I have a confession.

I rarely set foot in real stores yet my closets and drawers are overflowing. Last week I bought two packs of hangers and cleared out the guest room closet to handle my designer handbag overflow. My son owns more clothes than a boy his age cares about, and that’s not counting the next two sizes waiting for him to grow into. And I would rather slit my wrists than pay retail.

I am a thrift store shopaholic.

Having been a savvy clearance shopper for years, I’ve always bee-lined to the back of every store and nailed sale rack scanning down to a science. But that just wasn’t enough for me.

I had to take it to the next level.

I decided to brave a thrift store.

There’s method to the madness. Below I’m sharing my favorite tips learned over the years for shopping for yourself. (Shopping for resale is a whole other bag of cats. Another post on that to come!)

1. Location, location, location. It’s all about the real estate. The nicer the neighborhood, the better the donations. One Goodwill might consistently stock junk, but one on the other side of town may feature half a Nordstrom store on the racks. And while I feel perfectly safe and comfortable in my favorite Salvation Army, the sketchy dudes stalking the parking lot of another made me keep on driving by.

2.  Know the merchandise. A used Walmart t-shirt for $4–no deal. A NWT (new with tag) Vince cashmere sweater for $2–a steal! Learn how to spot quality fabrics and brands from a distance. Sometimes it’s all about the feel.

3.  Ignore sizes. They vary brand to brand anyway. (I own jeans in four sizes, for real.)  Almost everything is pre-washed and preshrunk. If it looks like it might fit, try it on.

4.  Dress for success.  Some stores don’t have fitting rooms. Some fitting rooms have a half-hour wait. If you come prepared in a cami tank and leggings you can find a mirror and explore your inner exhibitionist. Trust me, everyone does it.

5.  Buy off-season. If you go looking for warm jackets during a January cold snap you will be sorely out of luck. Look in July and you’ll have dozens of gorgeous name brands items to choose from.

6.  Ask if the store runs sales. Many stores discount a certain colored tag each week. My Salvation Army has 50% off all clothes each Wednesday. It’s an absolute madhouse—but $3.50 Miss Me jeans are totally worth it to me.

7.  Carefully check out the goods.  They are “recycled.”  Some stores inspect items thoroughly but others may put out items stained, ripped, or torn.  If it needs to be repaired, it had better be worth the work.

8. Look for what you NEED first.  Dying for a new pair of fitted black pants? Your kid growing out of his shorts? Check those racks first. I’ve watched a woman snatch every pair of pants in my husband’s extremely hard to find size after I’d wasted time browsing through tank tops I didn’t need. Ouch.

9.  Leave the kids at home. Yeah, I know that’s not always possible, but thrifting takes time and patience. Kids get bored before you can blink. If you do have to drag your munchkins along, make sure to bring something to keep them fully occupied. (i.e. Is your phone fully charged and loaded with games?)

10.  Check back often and don’t get discouraged.  Some days I find 25 steals I simply can’t live without. Some days I find crap. But you never know when some style maven may clean out her closet because she’s bored or changed sizes. Keep checking.

It has been years since I’ve set foot in a mall. I’ve nearly stopped making my rounds at Ross and T.J. Maxx because I know if I am patient, persistent, and sometimes just plain lucky I can find whatever I’m looking for (and usually so much more) for practically pennies.

At work, they wonder how I’m always dressed to the nines on my non-profit employee salary. I gladly brag about how cheap I find my clothes. Them: Love your dress. Me: Thanks!  {whispered} Salvation Army. $2.50!) I don’t think they always believe me, but I try to convert them anyway.

When complemented by less enlightened folk who may snub their nose at my methods, I simply give a knowing smile and a modest “thanks.”

It’s vintage. It’s recycled. It’s unique. It’s me.

And there are enough finds out there for you, too.

Have you ever tried thrifting? Would you? Have any shopping secrets to share?

** If you’re interested in finding amazing designer and vintage deals online, check out the POSHMARK app.  Poshmark is a fashion reseller shop that lets you buy and resell top fashion brands at up to 80% off retail prices. Check out my closet, VINOBABY VINTAGE here.

AND you can get a free $5 credit when you enter the Invite Code VINOBABY when you download the Poshmark app for iOS or Android and create a free account.

(Please note that the $5 free Poshmark credit for new users is only available via the Poshmark app, and you can not get the free $5 credit when you sign up for an account on their website.)

photo credit: Niccolò Caranti via photopin cc | photo credit: Stewf via photopin cc |  photo credit: Guillaume Lemoine via photopin cc