Chico's, always check the plus size sections. Most thrift stores don't understand Chico's sizing and mistakenly put it in with the plus clothing. 3. If fitting rooms aren't available or you'd rather avoid them, wear this to shop: Warm weather - bike shorts + fitted tank or sports bra with an oversized tee or button-up thrown on top. Cold weather - leggings + fitted tank or sports bra with an oversized sweatshirt or button-up flannel shirt thrown on top.

Thrifting is in my blood on both sides of my family, I was trained for this from childhood. One of my favorite things to thrift is knitwear because I'm a knitter and I can find lots of cotton and wool sweaters that I can unravel and reuse the yarn for way cheaper than cotton and wool yarn costs new. Its even cheaper than buying 8 skeins of cheap, low quality yarn from Joann's AND unravelling and rewinding is super fun, especially when I break out my steamer to straighten it, that's satisfying as hell. Bonus: I get to enjoy my hobby and make my own knitwear while saving items from clothing garbage piles!

as a thrift store employee: DO NOT put things back if you are now sure exactly where you picked it up that is how we get different sizes and items mixed in with each other. the place i work at is a charity and regularly has volunteers. we have had to ban them from putting away clothes because of how poorly one person did. if you really want to help, pick up items that fall on the floor and empty/broken hangers! this is a great video and i always appreciate quality fabric and love it when people find unique/vintage pieces!

Longtime thrift goblin, first time viewer. Excellent tips all. I have two to add: 1.) Check the seams of garments, and check for holes and snags (particularly in sweaters). 2.) Compliment other thrifters on their finds. This is another important way to build thrifting karma.

I'm an avid sewer, and my #1 thrift tip is to *always* check out those baggies they make up of random sewing crap. I've saved so much money on bias tape, buttons, fasteners, zippers, lace, ribbon - you name it, you can find it. And don't even get me started on patterns. So much gold to be found!

My tips? Take a photo of yourself in the fitting room in anything you're thinking of buying. Don't rely on the mirror. You can make sure you actually do look good in the item, and you don't have to try it on again if you're unsure later. Remember to sit down, bend over, stretch, and take a few steps in anything you're really thinking of buying. Is it still comfortable/wearable? If it's too cute to be true, it could be the reason why someone donated it. Before you check out, really look at each item and ask yourself if you're just buying it because it's a good deal. If you'd pay more for it, then ask yourself if you're really going to wear it. If you think you will, then ask if you already have at least one thing you can pair it with. If you can't even think of one thing, it's unlikely that it fits with your overall style. There's a difference between trying something new and buying something because you spent two hours at the thrift, and by golly, you're going home with something. It is normal to go to the thrift and find nothing that sparks joy. It is normal and okay to leave without buying anything.

9 times out of 10, a "dry clean only" label is just the manufacturer trying to cover their butt so you can't blame them if you destroy the clothing in the wash! Almost everything can be cleaned at home if you know how, but therein lies the issue-- with the convenience of washers and dryers, and the fact that most clothes these days are made of synthetic fabrics that are meant to go through the washer and dryer, many people have lost the knowledge on how to wash and care for a variety of natural fabrics such as wool and silk.

Oh also, if you're looking for cool wall art, look for large-scale coffee table books. You can carefully cut out the photo pages with an exacto and frame them - voila! Out-of-date science textbooks and old home decor/gardening manuals work really well for this also, and sometimes old issues of National Geographic magazine will have tear-out posters or multi-page photo spreads.

For me, having a color palette for my wardrobe has made thrifting easier and more productive for me

I am a plus size thrifter and I really APPRECIATE your comment about leaving those sizes for the curvy girls. Another good tip is knowing the location of the thrift store. Usually the visible from the road thrift stores are over picked. If you go to local spots or harder to get to spots they usually they have a surplus.

The sleepwear/lingerie section! Not for sleepwear/lingerie, no. For silk camisoles and slip dresses. Also silk pyjama pants which are can be worn for daytime

When looking at ceramics and porcelain, check the bottom- a hand thrown piece will have an artist’s signature carved into clay rather than printed on usually. Porcelain will have a maker’s mark which can be researched. I like getting frames at thrifting places too, I consider that a standard- but I always check first to see if it will be easy to get the art out!

1. It can be hard to tell what the actual color is of something because of the lighting, so if possible take it next the window so you can find out if that orange/red thing is actually pink (and if there are mystery stains too) 2. Quest item: Curtains! They’re great as curtains, or as big squares of material you can use for whatever you want, and usually way less worn in than the linens in the bedsheet section.

As a person with ADHD who gets overwhelmed in almost every shopping scenario, these tips are fantastic. The first set of tips you gave is good advice for any shopping scenario. For quest items, one thing I see at every thrift store is a section of small appliances with at least two or three unopened or barely used appliances that were trending about 5 years ago. Five years from now we won't be to walk without tripping over Air Fryers. If you need a soda stream now, I think your local thrift store has two or three of them...:D

Sorry if I’m being Captain Obvious but my tip is too try and push each section of the rack back to give you some “looking room”. Then I move each piece to the other end of the rack, it’s quick and easy to get a good glimpse at the rack and when you’ve finished, the rack often looks a lot neater 😂. It’s just easier (personally) to look at things this way as opposed to pulling things out at a 45 degree angle and trying to shove it back in.

I always try to thrift on a very small budget. $20 can usually get you 4 or 5 good items, and when I limit myself to that small quantity I'm going to opt for the pieces that I really love and know I'm going to wear a lot

Thrift goblin here (gen x). Favorite tip: ignore the “dry clean only” tag, 💯 agree. 2 tips to add: 1. if you have kiddos, check the kids section often-so many new with tags items and brands kids like (Nike, etc) for cheap cycle in and out every month. 2. look in the way back of the home goods shelves - I have found tons of earthenware and vintage vases that were hiding behind boring glass vases on the shelf. Love your channel @kathleen!

My pro tip: get to know the employees and ask them questions. Especially if you're a regular at their store. If they get to know you and your style, they may point you in the direction of things you might be interested in.

Sort of a tip, remember to set your expectations around pricing accordingly based on whether you are at thrift store/ charity shop, vintage store or consignment store. The latter two can sometimes be pricier because of the extra effort taken by staff to curate the store and in the case of consignment, two parties (the original owner and the store) are trying to make some money off the resale purchase.

My tip: Always bring a measuring tape! Even if it’s not to measure clothes, it’s so useful. It sucks when you find the perfect piece of furniture but it ends up being too big/small.

My golden rule of thrifting: if I buy something new in a category, I donate an old thing in the same category. For example if I buy a new dress, I donate an old dress I don't wear much. It not only helps me save on closet space, since I have very limited, but also keeps my wardrobe new and exciting! Plus it allows someone else to wear something that would otherwise go to waste burried in my closet.

Personal tip: If you go to a thrift store that isn't a major retailer and is more locally owned by a church or something don't be afraid to ask for help when looking for certain products. the workers in these shops are usually volunteers or low-paid workers who work there because they support the business and often take personal care and time to pick the items that are on the floor so there are things on the sales floor they want customers to notice and buy and if they can help in pointing them out it usually makes their day. I've literally been given discounts on items because it was a cashier's favorite item and they were hoping someone else would like and buy it.

Thrifting as a plus size person can be super discouraging, so thanks for spreading the word! At least we always have the home goods section! 😈

Also thrifting the week after a long weekend or after school holidays when people have had time off is ALWAYS rewarding as people have been at home decluttering!

Some of my favorite tips is to never skip over the men's section. This might just be a personal thing but I love men's sweaters and Tshirts. There are so many high quality ones and I have the best luck with them. Also, i am never afraid to load up my cart. It might take me a while to sift through it, but it really makes me think about what I really want from the mess. If you're going to buy an electrical item, find an outlet to check that it works!

I love the men's section for wool/silk sweaters. Usually in brand new condition and very reasonably priced.

My tips- turn any clothing item you intend to buy inside out and check all the seams, linings etc. are intact. Hold thinner items up to the light to check for holes. A quick way to check if a pair of pants/skirt will fit you is to wrap the (fastened) waistline around your neck. If the waistline touches at the back of your neck, chances are it will fit your waist.

Thrift goblin here 👺So true about racks organized by size being more of a suggestion. Especially check the sections one size up and one size down from your actual size. You may find your size hidden there! Also, you don't have to adhere strictly to what your usual size is. Many clothing items come to thrift store stretched or shrunk from their original size. You may be surprised by what turns out to be a perfect fit!

I play a game where I try to not look at the price tag and ask myself what is the maximum amount I would be willing to pay for this item? Then I'll look at the price! How close am I? Sometimes that can help me decide how I feel about something in my cart. Great tips from a true Pro! :) Curious to know if you prefer to thrift mainly for items in the current season or for opposite seasons? (like summer and winter items)

From a thrift store worker- tip 9 can literally make or break our day, you don’t know how many times we think we’re good for the night then we find 3 abandoned carts full of clothes that we have to put back before we can leave😭 If you’re nice to us, just know we deeply appreciate it because we aren’t treated the best by most customers(at my store at least)

A thrifting hack I've recently realized on a recent trip for the nbs who switch between presenting masc and fem often: BRING YOUR BINDER. I wore mine the other day and found that soooo many blouses looked better on me than when I would go without wearing it. I now just tuck it in my bag for when I go. So smart.

Thrift tip: Thrift Goblins are only worth 3 xp. Hunt the Thrift Minotaurs for 10 xp and better items.

My boyfriend works at a goodwill so I have peeked behind the curtain of the inner workings of that store. Tip 4 is very real. They try to group sizes together, but depending on who is working they may mistake certain sizes. For example when my boyfriend started I had to explain teen sizing vs. women sizing as he had no clue that they were different. Also going to the rich neighborhoods isn’t going to guarantee the best items. The goodwills in my area take all the donations to a warehouse and redistribute the items so no one store has better merchandise than another.

My go to thrift outfit is bike shorts, a skirt, and a camisole. The camisole goes under everything, the skirt provides cover for putting pants on. And yes! Tape measurer is a god tier thrifting move!

Great tips! My go-to tips when thrifting are: 1. Check the fabric tags. I get some funny looks sometimes from other thrifters when I go up inside of a sweater for the inner tag but I've been really into natural fibres and it's always great to be sure. I've gotten so much wool especially from the cardigan and blazer sections (which is great because cardigans and blazers are a feature in my wardrobe) and silk from all over - dress section, blazer section, scarves, shirts, you name it. Crepe silk is great as well as silk satin so don't pass up on a silk piece just because it's not in a satin weave! 2. Pay attention to colour. It helps if you're aware of what colours you never wear. Sometimes I see a navy blue piece that looks gorgeous, but do I even wear navy blue? Have I ever? Not that much. Don't buy the thing in the colour you don't care to wear unless something else about it makes it an extreme exception. 3. Get your winter coats in the summer. There's less competition and more amazing coats that people aren't thinking to go look for. I got one of my favourite winter coats, a local muskrat fur coat from 1974, for thirty bucks in the middle of July. 4. If they have a showcase, check it! Sometimes there will be some pretty good stuff in there. If you're getting jewelry there and specifically precious metals, make sure the piece has a stamp on it (ex: 10K, 14K, etc for gold, 925 for sterling silver). Make sure, if you have a nickel allergy, that the piece does not say, for example 10K HGE (heavy gold electroplate) or 10K GF (gold filled) because that would mean it's plated and there's an underlayer of base metal that may cause a reaction if the plating wears off. Wander around some jewelry stores to see what things generally cost. One thrift store in my area has good prices for fine jewelry, and another sells items above what their retail price would be. 5. If you're lucky enough to have multiple thrift stores in your area, check different ones for different things. As I mentioned, it's a bad idea to go to one near me for jewelry, but that same thrift store has lower clothing prices than the other. 6. Make sure you can test any electronics before purchase. 7. Don't rule out furniture if you need some! My favourite vintage velvet chair came from a furniture-based thrift store for 24 bucks. (How many thrift stores do I have near me? Four... I'm very lucky in that regard.) Look for furniture of good quality. Solid wood is easier to find in vintage pieces and is better than the weird board stuff more common nowadays. 8. Don't limit yourself strictly to thrift stores. If you like those, you might also enjoy pawn shops and discount department stores. Pawn shops especially, because they're secondhand. I've found some incredible rings there. For clothes, though, discount departments like Winners tend to have clothing in good fabrics for good prices, and a wide array of things. Just don't wait until after Christmas to look for sweaters there, because as soon as January hits, their spring stock goes out for some reason.

Oh my goshhhh first of all I’ve been loving your videos. I’m obsessed. Secondly I used to manage a thrift store and the last one about putting stuff back nearly brought a tear to my eye. Not only is it nice to the staff who is constantly cleaning up after people but it’s just a good human trait to have. PUT STUFF BACK HOW YOU FOUND IT. The thrift gods are true and just 🥰😭

Tip on the shoes: make sure they aren't your ugliest slip ons, esp if you are old enough that "floods" means short pants. I've noticed that us olders really feel awkward about the shoe+pant combos and will judge our outfits "ugly" if we think we have the 'wrong' shoes or 'wrong' pant length (youngers, there used to be fashion rules that werent legal, but were way more important than you'd think. I once had to change at work because my belt and shoes werent the same color, for instance; pants had to reach your shoes or you were a gross person worthy of bullying, for real...it had to do with mocking hand-me-downs & creating visible class markers). I tend to judge pants too harshly unless I am wearing a ballet style slip on that looks good with everything I would consider.

honestly i love the nuance you add to everything, i don't think it's overexplaining! it's very much in my thought process to have lots of little addendums to whatever i'm saying so it's kinda comforting lol. you communicate very clearly and it's much appreciated

My manager who pretty much only thrifts tell me his strat is to look through the accessories, shoes, and outerwear first since those often go quicker as there are less of them. Not sure how much this applies to the women's section but I'd have to imagine a little bit judging by the thrift stores I've been to

😃Been thrifting for 35 years (yes, when it wasn’t cool and people would look down on you for being, ugh, “poor” and wearing used clothes) … best tip i have is look in places you wouldn’t normally (the linen section or kids toy section, people hide and squirrel away some awesome stuff and I have found the most rad items that way…don’t be afraid to dive into some bins…I found a 1900’s tooled leather purse in one of those $1 totes!❤❤❤

If you like sewing always look at the table cloths. So many table clothes are made out of linen. I've found so much linen that way! I've never had to buy it.

for my gothic girlies and boys: halloween time is great way to find some fun accessories. I've found some great gloves before (before I lost them) after Halloween and before Halloween is when you can find some cute last minute halloween costumes too. CHRISTMAS omg I've found such cute small gifts at the thrift before worth keeping an eye out. students? if you cact afford your graduation gown thrift stores often carry some from previous years of people who are super done. depending where you live you can find the right color too. for those who collect toys. looks in the toy section and really dig you might cause an avalanche or two but you can find some real gems. same with the mugs ive found so many great mugs lol

Yessssss thank you for telling people to put the stuff back! I’ve worked in thrift stores, and we notice a regular who is nice to us. Also, if you’re a regular, workers (especially at local stores) once they see that you’re a decent human being who doesn’t make more work for them, might actually guide you to a piece they saw come in that they know suits your style or might get you a discount on a pricier statement piece from the manager, especially if it’s been sitting for a few weeks. The thrifting gods smile on the righteous goblin.

My mum and I always go to the charity shops together and similar to your tip: always go for natural materials (cotton, linen) not the man-made ones (polyester etc) and now I'm always getting the ick when I feel polyester and its used in a lot of fast fashion shops. Also I tend to overheat in manmade fabrics so this is definitely the best tip.

Love your channel Kathleen, it is unique and beautifully put together. I'm not your demographic, and as a 70 year old I look positively corpse-like under those trhift store lights! I find it useful to go thrifting on senior day sometimes as I'm not looking for the pieces most of MY demographic are searching for!🤓.

Where I live (the Netherlands), thriftstores rarely have clothing and especially no vintage clothes, we need to go to overpriced curated vintage shops for the good clothes 🤷‍♀️ but I do thrift online a lot and having a snack before scrolling is a good idea haha😂❤

Yess! These are all fantastic tips! 👍👍😊 I have one tip to add! Take a look inside larger items like jackets and coats (and their pockets!), purses and bags, and home decor items (like “vessels”, as Kathleen calls them 😉). From my experience, it seems like people sometimes use these items to “hide” other things they plan on coming back for another day. Or, maybe they paired two items to see how they look together, but forgot to put them back separately. You might even find yourself an amazing coordinating set, or a “surprise” item in coat pocket! The first time I discovered this idea was when I went to take a coat off the hanger so I could try it on… And nestled inside of it on a separate hanger was the most amazing vintage “new” with tags 100% cotton burgundy button up sweater vest! I tried it on, loved it, and bought it! 😊 On other occasions I’ve found a coordinating wallet inside a purse, a coordinating waistcoat hung inside a blazer, two embroidered hankies in a coat pocket, and more. If you find “surprise” items that don’t have price tags, you can simply explain the situation and offer a price at checkout. If you’re purchasing the item you found the unpriced items in, I think it’s fair to keep them together and pay the marked price (if you suspect someone removed a tag from the surprise item in an attempt to hide and steal it- I would then remove the item and figure out a separate price for it at checkout).

I would say that my biggest hack so far has been to constantly remind myself that while current trends are fun to attempt to thrift, the truth is that it doesn't take long and the trends fade, like FADE. As a result, I remind myself that this is a reminder to trust the things that inspire me - to look for great construction, for authentic vintage, for slightly unusual shapes that appeal to me, because in the long run, that is what will have staying power. Something that maybe NEVER was popular, but that for some reason looks great, even if it feels a bit different or unfamiliar, that it just works! I often have colours I'm more into, other times I get excited about certain prints, so sometimes that inspiration has more weight. AND HAVE FUN. AND TRY THINGS ON. AND BE BRAVE! And if thrifting suddenly goes out of fashion, well, that's just silly, and all of us crusty old seasoned pickers will know who we are.

I've been thrifting since childhood, not only because of frugality, but it's the thrill of the hunt! I, too, have a wish list in my head because those items eventually come up. When you find thrift(s) you really like, stop by often. Know your prices. I know who has ridiculously low prices and whose are too high. Oddball things tend to be low priced. I got a sewing machine rolling case for $5 - this model retails for over $150. The staff just didn't know what it was, but I was over the moon. It was very dusty but clean up was simple. Perhaps my biggest score ever.

Thrift goblin here! I love what you said about craft supplies, just to add if you’re an artist check out the art section for used canvases. Canvases at the art store can be crazy expensive $100 for a large standard size, but with a little gesso or some creative painting to incorporate the old art you have a $2.99 canvas. I’d avoid canvases with super thick textures/glitter (unless you like sanding textures off) or flimsy stretcher bars and remember oil paints can go on top of acrylic but acrylic cannot stick to oil! Even printed canvases can be gessoed over. Finding a framed canvas is a bonus!

THE RETURN RACK!!!!!! Literally the best piece of advice I can give ANYONE about thrifting

Amazing video as always Kathleen - your editing is *chef's kiss* ma'am! Do you remember for a brief moment, there was a trend to thrift plus size clothes and cut them down to a straight size and it was like: 😭 (And that is totally not the same as just wanting to wear stuff loose! People should absolutely buy the size they prefer.) My thing is jewelry and there are so many vintage treasures to be had... my tips are try a local charity (as opposed to a huge national one) thrift/secondhand shop in a "fancy" neighborhood; look at everything if you can (and if the shop cooperates); think outside the box: brooches/pins are out of fashion at the moment and can be had for a song; if it's a good quality non-plated metal like sterling, a brooch you love can be converted into a necklace by a jeweler; too-short necklaces and bracelets can often be lenghtened with extenders, etc...

Little late to the game on this but my biggest tip is to strike while the iron is hot. I’ve gone months leaving stores empty handed without good thrift finds. Now when I come across a bunch of great items that i love I just go ahead and fill my cart up. I do not limit myself to a set number of items per trip. Many times when this happens I know it’s the same person who donated that has the same aesthetic as me. Other tip is that I love to re donate my thrifted finds when I am done with them. It’s great to give them another life! I never donate anything that is not in excellent condition. As a thrifter it’s so frustrating to come across ripped and broken things. Helps to have that thrift karma!

Big believer in tip #8 i take my grandma thrifting with me and I taught her to put an item in your cart if you want to keep thinking about it. More than once she’d see something nice, leave it on the shelf, realize she did want it and go back only to find someone else snagged it haha. Once we are ready to check out we go thru everything, check for imperfections we might’ve missed, show each other,etc and then decide what’s worth it (and then put stuff back!)

Bring hand sanitizer wipes! It helps! and keep a very careful eye out for tiny brown-black speckle stains on fabric, especially towards the corners and seams. I thrifted something that had those specks and ended up with a 4 month long bed bug infestation from it 🤢

I've been a lifelong thrift goblin 👺!!!!!!!! I'll be visiting later today. Monday is one of my favorite days to thrift. It's been rainy and that typically means I'll find something great 🔮🎱✌️✨💯

I used to skip 50% off day; but then I decided to go to one in January this year. I had went to the Goodwill a couple days prior to the half-off Saturday, and found a several items that I thought, “Hey, I’m not willing to pay full-thrift price, but I’d be about this for half.” (This calculation also has to do with the fact that I’ve noticed that anything stocked the week of the half-off Saturday sale tends to be priced mysteriously… more.) Then, when I got there on the half-off Saturday, not only did I notice more people… but waaaay more stock. Like they whipped out even an entire additional clothing aisle-more stock. Now I vow to go whenever I can, once a month. 😅🤣

Excited for part 2! As someone whose love of thrift is only evenly matched by fear of bed bugs (I know, it's a bad combo lol) , I always am interested to hear how others are cleaning/ caring for thrifted items. While I love finding leather jackets and wool blazers, sometimes I leave them behind because I'm not sure how I would clean/sanitize it!

I would also suggest avoiding the store on seniors day (unless of course you are a senior!) I find the thrift store is way too crowded for my liking. I also suggest always doing a stretch test for brittle elastic on any vintage pieces with elastic you might find, especially swimwear. That is always the first thing to go on them and unless you feel like replacing the elastic, you'll want to avoid them.

Depending on where you are....I do feel that the oversized clothing is in good quantity. Unless we are talking about 4XL+ - that's a size to keep on the racks if you aren't in that size range. But I will say that as an person who wears XXL+ - I actually find things easier at thrift stores than at dept stores. I've only had a problem finding things at consignment shops in trendy areas...but I'm not paying $30 for a sweatshirt I don't care how vintage it is so I'm not too upset. Infact, I got a $100 gift card to Ann Taylor one time - found nothing in my size and wound up giving it away to a buddy. I went to the Village later that day and got 10 pieces for $60. Including an Ann Taylor vintage! Also I just found your channel and I'm obsessed. This is great.

i work at value village and i have some tips to add. 1. in terms of the best time to find good stuff, early in the day is a good option. right at opening time is ok, but it might be busy. we often have people waiting outside in a line to come in when we unlock the doors. but you will definitely find the freshest stuff that we just put out in the few hours before opening. 2. at least at my store, all the production workers are gone at 3 or 4. that means no more racks are coming out after that, so you’ll find less new stuff after that point. 3. make sure you know what color tag is the current one! that’s the easiest way to identify new things that haven’t been picked over yet. 4. categories are loose and often overlapping. if you’re looking for a specific type of garment, like tank tops, you should look in tanks AND sleeveless. sometimes spaghetti strap tanks get put in intimates as well. sports bras often get put in activewear as well as intimates… you get the point. etiquette: 1. perusing the racks that people are currently rolling out is a good way to find fresh stuff, but if there’s a worker sorting the stuff on it, it’s better to stay out of the way. 2. if you decide you don’t want an item anymore, take it back to the spot you found it or to the return rack, NOT on a rack of fresh items. doing that throws off the organization process of the worker.

My tip to people is to go often (if that’s feasible). There’s always so much new stuff that you can look through (a friend once asked how I kept finding amazing things because she was struggling and it was only because I would go browse multiple times per week because there was a thrift store near my house.) Going often can also help with that pressure that you have to buy something - if you’re planning to come back in two days it’s easier to put things back because you’ll be back so soon.

If I have the guts to walk through the dense sections like tops, I am exclusively scanning and touching and not stopping unless something catches my interest via texture or a detail you can see quickly like you said (ruffles, puff sleeves, bright colors are all things I know I enjoy and are worth checking out) it saves me getting overwhelmed but still sometimes gets me a really unique piece that I love.

DO NOT try on clothes at a thrift store! I costumed plays before and are main place to find items is a thrift store. I bought an outfit for a guy in a play, he neglected to "wash" said outfit before wearing it and contracted Ring worm from it! ALWAYS wash everything! You never know what you are getting past to you!!

Fellow thrift goblin! Totally agree with all of these tips, Kathleen. But never thought about greeting cards! Genius. Excited to hear what you say in pt. 2! ❤

You are my favorite youtuber ever and my comfort channel and your new videos give me so much joy. Thank you! You are incredible! I am so grateful for you!

As someone with more clothes from thrifts than I have closets, and who always enjoys the thrill of thrifting, these tips are great. I just have a few more. Figure out your body and what looks best on it and work on thrifting some super high quality brand complete basic outfits in neutral colors in fantastic fibers. Black, ivory, white, gray. Then accessorize the hell out of it with great colorful/whimsical/stylish thrift store finds in the scarves, belts, jewelry, hats, jackets. This frees you up to splurge on a really great pair of shoes and purse because you’ve saved so much on everything else. Go forth, my tribe!

Can't wait for the 2 part😊 I always feel overwhelmed with those dry clean tags

I loved this. I’m so envious of all your giant thrift stores. My UK thrifting tips - middle class suburbs usually better than cities (esp university cities because fashion students are fast), the shops in out of town retail places are really good midweek and avoid any of the wool places (eg cancer research) 11-2 because wool needing nanas are prepared to destroy anyone in their path and that seems to be their hunting time everywhere.

Don’t forget to compliment thrifters on their outfits! Lots of thrifters like to dress up some to go thrifting and nothing makes their day more when they get a compliment🙂

I LOVE finding cool or vintage cook books and trying older but new to me recipes. I also love looking in the kitchen appliance and dishware areas. I've seen some crazy cool stuff like a brand new ceramic mini bundt cake pan that could bake 6 mini bundts at once. Couldn't get it at the time I regret it. Also I found a new ceramic taco shell holder that held like 4 shells at once. There's always fondue sets, crock pots, cake pop makers, rice makers, coffee machines. There's even office supplies like printers and scanners, phones, computer screens, radios. The furniture is also usually a hit with comfy couches and coffee tables. Thrifting for holiday decor and dishware is a must for saving money. It really is a treasure hunt. I love thrifting.

Thrift goblin here! One of my tips that works most time if there isn't a dressing room and your trying on pants is seeing the pants waist band fits around your neck! idk about the science of it all but most of the time it works! Also most of my clothes are either linen or dry clean only from the thrift!! i love a nice linen pant or button up shirt!

I learned this the hard way...always keep an eye on your cart....people can and will go shopping in your cart....

this is the first video of yours i've come across, just now, today, and i instantly subbed! everything about this video is so well done! good editing, good pacing, good tips-plus i just love your decorated space and the fonts you chose! and MAJOR points for still masking indoors

I so like that you talked about the uniform! One of the most underappreciated tips not included in many thrifting videos :) I personally prefer having a camisole or tank top so that you can try on clothes right over it without extra bulk. Besides wearing a skirt, another good option is shorts/leggings. Another tip is to bring hand sanitizer - your hands will feel a little grubby touching everything. I also recommend not being in a hurry! I have definitely bought things I didn't love because I was in a hurry and didn't have time to mull over my choices.

I appreciate you over explaining yourself. I've also found that most of my favorite garments are 100% rayon. The way it hangs and feels is great. And if its wrinkly I just hang it up in the shower and give it a light mist with a water spray bottle.

So excited for the dry clean only bit! I have a few of those and they intimidate me

This is awesome!! As a plus sized person it's so hard to find good pieces at the thrift store. So I mostly stick to home goods. So excited for part 2!!!

I just found your channel and haven’t gotten past 13 seconds of the video, but I want you to know I am so glad I found your channel. I am buzzing with excitement! thank you ❤

love this video, thank you kathleen!! would love some tips / thoughts on specifically thrifting with other people. it often stresses me out to feel like i’m taking longer than my friend, or like we have different goals & vibes going into a thrift sesh

OMG a two part-er? We're so BLESSED ✨

Hello Kathleen. Just want to let you know that because of this video series, I was able to thrift successfully the other day! Found a silk jumper for 11usd. So happy with it! Thank you so much for your tips. I've been afraid to wear beyond shirt and jeans because I'm a friggin mom and I feel wearing clothes for self expression is not for me anymore. But you gave me hope, even if I know you werent talking to moms like me. Thanks so much Kathleen. ❤

Just found your channel and I’ve been binging your videos over the last few days and ran out. What a happy gift to find this Monday morning 🥰

My tip is to shop cute vintage linens typically found in the back of the store, where my mom and I have found beautiful tablecloths from the '50s and the cutest floral sheets from the '70s! They also have high value wool blankets for extremely cheap which come in handy if you live anywhere that gets cold! Along those lines, I've found the most amazing wool jackets and sweaters at thrift stores and trust me when I say invest in those (cheap) full length coats! So handy for windy weather. Oh, and be sure to donate items before you start to appease the thrift gods 😊

So much truth! I hand or delicate wash my “dry clean” items and as they’re natural fabrics, it is all good. I would say my Quest object is candles bc I refuse to buy those full priced. Also, child shoes, kiddos grow so quickly that buying these second hand is essential for me.

Thanks for the reminder about Dry Clean Only tags. I never think of that when I’m shopping and am disappointed later. So off to watch part two, because I’m definitely interested in that info!

what really helped me is learning how to sew. I don’t have to make things from scratch, but learning how to alter things has been a lifesaver for me!

3:45 - re super sale day: if you live in or near a summer resort town, you might want to reconsider. I've gotten too many 25 cent treasures (Nike running shoes in good condition, Patagonia tanks, North face vests, etc) to skip these sales, and I swear they throw some new stuff into the clearance section lol. Altho from an ethical perspective, us poors appreciate any time there's fewer competitors for ultra cheap, high quality stuff.

I'm a VERY new thrifter. So far only going to thrift shops when creating costumes and cosplays, but I'm glad to use these tips and tricks on my next run :)

A hearty “yes!!” For buying things like cards and gift wrap from the thrift store!!

Totally agree with choosing only a few sections but looking through every item, that is how I've found all my gems!!

Why have I never though about belts being a perfect handbag handle/shoulder "handle" 😳 Thank you so much for this tip!! 😃❤ Love the video, first one I've seen, now subscribed, a fellow thrift goblin ☺

love this vid! Would love to hear a deep dive into tags, just from enjoying thrifting I’ve learned a little about how to guess era based on tag style… I also have become obsessed with finding Union made tags… the difference in quality is insane, and so tied to how messed up clothing labor has always been and is worse than ever now! I also always look at the suits section for matching sets, sometimes they get put there even if they’re not a “suit” and if you are looking for suits, if you find slacks or a blazer you like check the other section to see if a set that was donated together got separated!!!

This is a quality video! I never thought to bring a snack lol...GENIUS! One thing I often forget when I'm at clothing swaps or the charity shop is to check for flaws. Like check every damn inch of a piece of clothing. Also, practice walking, sitting and/or squatting, and raising your arms when trying on the clothes. I hate when it fits nicely when standing still, but then tries to become a second skin or drastically shortens when sitting. Great video!!

literally THE best video on thrifting that i - as a fellow thrift goblin - have ever seen