It’s no secret I’m a bit of a thrift shopping pro. I mean, I literally wrote the book on how to thrift shop. But you know something else? I still have total fails and I leave the store empty handed. Whether you’re a novice or a pro, everyone has experienced thrift shopping trips that result in little to nothing. And that’s totally ok.

Here’s what you should do if you strike out while thrift shopping.

Go Another Day
A lot of us tend to be creatures of habits and have demanding schedules, so that tends to mean we shop on the same day/days each week. This can actually be one of the reasons you don’t find stellar items. Thrift stores have unpredictable inventory, so it never hurts to switch it up a bit and shop on a different day. If you normally go on weekends, try early in the week. Since most donations are dropped off on the weekend and they tend to hit the sales floor early in the week {Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday}. Also, if your shop has a major sale day {Wednesday tends to me half off at most Salvation Army locations}, go on a non-sale day if you get overwhelmed by crowds.

Try a Different Store or Neighborhood
In my book, I rave about the $7 vintage dress I found at a thrift shop in Ohio. I’m not saying you have to go all the way out of state, but casting a wider net is always a good tactic. Step into a store you typically bypass, drive a town or two over and definitely thrift shop when you’re on vacation. Whatever you do, changing the scenery can make a huge difference.

Stay a Little Longer
You know why some people never seem to find anything when they thrift shop? They walk into a store, casually scan a few racks and then leave. That’s not how this works at thrift stores or even major department stores. While I can usually get in and out of some thrift shops in 30 minutes, I like to give myself an hour to shop. This allows me the time to leisurely browse and really see what a store has to offer. If you only have 20 minutes to shop, try another day when you’re not on the clock.

I would also suggest bringing a friend and assessing if you’re expectations are too high {i.e. your thrift wish list is too specific}.

These are just a few of the things you should consider when you have less than stellar results at the thrift shop. For more tips and tricks and the tactics I use to find the best deals, check out my new book, Looking Fly on a Dime: How to Find Fabulous Fashion at Any Thrift Shop & Make the Cheap Look Chic.