18 Feb “I Never Find Anything at My Thrift Store!” Here’s Why & How to Instantly Change That

I recently posted a photo on Instagram and someone commented, “I never find anything at my thrift store.”

I’ve heard this countless times. No really, I hear this at least every other day via a comment on the blog or on social media. If you never {ever ever!} find anything at your thrift shop, there’s really just one solution.

Check out below how you can remedy never hitting thrift store gold.

Bottom line: You’re at the Wrong Store

I hate to use the word wrong, so maybe the better choice would be, you haven’t found the right store. It really is that simple. Even though I’m a thrift pro, even I can’t find a needle in a haystack if the needle isn’t actually in the haystack. You simply can’t find what doesn’t exist.

However, before you write a secondhand shop off, ask yourself:

Do I visit on different days?: Thrift inventory is unpredictable, so I always suggest switching up the days, and even times, you visit. You might strike out on a Saturday afternoon but hit gold on a Tuesday morning. I like thrifting early in the week because shops have had a chance to put the weekend donations on the sales floor!

Do I shop for at least 30 minutes?: I know thrift shopping can be frustrating when you don’t find that perfect piece. But I’ve seen people pass up really great garments and accessories because they were rushing or just didn’t take the time to go through most of the racks. Give. Yourself. Time. I break down how to thrift smarter in my book, Looking Fly on a Dime: How to Find Fabulous Fashion at Any Thrift Shop & Make the Cheap Look Chic.

Are your expectations unrealistic?: Are you looking for a tapered black blazer with a jeweled collar? Well, that’s pretty specific and hard to find. Not impossible, I recently thrifted a blazer like that! But when you have hyper specific requirements for what you want to thrift, that can lead to disappointment and an empty shopping basket. Instead, come up with a thrift wish list {check out this post on how to create a thrift shopping wish list}. Be open minded and have fun. Shop for the things on your list and let the magic of those awesome thrift store scores happen unexpectedly.

If you’ve done all of the above and you still constantly strike out at a single thrift shop, then yes, it’s time to find another place to go thrifting. Check out the thrift store directory {enter your zip code to find a shop near you} and search for a Goodwill, Salvation Army, Savers, etc. in close proximity.

Have you ever given up on a thrift store location? How did you find a great thrift shop in your area?