10 Things You MUST Know Before You Hit the Thrift Stores
I love thrift stores. Isn’t it obvious? My whole house is thrifted–like 97.5% of it. I can literally count on one hand the number of things that we bought brand new: our mattress 14 years ago (yikes–I know….), our IKEA bedroom furniture 14 years ago, my sons’ bed 8 years ago, our living room furniture 14 years ago, and our washer and dryer 2 years ago. Everything else is from thrift stores or are hand-me-down!
Over the years, I’ve learned some valuable lessons about buying other people’s used junk and treasures, such as what you should look for, what you should pass up, how to overcome the “nasty” factor, how to make it work in your home, etc.
Now it’s time to share that info with you, my friend!
10 Things You MUST Know Before Hitting the Thrift Stores
TIP #1 – Know What’s Valuable and What’s Junk
How many times have you stood in the middle of a thrift store with your phone out, Googling something you’ve found, trying to find out how much it’s really worth? 😉
Me!!
Sometimes it’s hard to know whether something is not just a deal, but valuable. And while we probably have a greater chance of getting struck by lightning than ending up on the evening news for finding a $1.2M piece of art, I’d rather increase my odds of finding the art. HA! Wouldn’t you??
Use your phone to research the value of something, especially if it’s furniture and something that you want to paint. You don’t want to get a clever idea to paint something that was actually pretty rare and special, but now with paint, the value was destroyed. There are times when you shouldn’t paint wood furniture, so it’s best to know what’s valuable before you grab a paintbrush. And if you do decide to paint wood, you’d best use the right paint.
Related: What’s the Best Paint for Furniture?
TIP #2: Know What’s Hiding Inside
Have you ever bought a piece of used furniture and later found there was something hiding inside?
Well, I have.
And trust me, it was quite disturbing.
Thankfully, I hadn’t found anything alive. What I did find were old shed skins of some sort of insect (a cockroach, I believe??).
(I’ve got the creepy crawlies just seeing this pic!)
This was from a mid century modern dresser I picked up at the thrift store (see all my thrift hauls from Value Village and Unique Thrift):
Thankfully, this dresser never made it into my house.
But what about your vehicle? What if you transport something home and you didn’t check it properly?
Imagine the horror!
The truth is that I’m much more wary of thrift furniture now. I love it and will still buy it, of course, but I’m making sure that I put together a “thrift kit” for my van (for those impromptu thrift stops) and will make sure that every piece gets a total inspection before I even buy it, just to make sure it’s safe!
TIP #3: Know How Soon You Can Wash It
When I buy thrifted clothing, I immediately come home and toss it in the washing machine. If I can’t come home immediately, I try to have it either double-bagged. I won’t take it out until that time.
Ask yourself, “How soon can I wash this?” And if the answer is, “Not until later,” then store it somewhere tightly sealed until you can wash it.
For things like rugs and upholstered furniture, your best bet is keeping it outside in the garage until you can steam clean it–either yourself or professionally.
Plan to thoroughly reupholster pieces of upholstered furniture so that you can be sure there are no bugs hiding inside the upholstered pieces.
Related Read: My Reupholstered Wingback Chair From the Thrift Store
TIP #4: Know What Tools to Bring Along to Thrift Stores
This is a rule I break all the time. I simply don’t have one (yet!). But I need one and plan to put one together! Over the years, this is what I have seen is essential when thrifting. Keep it in your car for impromptu thrift shop stops. Inside, it should have:
(NOTE: I participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites).
- a flashlight (or use the one on your phone)
- a pair of long scientific tweezers for picking up specimens
- disposable gloves
- baby wipes
- old blanket to cover the floor, trunk, or seats (for things that aren’t bagged)
- cotton swabs for swabbing cracks and crevices
- magnifying glass for closer exams
- a RYOBI hand vacuum for cleaning out furniture
- insecticide spray or sprinkling all-natural diatomaceous earth inside
- a screwdriver set (this one is pretty and compact–all the screwdrivers hide inside the hammer!)
TIP #5 – Know How to Properly Inspect Something Before Lugging it Home
This isn’t something I have always been so diligent about. Especially if I see a piece of furniture that I absolutely love: I usually buy it, store it, and worry later about the chances of something being run amuck with bugs while it sits in my garage. Ick!
Ideally, every piece should be thoroughly taken apart, flipped over, and checked with your flashlight and magnifying glass…before you buy it!
- Remove all the drawers and check the body of dressers.
- Turn it over. Do you see anything in the little cracks and crevices?
- Check the screw holes. Do you see anything there?
- Pull back (or cut) the lining of the bottom of upholstered furniture. Look way up inside if you can (especially sofas and oversized chairs). Anything creepy and crawly up there, or old shed skins of insects? You may not be able to do this because if you cut the lining, you may have to buy the piece. But if there is a stitch loose, or the dust cover isn’t in place, be sure to check under the chair.
TIP #6: Know Your Dimensions – Trunk, Home, Rooms
Nothing sucks more than finding a great piece of furniture and then realizing–crap!–there’s no way to get it home! Not only is your trunk too small and you have no friend with a truck who can do you a “solid” (i.e. favor!), but you aren’t even sure if that little desk would fit perfectly in that nook in your kitchen.
Best to be prepared.
First, measure the size of your trunk–length, width, and height. (I’ve got a minivan and when I measured, I realized that I can only lug home pieces of lumber that are no more than 10 feet long before it hits my dashboard. 😉 This tip came in handy when I was installing my own DIY crown molding!).
Next, measure your rooms, your doorways, your nooks…all of them. Then make sure you keep the little piece of paper with the measurements with your “thrift kit”!
TIP #7: Know Thy Thrifted Self
Are you one of those thrift hoarders that stores up all the projects that have sooooo much potential? But then you get overwhelmed and end up doing none of them? Raise your hand. I know you’re reading this!!
Before you even hit the thrift store, you need to know this about yourself.
Because if that’s you, then you need to own it….recognize it….and then decide to only buy things that are in a pristine condition that just need a good “wiperoo” and can go into your house immediately!
If you know you’re always seeing the best in some broken down tragically abused piece of furniture, but you know you don’t have the time, energy, or focus (or skill!!) to make it beautiful, just leave it. Don’t even buy it. You’ll just be adding to your stress of all the other projects that you’ll never get to. Just buy the things that look like they came store-bought.
TIP #8: Know the Difference Between Valuable and Desirable
Just because something is valuable, doesn’t mean it’s desirable.
Think about that for a moment.
Just because those little figurines you bought from the thrift store for $2.00 (which you searched and found they were worth $75 each) doesn’t mean that someone would ever buy them. If you bought them because you love them–great. If you only bought them to sell…umm….keep reading. 😉
This has happened to me time and time again!
At one time, when I first started shopping thrift stores more regularly, I used to buy name-brand shoes there on 50% discount days and attempt to sell them on eBay. Totally not a great return on investment!
These were name brand shoes that were at least $150 retail, paying only $7 – $10 for each pair.
Well…..just because they were valuable didn’t mean they were desirable. Big difference.
Nobody wanted them!! I ended up wasting my money and donating all of them, along with all the other “valuable” stuff I have accumulated, including these thrifted Cole Haan shoes that were valuable but no one wanted to buy them. My friend told me they looked like “old lady sandals.” Go figure.
The same thing happened with this vintage Victrola, which plays records. It was a splurge purchase at the thrift store for–gasp!–$150, which is crazy. Stupid me bought it because I saw some on eBay for $400. I thought it would be cool in the house, and it was “only” $150 when it’s worth so much more!
But……where in the heck was I going to put it?
It ended up sitting in the garage for years, and later when I tried to sell it, there were no bites. Because just because it was valuable, doesn’t mean it was a desirable item (at least, not on Craig’s List!). See where I am coming from with this?
Just keep this in mind before you decide to buy valuable things from the thrift store simply because they’re valuable.
TIP #9: Know the Meaning of True Love
You know those special pieces you’ve found at thrift stores that make you gasp?? (That vintage Victrola was not one of them).
Those are the pieces that you fall in love with. And those are the pieces that you should buy.
You have to know the difference between “I-dare-someone-else-to-even-think-of-trying-to-buy-this!!” and “yeah-it-seems-like-a-great-deal-I-guess…” Knowing the difference will prevent you from making a lot of crap purchases.
For me, one of those true love pieces was my vintage drafting table in my basement office.
I would have gouged eyes if someone had tried to steal it from under my nose.
Same goes for that jewelry box above that I use for crafting supplies.
Someone once mentioned a True Love test they do with themselves to determine if they should buy something: They imagine someone else coming up to buy it, and if they feel they’d be really upset about it, they buy it. If they realize they wouldn’t give a rat’s butt, they leave it.
Best to know this test before hitting the thrift store!
Related Read: What To Do When You Can’t Find Anything Good at the Thrift Store
TIP #10: Know Your Own Vision
This is the hardest tip, I think.
What I mean is, know your vision for your own home… for your own life… for the way you want to spend your time…
If you’re buying things from thrift stores that you saw on a blog but they’re really not your style, then leave it. Don’t buy it just because it’s what’s “in” right now (or because it’s so cheap!). If you know your own vision for your home, then when you see the right things, you’ll know it (they’ll pass the True Love test). You won’t waste your time trying to imitate someone else’s vision.
What do you think people should know before they hit the thrift stores?
Since you love thrift stores as much as me, what piece of advice do you have for others to know before they hit the thrift store? Leave a comment below and let’s talk about it!
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Hey Serena,
Awesome tips! Since I’m on a purge instead of splurge time-out, I don’t have to worry about unwanted visitors! lol I don’t normally buy anything upholstered, the one time I did, it was a love seat from a consignment store and they too sanitized all furniture before putting it in the showroom. Clothes always get washed before wearing, even if it comes from a regular retailer. I have very sensitive skin and new clothes have chemicals on them, also one never knows who may have been trying on the items before you bought them. My one tip, if you’re looking for lamps and don’t want to go through the hassle of rewiring, always carry a low watt light bulb Make sure the lamp/light fixture actually works and what it looks like when lit; ie: is the shade too dark, will the light fall at the right angle….etc.
Love ya’ .
One more quick tip: If your vehicle’s too small, you can always rent a truck. Here in Wisconsin, Home Depot and U-haul rent trucks for $19.95 for the day…..
Great list! I always do the “sniff” test (I think Chip Gaines demonstrated this on an episode of “Fixer Upper” awhile back) and the stain test. Like you said, examine every square inch of the item so you know what you’re getting into. I keep a list of what our family could use along with the measurements like you suggested. Know the store policy for returns, holding an item or letting you come back and pick it up after you purchase it. Check your purchase again after they’ve moved it out to the loading dock. An employee once dropped a dresser and broke the side panel off while I was pulling around to load it. I saw him trying to push the side back on and got a refund. Another time I came back to get a bookshelf after paying for it (had to drop my family off at home) – oops, they sold it to someone else even though it had a sold sticker with my name and phone number on it! Also, go early if you can – people who resell for a living scoop up good stuff right when the store opens.
Great advice! I use the exact same rules every Saturday morning when going to yard sales. We spend Saturday morning at sales and Saturday afternoon in the garage wiping down everything with Chlorox Wipes and laundering any clothes or other items made of material we bought. None of it gets into the house until then……………then, we come in an shower and wash our own clothes. After that it’s a late lunch with beer or margaritas and other fun activities. As I said, we only get things that will work for us or any of the people we are “looking” for. I keep a small memo pad in the truck that has lists and measurements for all our friends and families requests. It’s easier to remember that way. I just spent the last couple months gathering pieces of furniture, rugs etc… for my cousin who just purchased her first home. I know her home almost as well as she does and I’ve never even been there – she lives a state away! She will be her next month with a trailer in tow to take back all her painted and repurposed treasures that my husband have gotten her and I feel confident they will all fit, match and look beautiful!
All are great tips and I will check a lot closer from here on. Thanks Serena.
I also love the lamp. I’ve put together some lamps made from tea cups, teapots and old china.
Real nice and have gotten many complements.
Hi, Betty, I haven’t done any of those before, but I have seen them on Pinterest and they’re super cute! You’ll have to send me a picture!
I’m about to have a garage sale to sell all of the stuff I bought and never used… I’m much more careful now! And there’s a pretty long list of things I won’t buy. I will buy clothes, curtains, tablecloths, those sorts of things if I ever see any that I like (never thought to wrap them so carefully though, will do that from now on!), but not bedding, rugs, pillows – anything like that. My favorite thrift store has all of the upholstered furniture sanitized before they put it on the sales floor – that goes a long way with me!
I keep all of my finds in a shed, you’ve reminded me that I need to check them before bringing them into the house!
Wow, Kris, they sanitize them? That’s awesome! This makes me want to question my thrift store to see if they do something similar by any chance. Maybe they’d grant me an interview and I could post it here! I’m always curious what training and procedures they have to follow!
I’m right there with you on rugs! Although, I did buy a rug from Craigslist once, which was a stretch for me, because I generally don’t care to buy that type of stuff. Even upholstered stuff, I used to shy away from, but I’ve broken my own rule and bought a wingback upholstered chair that is still in my garage 2 years later. I think I’m scared to reupholster it for fear I’d find something! Lol!
Oh, and LOL at you selling stuff. Hubby gets on me all the time about donating stuff I never used. “Stop buying it to begin with!!” He doesn’t get it. Lol
Greetings Serena;
You have made some very valid and important points. Sometimes I bid on the online auctions. In fact a couple of weeks ago, I bid $5 on a lot that consisted of 15 metal and upholstered chairs that look like they came from a restaurant. Sometimes I will go to the auction site to check out the items before bidding but thought the few posted pictures portrayed the chairs somewhat accurately. WRONG!!! Yes they did say there was some damage to some of the chairs and they showed one or two damaged chair seats. No problem, I thought. I can fix that and I can. But what I didn’t count on was that the chairs were buried way back in a semi trailer. The trailer bed was eye level and no way would I be able to climb up into it. Thank goodness I brought my 6’5″ son. Problem resolved. Second, how was I going to fit all 15 chairs into my vehicle? Again, my son, who is very adept at packing, was able to fit all of them into my old Suburban. But what really struck a chord with me was your comment about the funky, nasty smell. Yes, indeed. These had funk alright! They smelled of vomit. I kid you not. I had to have all the windows down on that very brisk cold day so as not to be overcome by the smell. Of course, the description of the chairs did not include that valuable, little piece of very important information. My bad. I already paid my $5 for the lot (which was the minimum bid) and I was stuck with them. Lesson learned. Since then I have bought a power washer and plan on giving them a complete make over. Well . . . my husband will power wash, prep and paint them. I will do the reupholstering.
Thanks for all your great advice. You’re wise beyond your years. Experience has taught you well.
Donna, I’m literally LOL’ing over here! 🙂 VOMIT!! I’ve never heard THAT one before! You MUST send me a picture of what they looked like! I bet you clean them babies up so nicely that you’ll never even know they smelled like they came from a frat house! Hahaha
I will send before and after pictures. Sad thing is that I really liked the fabric on the chairs. It was the main reason I bid on them in the first place. But not a problem. When the weather warms up a bit more, I will start working on them. I will be sure to take pictures. It will probably take the whole summer but I will get them done. Oh, thanks for the Maxsold link, too.
Are you sure you can’t salvage the fabric? Maybe toss them in the washer? Surely you can get the puke smell out! ??
I thought about that. I will have my husband power wash it first. I have a weak stomach when it comes to vomit. I can handle blood, guts, pee and poop but have never been able to handle puke, not even after the cats or dogs. The husband and sons always took care of that or they would be cleaning up after me as well. Just seeing, smelling or even hearing someone do it, triggers automatic heaving. OK, too much information.
There are many different types of “funk”—AKA “mildew”, and some do have an odor like vomit. 🙂 If the chairs did come from a restaurant, they may well have been stored in less-than-ideal circumstances, hence the funk-potential.
And since I’m on the subject: you are so correct, Serena—check the furniture pieces carefully for “inhabitants” before purchasing them. My favorite thrift shop also does steam cleaning, but began doing this last year. I was tempted by a sofa there, before the new policy, and it was in excellent shape–almost as though it just came off the showroom floor. I checked in all the usual places, and even took off the price tag. That little “Wait a minute!” voice in my head reminded me that I forgot to check an important area. I lifted up the skirt, and sure enough, the telltale sign of bed bugs, across the entire area. I handed the price tag to the cashier and told her that the sofa needed to be re-checked and should not be put on the sales floor.
Ewwww, Gracie!! That’s soooo gross about the bedbugs on the sofa! That’s my greatest fear, is bringing something like that in without knowing it! You are super smart to have remembered to check under the skirt. Most people wouldn’t have thought to check there. Great tip!!
Good points about the bugs but ewwwwwwww.. lol. love the list and the kit ideas.
I agree, Moon!!! The bugs freak me out! I don’t know if you caught one of my recent posts but I shared how I am battling carpet beetles. They are an outdoor insect that usually loves flowers, but occasionally they can get inside and wreck havoc on wool rugs, natural fibers, and more. They larvae love fabrics stored away in the back of closets, and I happen to find some in my stash of sewing fabrics I haven’t used for years. I started seeing them in other parts of the house (because they fly). And I also read that they like the underside of upholstered furniture. Sure enough, I checked my living room chair (which isn’t thrifted) and saw activity there. Talk about grossed out!!! I did a thorough vacuuming and spraying, but it made me think about furniture we buy second-hand. If I can discover carpet beetles under my chair, imagine what a thrifted sofa could have under it! It’s what sparked me to write this post so that we are more vigilant about bringing things in that might cause problems!! 🙂
Thanks, now I’m freaking out about bugs and creepy crawlies. :p
Lol! Sorry, Anne! I know the feeling! I’ve been battling carpet beetles over the last month and it makes me even more cautious about checking things before I bring them home! 🙂 Some things are easier to check than others. Like, I would probably never buy a shag rug from the thrift store! But most other things are totally easy to check! 🙂
Those are all good points Serena. Some I hadn’t thought of before. When I’m on the hunt at the thrifts, I’m usually looking for fabric, or curtains, bedspreads, etc masquerading as fabric, or I’m looking for smaller items I think I can resell on Etsy. I’m usually not buying furniture since I don’t have room in the house, and I don’t have a booth anymore.
Those shoes were cute…probably just the right person hadn’t come along, and the Victrola…oh my goodness…to die for!
Your lamp redo in the other post was adorable.
Hey there, Florence! I love buying the small stuff because it is easy to get home. And I feel less guilty buying small stuff that hubby wouldn’t complain as much about! 😉 What’s the link to your Etsy shop?
Oh yes, I know what you mean about that! Ha! My house is loaded with all the clutter from my “finds.” And when I think about what a neatnik I USED to be! My etsy link is vintagesouthernpicks.etsy.com
Thanks for asking!
You have a lot of neat stuff, Florence! I have those brass knobs!! I can’t think of what piece of furniture they’re on, but I remember painting them to coordinate with the project! 🙂
Thanks! Yes those knobs are cute. They really look great painted.
I just sent you an email to tell you what I need help with. You’ll get a charge out of it, I guess because it will be unexpected.
great tips Serena! I usually grab it up and look later….
pinned!
gail
Hey, Gail! Same here–grab and check later! But I’m going to be more vigilant about checking. I’d hate to bring along uninvited friends! 😉