I remember one of the first times I went thrift shopping when I moved to NYC. It was a disaster! Though some would consider me a thrift shopping pro today {Nate Berkus even called me a sorceress at thrifting!}, it hasn’t always been that way. Yeas ago I was totally overwhelmed by the NYC thrifting scene and I walked out of a massive warehouse of secondhand clothes after 10 minutes.

But living on a magazine assistant budget was enough to get me back in to the thrift stores ASAP and music played a major part in it. When I started making shopping playlists, my experience changed.

I noticed that as soon as an upbeat song came on, I got an extra pep in my step and felt like I rummaged through clothes faster and the experience wasn’t as frustrating. The music acted as a bit of a distraction and a stimulant, kind of similar to how the right song can really help you push through an intense run.

I have to admit my musical taste ranges from Bobby Brown to Lil Wayne to the Purple One, Prince. The randomness actually makes my thrift shopping playlist exciting and fresh, especially once I put the songs on shuffle.

Since I’m an avid thrifter, listening to the same songs over and over can get a bit stale, so I’m constantly adding new tunes. Sometimes it’s an artist a friend has recommended {shout out to my homegirl who put me on to Emeli Sandé about two years ago!} and other times friends will actually send me links to their playlists and I’ll pick and choose individual tracks.

Because I know how thrifting can require serious patience, I’ve embedded my thrift shopping playlist from Spotify. The 90 songs are more than six hours of up tempo music to give you a serious energy boost when you’re digging in bins or leafing through countless racks for thrift store scores.

Of course you can use my shopping playlist, but don’t be afraid to share any songs you love {in the comments below} and even share your own Spotify list. Also, if you know any newbie, wannabe thrifters, you might even want to create a fun playlist tailored to their taste. Trust me, they’ll appreciate it!

Photo: Molly Torian Photography. Follow her on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram.