Episode 211: The Clotheshorse Guide to Secondhand Shopping, part 1: IRL FTW TYSM!

Welcome to Clotheshorse, the podcast that feels a little sad about the end of yard sale season!

I’m your host, Amanda and this is episode 211. And guess what y’all? It’s Secondhand September! So the remaining episodes in this month will be all about living that secondhand first way of life.

This week’s episode is part one in a two part series “The Clotheshorse Guide to Secondhand Shopping.” In this installment I’ll be sharing advice for shopping secondhand IRL.  Next week, we’ll take a break from that conversation to learn about clothing swaps. And then after that, we will return to the Clotheshorse Guide to Secondhand Shopping to talk about best practices for shopping secondhand online.

Why are we spending an entire month talking about secondhand? Well, it’s not just because alliteration lends a nice ring to “Secondhand September.” It’s because shopping secondhand first—meaning looking for something secondhand before buying it new–is a key component of the slow fashion way of life. After all, there are currently enough clothes on this planet to dress the next six generations of humans. And that’s not all! There’s just SO MUCH STUFF on this planet, from towels to books to electronics to kitchen utensils.   And while everyone’s version of slow fashion will look a little bit different, everyone can opt into secondhand first in some way. Because secondhand first doesn’t begin and end with clothing.  There are lots of other things you can find secondhand:

• Home goods and kitchen stuff:  A year or two before I started Clotheshorse, I was at a thrift store in Limerick, PA, walking through the aisles of home goods…and I had a revelation: why would we ever buy any of these kinds of items brand new when there were nicer (and more affordable options) in just about every thrift store. And even though I had already been thrifting most things anyway, I made this “household policy” that we would only buy things brand new for the house if we exhausted every channel for finding it secondhand and/or it was an emergency situation. So yeah, sometimes we buy something brand new (like a compost bin) but just about everything else comes our way secondhand (food processor, appliances, cookware, an ice crusher, linens, even a vintage carpet sweeper). And often if I wait long enough, I find it. This summer–after years of searching–I finally found an instant pot at a yard sale! I don’t think it was used even one time by its previous owner.
• Electronics: We are huge fans of secondhand and refurbished electronics in this household.  My computer monitor is a fancy Apple monitor (those things are often more expensive than a computer) that Dustin found for $50 on Facebook Marketplace.  A lot of my recording equipment is also secondhand.  And the vast majority of Dustin’s music gear is also secondhand. Some bought online, some bought IRL.
• Books, records, movies, magazines, cookbooks, kids books, craft books, textbooks….seriously I could go on for hours.  Books are always the first section I visit in any thrift store because I just love books that much. For some people, secondhand books and records are sort of their first foray into secondhand shopping!
• Craft supplies, fabric, sewing notions: thanks to the craft industry adopting the model of fast fashion, meaning: convincing people to buy as much stuff as possible, as often as possible, thrift stores and creative reuse shops are overflowing with awesome craft supplies.
• Textiles (curtains, sheets, bedding, towels).  Not to brag (okay, i’m going to brag) but in the past year I’ve found a vintage daisy print down quilt for our guest room.  And a few weeks ago, I found a a vintage pink chenille bedspread for our bedroom. Both are durable, high quality, and unique.  The bed in our (also secondhand and vintage) RV has a vintage Laura Ashley kids quilt that is very cottagecore.  I also thrift towels,, sheets, just about everything . If that sounds dirty or gross to you, I would just like to remind you of the existence of washers, dryers, and laundry detergent. And oh btw, our washer and dryer are also secondhand, bought for $100 off of Facebook Marketplace.
• Paper goods and office supplies: printer paper, envelopes, and filing folders are extremely expensive and super boring to buy. Fortunately there are tons of these at just about thrift store and creative reuse shop.  In fact, all Clotheshorse merch orders ship in thrifted packaging!
• Books, games, puzzles, and toys:  seriously, I can’t believe how many amazing games and puzzles I see at every thrift store.  And so many toys!  A few years ago, I talked about thrifting secondhand toys and games and well….people came for me pretty hard on social media because I was endangering kids.  Once again I would like to remind you of soap, water, and disinfecting spray . And most importantly: your own judgment about what you feel is safe to give the children in your life.  But I grew up with toys from yard sales (as well as hand-me-down toys) and to be honest, I loved most of them more than the brand new ones I received on birthdays and holidays.
• Gifts! A secondhand gift is a great gift! We will talk about that a lot more when November rolls around, but secondhand gifts are awesome!

This is not a full list by any means. The truth is you can find just about anything secondhand and in 2024, with so many platforms that exist just for finding secondhand everything, it’s not as difficult to find as it once was.  In fact, I challenged myself to use only secondhand items for the Clotheshorse Jamboree.  And the list of things we needed was pretty long. Let’s talk about that for a few minutes!

All you long time listeners know that I have spent most of my career working as a buyer in the fashion industry.  Trade shows are an essential (and not very fun) part of #BuyersLife. Trade shows are essentially big conventions (often, but not always) held in convention centers.  Brands and manufacturers set up booths showing their wares and buyers walk down each row looking for new products to sell during the next season. You’ll also find boutique owners there, too, looking for products for their stores. And while yes, I have been to many, many trade shows for clothing, I’ve also attended trade shows for gifts, shoes, and even, CANDY.  ←that was definitely the best one.

. I have always been struck by the sheer waste of it all:

• So many plastic water bottles.  Seriously, it’s impossible to just get a glass of water because convention center/event spaces  aren’t exactly set up for that.  And many brands at these trade shows will even have bottles of water made with their own brand labels on them.  So there are just bins and bins of empty plastic water bottles at the exit.
• Food packaging waste: everyone spends all day traipsing up and down these aisles and they get hungry. The food options on site are generally grab and go or fast food (are those synonyms?) and that means lots of plastic clamshells and other packaging waste. And of course, the food is expensive and not very good. Also: so many paper and plastic coffee cups because buyers need a lot of energy to keep going.
• Catalogs, business cards, line sheets, larger cards just advertising brands and booths.
• And of course, all the swag: lanyards for your attendee pass (entrance to trade shows is strictly controlled), tote bags (and more tote bags), water bottles, bracelets,  phone cases, mugs, hats, pens…name a type of merch and you’ll find it there.  If it’s a gift or beauty trade show, there will be lots of samples and plastic makeup pouches. And like ten times more tote bags.  It’s not unusual to leave with a tote bag that literally just contains other tote bags.

And while trade shoes are one specific kind of event that I have experienced quite a bit, the reality is that most events (even small scale ones) generate a lot of waste.

• Paper or plastic cups: I hate to call the red SOLO cup “iconic,” but then again, it’s really iconic of the disposable culture here in the Global North.  You’ll find these at parties, shows, festivals…any event with people drinking liquid.  Those of you who live outside the US: are red SOLO cups a thing where you live?
• Paper, plastic, or styrofoam plates, plastic utensils, plastic table cloths, paper napkins:  all of these are designed and intended to be single use.  And the selling point is that those hosting the event won’t have to deal with a ton of dishes and laundry. And whether it’s a backyard birthday party or a family reunion picnic, convenience is important.

This was on my mind a lot as I planned the Clotheshorse Jamboree. As I discussed in the last episode with Corrinne, just because something has kinda “always” been done a certain way, doesn’t mean we have to keep doing it that way, especially when we know it might not be the best way.  I wanted to do it a better way for the Clotheshorse Jamboree. Much like the merch quandary, I struggled with the idea of putting on an event and concerns about generating a lot of waste while doing it. So I challenged myself to keep this as secondhand and un-disposable as possible!

I knew that it would be more work. And maybe it would end up creating a shitshow of chaos, dirty dishes, and stress.  After all, there could be a reason why no one decides to track down 200 cloth napkins for an event.  Much like my foray into merch, I worried that perhaps I was about to find out the hard way why “everyone else” opts for drop ship t-shirts or plastic cups.

But I’m proud to say that 1. Almost everything we used at the Jamboree was secondhand (or something one of us already owned that was most likely found secondhand) and 2. It all went smoothly.  And 3. As an added bonus, it made everything cuter, more aesthetic, more in line with the Clotheshorse look.  I love a curatorial challenge!

First there was the fruit wall: Yes, this took hundreds of hours to build over the span of 6+ months and I’m not ashamed to admit it. I can’t wait to use it again! Dustin and I are already brainstorming how we can get it to Portland! At one of my regular thrift stops, where I was once again buying an entire basket of faux fruit, the volunteer said to me “I’m really glad you are buying and using all of this because we receive so much of it and no one ever buys it.” Is this a sign to make an even bigger fruit wall?! Don’t tempt me!  How much fruit is on that wall? I would say a few thousand pieces. All of the grapes were sewn on to the fabric backing using secondhand embroidery floss.  I did buy new screws to attach the apples, pears, bananas, and oranges. But secondhand screws in the right length were impossible to find.  The letters that spelled out Clotheshorse came from entire trashcan (the huge size that you put out at the curb) of letters that were purchased from an auction at Roadside America in 2021. We spray painted them pink and strung them up with thrifted metallic rope.

When Cori and I started talking about food for the Jamboree, we knew we had a challenge on our hands: how could we serve two meals a day in a place that did not have a kitchen, while being mindful of dietary restrictions, staying local with the food, and avoiding packaging waste.  And oh yeah, trying to stay on budget.  We could have kept it cheap and easy by getting sandwich trays from the grocery store.  Or getting the catering from Chipotle (or something similar).  But we didn’t want plastic trays, meh food, and lots of other trash.  We used a combination of local businesses, local produce, and Cori’s own time to cook to make it happen.  Some of the food came right from my garden, including the zucchini in the muffins and the pickles that I grew and well, pickled.  Cori is an amazing food planner, so not only was everyone fed and happy, but it was also manageable without an onsite kitchen.

Let’s talk about dishes, utensils, mugs, and napkins. We needed enough for 40 people:

• Fortunately I have a lot of dishes that are different but look great together because I’m obsessed with thrifting vintage Mikasa (particularly the more cottagecore patterns). So I really did have enough plates for this event! We had large plates for lunch, smaller plates for breakfast.  
• By now you all know that we have a lot of “dumb mugs” in the McCarty-White household, and it’s a situation that many of you long-time thrifters understand.  For the jamboree, every morning I assembled a pyramid of dumb mugs.  Everyone had fun picking their own for coffee, tea, water, etc.  I actually do this for parties/get togethers at my house, too. In the morning, we had a huge tank of hot coffee (provided by the Candy Factory) and in the afternoon I brought out pitchers of cold brew and iced herbal tea (both made in my own kitchen). And we skipped the plastic water bottles by having a huge glass container of water out for everyone to refill their mugs and reusable water bottles.  In terms of other beverages (like sparkling water and soda), all of the options were available in cans in coolers.
• I did need to source more utensils which was easy because just about every thrift store out here has bins of utensils for 10-25 cents a piece). 
• And I also tracked down 200+ napkins that I laundered, line-dried, and folded. 
• The dishes are back in my cabinets and back in rotation.  There was a weird period as I was packing up stuff to transport to the jamboree where Dustin and i had to eat everything out of bowls because all of the plates were packed.  It was fine, albeit a little weird on the day we had pizza for dinner.  The extra utensils are living in glass jars on top of our freezer, but I know they will be used again for future parties, holiday dinners, etc AND I can loan them to anyone else who is having an event of their own. The napkins are actually in use every day in our house now.   Maybe I’m a chaotic eater.  Maybe I’m a napkin-aholic.  But we go through a lot of paper napkins in this house, so it was nice to fully shift to fabric napkins.  

Here’s the thing about using only reusable items for food and beverages: it means dishwashing (fortunately there was both a dishwasher at the Candy Factory and my house).  It means laundering all of those napkins. And it means lots of packing, unpacking, and generally schlepping heavy boxes around. But none of it felt impossible. 

What else?

On the first day, we played BRENDA (aka slow fashion trivia bingo).   In a weird way, I’m most proud of the game pieces I used for BRENDA (to mark off their bingo cards): a variety of game pieces and plastic tchotchkes culled from the “plastic bag” section of various thrift stores. I somehow stumbled upon a huge bag of vintage Avon cologne boxes that I used to hold those pieces. I spent so much time packing up each box to ensure that everyone received a wide variety of game pieces in their boxes.  The prizes for Brenda  were secondhand Lancaster county souvenirs and laundry/recipe books.

On day two, we did the “ultimate upcycled craft challenge” and let me tell you: everyone made awesome stuff! All of the craft supplies (except for glue sticks) were thrifted, including more than THIRTY pairs of scissors (and yes, they were shockingly hard to track down).   I could not have pulled off the craft challenge without Casey’s help: she brought a whole suitcase of secondhand craft supplies with her. She spent an entire evening organizing everything we had into groups to make it easier for attendees to select their materials.  And at the Jamboree, she was sort of like a “craft doula,” helping everyone figure out what they wanted to do and steering them toward the right materials. The prizes for the craft challenge were secondhand vintage craft kits that I collected from thrift stores and yard sales. And even the gift bags I used to dole them out were part of a massive bag of gift bags that I thrifted for a few dollars.

What else was secondhand at the Jamboree? Well, I rented a microphone to use.  The name tags! The heat press we used to make everyone’s upcycled merch.  All of the blank tees and garments that attendees were able to use for their merch.  The paper used to print signage and some of the handouts.  The bulk of the handouts were printed by Jessi and she brought them all the way to Lancaster (along with a massive bag of secondhand magazines for our collaging exercise). 

I had to buy a few new things:

• Two folding tables
• Folders for everyone’s handouts.
• Glue sticks

But we pulled it off! Almost entirely secondhand and everyone had a great time! Everything was sourced from a variety of different IRL places:

• Thrift stores
• Yard sales
• Flea markets
• Facebook marketplace

None of this could have happened without the amazing volunteers who helped organize stuff, unload/load stuff, wash dishes, and so much more!

This was A LOT of work. From thrifting to laundry to packing to making that @#$%ing fruit wall…all I did for six months other than work/make Clotheshorse was work on prepping for the Jamboree. And afterwards, so much loading/unloading, putting stuff away, and laundry. Most of us don’t have the time/energy to do this much for an event.  How can you make your own potlucks, parties, and hangouts less wasteful without spending all of your time tracking down stuff?

Start with baby steps: buy some fabric napkins.  Or bust out your own Dumb Mugs at your next party.  Have everyone bring their own! Borrow dishes and utensils from friends/family/neighbors. It all helps! But hopefully I have inspired you to think differently/try doing things a new way for future events in your life, whether they happen at your home, your office, or somewhere out in the world.  It’s progress, not perfection. But if all of us cut back on buying those plastic SOLO cups, we would see an impact. These things add up when we are all doing them together!

Okay, so let’s get down to business: the Clotheshorse Guide to Secondhand Shipping, part one, IRL FTW TYSM!

Before we get started, you might be asking: why does Amanda think they are such an expert on secondhand shopping? Okay, maybe you aren’t asking that because i did just tell you about finding all of the secondhand supplies for a two-day event. But just in case:

• I’ve been thrifting at thrift stores since high school. I made the decision that I would never be able to have the “fancy name brand” clothes that my peers had, so I may as well dress as wild and unique as I wanted via the thrift store. In tenth grade, I discovered a place called Rubin Brothers in Harrisburg.  It was a waste management company that was open to the public on Saturdays from 7 am to 11 am.  One warehouse contained a mountain of clothing and textiles that customers literally climbed and dug through.  Everything was 25 cents a pound and it was weighed on a huge industrial scale. The business was cash only and you had to bring your own garbage bag.  I would take TWO buses on Saturday morning, getting up before the sun had risen, to go to Rubin Brothers. Everything was mega dirty and smelled weird.  So after I was done at Rubins, I would take two buses back to my neighborhood, directly to the laundromat.  We didn’t have a washer and dryer at our house.  I usually had a plastic Ziploc bag (oh, who am I kidding, it was definitely the brand of plastic bags sold at the Dollar Tree) of laundry detergent in my purse.  So I could wash and dry everything and take it home.  It was work.  But my wardrobe was sick.  It was not unusual for me to show up to school in a lime green 70s leisure suit or a silk pair of 1950s mens pajamas.  I might layer a floral mod mini dress over a pair of green velvet bell bottoms and top it all off with a beret. My prom dress cost $1.99 at the Salvation Army and it was a mega polyester 70s evening gown in a bold green and blue floral with a layer of glitter coating it.
• As a young adult, I began to shop on a very new eBay for secondhand comic books, records, and eventually, clothing.  In fact some of my favorite vintage clothes were bought on eBay around 2002. And every time I was home visiting, my grandma and I would go to auctions and flea markets.
• When you’re used to thrifting, you kinda never go back and it just becomes a part of life.  Dylan and I didn’t have a car for years, so I would strap them into the seat on my bike, and we would head off to the Goodwill Superstore or the Value Village for clothes for both of us, toys, books, and anything else we needed for the house. Dylan would probably be embarrassed (or maybe delighted) to hear me tell you that they went through a phase of loving floofy Jon Benet style dresses (probably used for Easter photos and child pageants).  We found a lot of those at the bins, so Dylan alternated those with a spiderman costume that we also thrifted.
• In fact, thrifting has always been a big part of my life, reined in only by my lack of car.  As thrift stores moved further and further out of the cities and the bus rides got longer and longer, I shifted into finding things secondhand online. But when Dustin and I started dating, I discovered that not only did he have a car, he also loved thrifting. So we always look for secondhand stores, flea markets, vintage shops, etc everywhere we travel.  As I record this right now I’m wearing a handmade strawberry print dress that I thrifted in 2021, with a necklace I bought at a flea market in Mexico City.  I’m surrounded by a wooden screen (to enhance the sound quality) that I bought for $5 at the Habitat for Humanity Restore. I typed this script on an Apple keyboard that I stumbled upon at a Goodwill for $40.  I’m sitting in an office filled with secondhand furniture, books, and tchotchkes. It’s a way of life for me. ‘

So yeah, I have a lot of experience in shopping secondhand.  That said: I might miss a tip or suggestion that you have in this episode.  And that’s okay.  I might get to it in the next episode. Or you could record an audio message sharing your tip and email it to me to include in the next episode.  You can find my email address in the show notes.  But please be respectful of my work and my time.  I have a lot of anxiety about doing episodes about large topics like thrifting since the Laundry-sodes in early 2023.  While I am super happy with how they turned out, as that series was being released, I was bombarded with emails from people who felt we had missed important things, when it turned out that they just hadn’t realized it was a multi part series. And I still receive emails from people who think they should have been the guests, that they would have done a better job, etc. Which is frankly, insulting to the guests who spent so much time researching and prepping for the episode, and hurtful towards me, the person who spent many hours working on those episodes.  

So let’s not repeat that with thrifting! This is a continuing dialogue, most episodes of Clotheshorse touch on thrifting, secondhand, etc, so if it’s not mentioned in this series it’s either because we have talked about it before (and I assume you are tired of hearing about it)  or I just did forget to include it. And in that case, feel free to share it with the community via a voice memo!

We live in an amazing time for shopping secondhand, because you can do it without leaving your couch!   Like I said earlier, we will talk about all of the apps and platforms for acquiring secondhand stuff online next week. That will include Facebook Marketplace, your Buy Nothing group, etc…those places that are kinda online but also IRL? So don’t think that I forgot about them.

This week we are focusing on the 100% IRL options.  Most conversations about  shopping secondhand start with thrift stores, but that’s just the beginning! 

The advantages of shopping IRL for secondhand clothing? You can try it on!  And you can read labels to ensure you like the fabric! You can feel the fabric, look for missing parts and damage.  You can measure it! 

The drawback? You don’t always know what you will find. In fact, let’s take a moment to discuss that.  Anti-reseller rhetoric has many sources, but I do think one point of origin is frustration and disappointment.  The rise of massive big box stores, followed by virtually infinite online shopping means that we can almost always find exactly what we want with a minimal investment of time and effort.  Google it and you can probably find it.

Shopping secondhand–especially IRL–isn’t like that.  You might find what you are seeking on your first stop, but odds are high that you will not. In fact, I do not consider myself a superstitious person, but it does seem as if the moment I add something to my list, I can’t find it for weeks, despite seeing it everywhere for like three years straight.  Like, all summer I have been searching for an ice cream maker, with no luck! I swear that I saw them constantly before I started looking.   Yet, as a long time secondhand shopper, I know the right ice cream maker will materialize at some point.  And that’s okay! I like the slowness, the wait, the anticipation.  We can make ice cream next summer!  But that’s a very different experience than saying “I want an ice cream maker,” opening the Amazon app, scrolling through some options, and then receiving one a day or two later.  

Successful IRL secondhand shopping requires time, patience, organization, and well, a lot more effort. 

Secondhand shopping IRL can happen in a wide variety of places:

• Thrift stores: Some are big chains like Goodwill and Salvation Army (both non profits) or Savers, Value Village, and Texas Thrift (these are all for-profit and privately owned). Other thrift stores are more local, often attached to charitable organizations within the community.  That could be a hospital, community center, church, recovery centers, shelters, community health initiatives, etc. Out here in Lancaster County, I can choose between several Goodwill locations, a Salvation Army, Community Aid, two stores called Freedom Thrift that benefit an addiction recovery center, and several stores run by the Mennonite Central Committee that benefit refugee resettlement, among many other global projects.    Where you choose to shop is up to you.  If you’re hoping to make the biggest bang with your buck, shop the smaller nonprofit thrift stores.  If your focus is just keeping things out of landfills, check out all of them. While sometimes smaller independent thrift stores can have lower prices than the big chains, that’s not always the case.  And I see all kinds of pricing bloopers pretty regularly at all thrift stores: secondhand (but not vintage or rare) items being priced higher than the brand new version in the same brand/fabric/etc or things being so overpriced that it just doesn’t make sense at all.  

Let’s take a moment to talk about pricing: in most situations, shopping secondhand should be less expensive than buying the same exact thing brand new. The exceptions here are rare, vintage, or collectible items.  However, I also have pretty realistic expectations about this kind of thing.  Like, I don’t think a secondhand article of clothing should cost  5% of the price of the brand new version.  An item in good usable condition with years of wear and use left in it? That’s worth paying for.  So while I do miss the time when I could thrift sick 70s t shirts for $1.99 and a Penny Lane coat for $4.99.  And who could forget that $1.99 prom dress? I know that everything is a lot more expensive now than it was when I was a teenager.  And running a thrift store isn’t cheap. After all, the thrift store had to pay to run a business: utilities, employees, insurance, fixtures, the logistics of sorting and moving all of those secondhand donations around, etc.   If something feels too expensive for me, well sometimes that’s because it IS priced too high, but in most cases it’s a sign that I really just don’t love it.  

So yeah, thrift stores. They are one of the big year round options for shopping secondhand.  Some thrift store chains–especially Goodwill–have “outlets”  (which all the hardcore thrifters know a lot about) and they are not unlike my own experience at Rubin Brothers. Rather than climbing a mountain of clothes, you dig through big plastic bins.  Most items are sold by the pound, so it is far less expensive than the regular thrift stores.  But it takes a lot more time. And you will want to bring gloves to wear while digging.

Beyond thrift stores and bins there even more options for shopping secondhand IRL:

• Secondhand record stores and book shops!
• Creative reuse centers
• Vintage stores, makers markets, and vintage shows: these are going to have higher prices than thrift stores because everything is curated, cleaned, repaired, etc.  
• Antique malls: they sound fancy, but often they are just different booths filled and maintained by small business owners. And you can find some amazing items! They are really great for clothing and gifts, along with books and unique home goods.
• Flea markets:  sometimes a mix of new stuff, secondhand items, and vintage stuff. A great way to get your steps in and see a lot of different things in one day. Prices can often be negotiable. 
• Estate sales and auctions: These are great because you actually get to go into someone’s house. I know that sounds weird, but I kinda love that.  And often you can find every category of item because it’s literally someone’s entire possessions for sale in one place.  Great for home goods, craft supplies, and clothing. Prices can be all over the place but they are often negotiable.  Not always though!
• Yard sales: I mean, I LOVE A YARD SALE!  These are probably the most affordable way to shop secondhand because stuff is priced to move! And I see a mixture of contemporary and vintage stuff when I’m at yard sales, along with super useful things like a garden hose or a slow cooker. Great for kids clothes and toys, too!
• Consignment shops:  people drop off their unwanted items here and then they get paid when the store sells them. There are consignment shops that only sell clothing, but they also exist for furniture, luxury brands, outdoor and sports gear, electronics, home goods, records/books, and even specifically just for kids stuff!
• You can also search  “secondhand clothing store” to find places like Buffalo Exchange and Plato’s Closet. These places sell clothing and accessories and they function as “buy sell trade.” People bring in their clothes and accessories and the stores offer them cash or trade for them.  These can be great for finding specific brands, more contemporary/trendy clothing, and sometimes even designer stuff.  
• Pawn shops: I don’t have a ton of experience here, but Dustin does. And he has definitely found good music gear in pawn shops over the years.  You can also find jewelry and collectibles in pawn shops.

So how do you find these places?

• Thrift stores (and other IRL stores):  Another time when your phone is a valuable tool.  Search “thrift stores” on google maps.  I actually save every thrift store I visit on my own google maps account so I know where to go the next time.
• Yard sales: Craigslist, Next Door, Facebook (here in Lancaster County there is a Facebook group just for sharing yard sales), look for signs!
• Flea markets, vintage/makers markets:  check out instagram (mark your calendar when you see something coming up), ask your friends, check out the newspaper, keep your eye out for fliers and signs.
• Estate sales & auctions:  Craigslist, Facebook (there are often groups for estate sale fans), follow estate sale businesses on social media, sign up for their email lists.

As I mentioned earlier, shopping secondhand often takes more time and patience than just ordering something from Amazon.  You might not find exactly what you need immediately.  And…you might get caught up in the moment of OMG SO MUCH STUFF TO LOOK AT that you forget what you really wanted! That’s why being organized is super important!

Fortunately, your phone is an amazing tool for thrifting and having a smartphone has made my own secondhand shopping so much more efficient!

• Keep a running list of the things you need on your phone in your notes app.  Check it out before you start your shopping…and again when you are ready to leave each store/sale/etc. This will help you stay focused (and not forget the important things) .
• This is also a great place to keep track of sizes and measurements for clothing, curtains, furniture, anything that is size specific.  
• I will also just add that your phone is a great tool for looking things up while you are shopping.  You can confirm if the pricing makes sense and you can ensure something has all of its parts.  I actually use the google app on my phone to upload photos of things I am wondering about . 

When I am secondhand shopping, my purse always contains a few things:

• Hand sanitizer
• Tissues (useful if I’m in a weird bathroom situation like a flea market porta potty or a super gross thrift store bathroom)
• My phone
• A reusable shopping bag
• Cash (we will get into that later)
• A measuring tape (okay usually two, one of the rigid ones for measuring furniture, bedding, etc and a small one for measuring clothes). And I keep these measuring tapes in my purse at all times so I never forget them.

Many thrift stores never reopened their fitting rooms after the first year of the pandemic.  And trying on clothes at yard sales and flea markets can be challenging.  If you do prefer to try on clothing, wear things that are easy for trying clothes over, like leggings, tank tops, etc. Avoid the floofy puffed sleeve dress or an enormous sweater.  I am usually wearing a complex puffed sleeve outfit, so that doesn’t usually work for me.  And furthermore, last year I had a traumatic experience at a Texas Thrift where I got stuck in a SHEIN dress that I was trying on over my clothes.  So I stick to measuring. 

Knowing the measurements that work best for you in the chest, waist, hips, arm opening, length, etc., will prevent a lot of disappointment on your end! There are two ways to go about this:

• Measure your body. There is an art to this and (yay!) there are a lot of tutorials online. When you’re shopping for an item, always ensure that the measurements of the garment will allow for (what I call) “living room,” i.e., being able to move around and live your life comfortably!
• Measure a similar garment that you own and love.  I tend to go this route more often because it allows for that “living room.” Furthermore, I struggle with a really unhealthy relationship with my body and food, and measurements and scales tend to lead me to intrusive thoughts and self harm. This is a safer route for me.
• No matter which route you choose for measuring, add these measurements to your notes app.  Beyond just bust, waist, hips, etc, I also like to include the measurements for types of garments: tshirts, jeans, dresses, items with/without stretch, etc.

• Another idea: we know by now that the sizes on labels mean almost nothing and they vary by brand, so I like to keep a list of the sizes I tend to wear in particular brands to help me make faster decisions.

How else can you be prepared for a successful secondhand shopping trip?

• If you’re planning a day of thrifting, yard sales, flea markets, etc…stay fed and hydrated! You know we are about to have a serious thrift day when I load up the little Hello Kitty cooler with drinks.  And I always have a bag of healthy snacks in the car because I am a mom like that.  
• Speaking of hydration, I am always aware of finding public bathrooms on our yard sale and flea market journeys. Thrifting too! It’s always smart to use the bathroom when you stop for gas or to get coffee.  
• Do you research (when it comes to cash versus card): some thrift stores do not accept cards.  And of course, it’s much easier to pay at yard sales and flea markets with cash.  So visit the ATM before a big day of secondhand shopping.
• BYO-Bag: more and more thrift stores are no longer offering bags.  Flea markets, yard sales, etc may not have bags, either. So be sure that you have some reusable bags with you.
• For flea markets and yard sales, I recommend bringing a wagon or shopping cart.  If you’re at a thrift store or an antique mall, don’t be shy about using a cart or basket. It’s easier to measure and make thoughtful decisions when your hands are free!
• Many thrift stores offer discounts on a specific tag color each week. Check out the signs inside the door.  Others offer discounts only on certain days. And yes, Dustin and I have made weekend plans around big sales at our favorite thrift stores.
• Yes, you can haggle (negotiate) pricing at flea markets, yard sales, and estate sales, but no one wins by lowballing and being a jerk. It is less common in vintage stores and antique malls (also, it can seem disrespectful).  However, some places will offer a discount for paying cash!
• Check the glass cases at thrift stores.  These are ostensibly the “expensive” things, but sometimes they are just small items that could get lost or broken.  That’s where I found my keyboard.  

No matter where you are shopping, it’s important to think about your purchases before you make them.  At thrift stores, Dustin and I convene in a corner (not blocking the aisles or flow of traffic because we aren’t jerks) to do the final “cart sort.”  In a thrift store–especially a large or busy one–I do recommend putting things in your cart that you are interested in, rather than saying “oh, I’ll think about it and come back to it at the end.” By then you might not be able to find it (this happens to me all the time) or someone else may have nabbed it.    It’s not unusual for Dustin and I to have a full cart by the end. That’s why we do the sort! You can do this on your own, but honestly it’s kinda fun and helpful to do it with someone else.  We get started by inspecting each item for damage, stains, and needed repairs.  Now, just because something is stained or needs a button, doesn’t mean we pass on it.  But we’re looking for things that we KNOW we can repair and putting back things that are out of our skill set! 

Then we go through the questions:

• Am I buying this because I’m bored/sad/looking for distraction? Remember, retail therapy isn’t actually therapy, even if it makes you feel better for a short period of time. And when you’re secondhand shopping, it can be easy to get caught up in the excitement of the moment, of the thrill of the hunt.  Plus everything feels like a wonderful surprise, but it might not actually be useful for you to buy.
• Would I buy this if it were full price/brand new? Is this really my style/aesthetic?
• Will I wear this often and will I wear it for years? If it’s not clothing: will I really use this? Can it fit in our house? Where and how will I store it?  
• For clothing: Can I wear this comfortably and regularly in the climate I live in? Does this fabric/garment work with my own personal concerns? Like, will I be comfortable? Itchy? Sweaty? Am I going to need specific undergarments or shoes?
• Does this item cross any of my boundaries? Meaning, will I use a secondhand swimsuit or bra? Am I cool with a thrifted pillow or furniture? If it icks you out, don’t do it.  Because one person’s ick is another person’s treasure!
• Am I willing to care for this properly, whether it’s hand washing, dry cleaning, line drying, ironing,  etc?
• And lastly, do I love this item enough to mend and repair it? If it needs some TLC right now–from stain removal to some spare parts–am I willing to do this?

Successful secondhand shopping–especially at a thrift store–inevitably ends with “catch and release,” putting back the things that were added to the cart in the heat of the moment that you don’t really need.  In fact, I would say a successful day of thrifting is about what you don’t buy as much as it is what you DO buy.

And oh yeah, don’t just ditch the things you decide against! Put them back on the shelves and racks.  Thrift store workers are not here to clean up after you!  

The last thing I will just say is this: be cool with leaving empty handed. Some days it feels as if the thrift gods are smiling upon you (ask me about the 70s Coach bag that I found for $7) and other times it feels as if you did something to anger them.  Don’t buy something just because you don’t want to go home with nothing. Know that you had fun, you got to do some people watching, do some walking, and maybe hang out with someone you like a lot.    I promise that all bad thrift days are followed by amazing ones.  It’s all a matter of luck and timing. 

Okay, that’s all for this week! As I mentioned at the top of the episode, this is part one of two.  If you have some thrift tips you would like to share, record a message on your phone and send it my way at [email protected].