18 Jan I Live in a Small Town, Where Can I Thrift Shop?

Lately I’ve been hearing the same thing from people regarding thrift store shopping: “Patrice, you find great stuff because you’re in New York City, but I live in a small town and can never find anything.” Well, yes, living in NYC does open up a world of amazing thrift stores, from national chains to smaller vintage and consignment shops. But just because you’re in a smaller city, that doesn’t have to halt your thrifting excursions.

Below are three tips to keep in mind if you live in a small town and have issues scoring great thrift items.

Embrace Your Smaller Digs

New Yorkers definitely have an awesome sense of style so the second-hand options tend to be pretty good, but the competition is much more intense. It may take more time to find something in your little town but at least the competition won’t be as stiff and fierce. And maybe the people in your area aren’t so fashionable but everything old is new again. That old 80s sweater or velvet blazer that someone donated can easily be added to your favorite skinny jeans and pumps.

Go to a Major City

If you’re close to a major city, take a little weekend thrift road trip. You can do some research ahead of time and map out a few places to hit up. Also, don’t overlook cities that lie right outside of a major area. I’m originally from northern New Jersey {15 minutes from NYC} and the shops in Jersey have tons of items, some with brand new tags on them. Not only are the areas upscale but the people who work in NYC live in the metro area and drop their goods off here. The same can be said for other areas outside of DC, LA, etc.

Go Online

We’re living in a digital world and a few local and national thrift stores actually have online sites. The stuff reserved for online sales tend to be a bit more unique, high end or vintage. Housing Works, which assists the homeless and those with HIV/AIDS, sells and auctions off designer clothing, vintage accessories and furniture. Goodwill’s auction site allows you to search for more than 20 categories of items. You can’t beat scoring cheap chic finds from the comfort of your couch.

These are just a few quick tips, but I’ll expand further with the thrift shopping project I’m working on. Remember, if you have any thrifting questions, let me know via the comment section or the contact page above.