One question a lot of people wonder if they are new to thrifting is “How often should I go thrifting?” It’s a valid question because thrifting is a whole different way of shopping and requires a little bit of knowledge and skill if you are new to it. Depending on what you are looking for and where you are shopping, the frequency of your thrifting trips will vary.
To determine how often you should go thrifting, you need to consider the type of second hand store you are shopping at and what you are shopping for. As a general rule of thumb, if you are looking for something specific, the more often you are go thrifting, the better. If you are thrifting online, quickly checking for your specific needs once a day or even a few times a day will greatly increase your chances of finding just what you are looking for!
How Often Should You Go Thrift Shopping?
If you are new to thrift shopping, the main thing that you need to be prepared for, is more often than not, you will probably leave the thrift store empty handed. Thrifting is somewhat of a commitment and it requires frequent shopping. If you are used to being able to run to Target and leave with a huge haul of stuff, then you will need to change your mindset for thrifting.
Thrifting is more about hunting for hidden treasures than leaving with a load of stuff. Going more frequently will increase your chances of finding something amazing. Once you do find an incredible item at the thrift store, you just might find yourself addicted to the adventures of thrifting!
How Often To Go Thrifting For Clothing
The frequency of your thrift shopping trips might depend on what your needs are. If you are primarily shopping for clothing at the thrift store, you may need to go fairly often. Maybe you have committed to buying most of your clothing second hand to combat fast fashion, or maybe you love to find expensive brands to resell on Posmark. Either way, you will probably need to thrift fairly often to find a good deal.
Thrifting For Clothing To Resell
If your primary reason for shopping at the thrift store is to find clothing to resell on FB Marketplace, Poshmark or Ebay, then you will want to go thrifting often. Your standards for brands and quality will be higher, making it more difficult to find that amazing deals. I would suggest thrifting at least a few times a week and hitting up a variety of stores. The more you go, the more you will learn which stores are best for what you are looking for.
Thrift Shopping For Clothing For Own Wardrobe
If you are looking for a very specific item for your own wardrobe, your thrifting frequency will need to increase. Do you have an event coming up that requires formal attire? Are you invited to a costume party and need the perfect 70’s dress? The more specific your thrifting needs are, the more frequent you will want to shop. Go a few times a week until you find exactly what you need.
If you are thrifting for your own wardrobe just because you are wanting to incorporate more second hand items into your life, you probably can get away with going just once a week. There is never a guarantee that you will leave a thrift store with something great, so going once a week will increase your chances to finding a great item for your wardrobe.
How Often To Thrift Shop For Kids Clothes
I tend to be able to get away with shopping less often for kids clothes. If you know which stores have a great kids selection, you may be able to get away with going once or twice a season and leaving with a fairly decent haul. There are many more options for second hand kids clothing than there are for adults, such as kids consignment sales and garage sales. A lot of thrift stores tend to have a great selection of kids clothing, especially if you shop at the beginning of the season.
How Often To Go Thrifting For Home Items
Thrifting For Furniture
Chances are, if you thrift shopping for furniture, you have something specific in mind. If this is the case, you will want to shop at thrift stores very often until you find exactly what you are looking for. That being said, furniture items are not going to be stocked at frequently at the thrift store as clothing (in my personal experience), so it’s probably not necessary to go to each specific store more than once a week. For furniture items, consider trying Facebook Marketplace and antique stores as well.
Thrift Shopping For Home Decor Items
Like I’ve already said, if you are looking for something specific, thrifting more often will improve your chances of finding what you need. For general browsing of home decor items, going once a week or a few times a month is probably sufficient in finding some great items. There seems to be a plethora of stuff on the home decor shelves at thrift stores, so your chances of finding some gems are pretty good.
How Often To Go To Flea Markets and Antique Stores
Since antique stores and flea markets usually are made up of booths that are run by individual people, there isn’t as much merchandise coming in on a regular basis as a large thrift store. Because of this, it’s usually not necessary to go as frequently as a thrift store. You can get away with browsing antique stores a few times a month and still find some great things. Spacing out your visits will give the booth owners a chance to restock and add some new merchandise.
Sometimes, antique stores will have social media pages showing any new merchandise. This is a great way to keep an eye on any new items you might be interested in!
How Often To Shop At Garage Sales
Since garage sales and yard sales are seasonal in most areas, you won’t be able to shop in the same way that you would as a thrift store. If you are committed to going to garage sales, then take advantage of garage sale season, which is usually in the spring and fall. Hit up neighborhood garage sales every weekend while you can take advantage of them! It’s always helpful to use a garage sale app or check Facebook or Craigslist ahead of time for garage sales in your area so that you can have a plan before you venture out to go shopping.
How Often To Shop Secondhand Online
The good news about shopping secondhand online is that you can do it as often as you’d like! There are some general rules of thumb depending on what you are shopping for and where you are shopping online.
Facebook Marketplace
If I’m looking for a specific item on FB Marketplace, I check multiple times a day. You can adjust your setting to show the newest items listed in your search. Items can go very quickly on Marketplace, so it’s best to check often and contact the seller right away if you find what you want!
Poshmark
For Poshmark, you probably don’t need to shop quite as often at Marketplace, but it’s still a good idea to check at least once a day if you are looking for a specific item. I have a full review of Poshmark with tons of helpful tips!
When To Go Thrifting
You may not think that you have the time it takes to score amazing finds at the thrift store, but once you are committed to shopping secondhand, you will be surprised at how easily you can fit it into your schedule.
Lunch Breaks
If you work outside the home, try popping over to a thrift store on your lunch break once a week. Chances are, there is a thrift store or consignment store near you.
Weekends
Instead of using your weekends to hit up the mall or Target, get into the habit of thrifting instead. Weekends are a great time to go to that thrift store across town or find a new one that you haven’t been to before.
Evenings
In my post about the best days and times to go thrifting, I discuss in length about why mornings are the best time to thrift, but there can be some value in evenings too, especially if you aren’t able to make mornings work. You can usually have the store to yourself, and it’s a fun outing to do with a friend or co-worker.
More Tips About Thrifting:
Tips For Thrifting During COVID
How To Clean Thrifted Furniture
The Ultimate Guide To The Best Days And Times For Thrifting
How To Tell If Glassware From The Thrift Store Is Valuable
How To Turn A Thrifted Jacket Into A Leather Pillow
