Best Times to Thrift

Thrifting can be kind of scary to start, where should I go? When should I go? Maybe you didn't even know that the time mattered. Trust me I have been there! But luckily for you I will be answering all of your thrifting questions right here and right now, first starting with the best times to go thrifitng.

Welcome to Mries Closet and my first blog post, Best Times to Thrift. If your here right now it's probably because you are interested in shopping second-hand. Maybe it’s a budget thing, sustainability, or you're like me and it’s a bit of both. I started thrifting because I was looking to control my shopping habits, I have always loved fashion and having the latest trends but I wasn’t down on the price it often cost me. Today I will help you get your foot in the door for how to shop on a budget while still looking trendy. Shopping second-hand is a great way to not only save money but also help reduce textile waste but we can talk more about that later on. Let’s go ahead and jump into some of my favorite times to go thrifting.

When to go Thrifting

Crazy enough, when you go thrifting can make a huge difference in how successful and enjoyable your trip will be. I wish someone would have told me when I started that some times are better than others because I bet it would have saved me hours of my life. Though I am certain, from my own experience that going at these times will improve your thrifting trips, I understand that everyone’s schedules are different, so just know that anytime is better than none!

1. Mornings

Mornings are great for two reasons, one being that the earlier you go the more likely you are to beat the crowds. Early bird gets the worm, right? I have found that most people go whenever is most convenient in their busy schedules which tends to be during the day or evening. By going in the morning and beating the crowds you don’t have to deal with lots of people and you basically get first dibs. The second reason is that most thrift stores restock in the mornings. If you go later in the evening you risk everything being picked through which is never a fun time. I suggest going around an hour after the store opens so that the employees have had some time to restock the racks.

2. Monday & Tuesday

A lot of people will make their donations on Saturday or Sunday after they have cleaned out their homes during the weekend. For me, personally, this is a pretty accurate statement because I almost never have time to clean during the week. This is why Monday and sometimes Tuesdays are a great day to go thrifting because by this time most stores have had time to go through their weekend donations and start to put them out on the floor. My personal favorite is Mondays because this also tends to be a good sale day but sometimes it can take a few days to distribute donations which are why Tuesdays can be good as well. The key is to go when they have full inventory on the floor.

3. Sale Day

Every store is different in its sales but I have found that Mondays tend to have the best deals because stores are clearing out old inventory to make room for the new week. For example, before Covid-19 Salvation Army had 50% off all women’s clothing every Monday. It’s important to check in on your regular thrift stores to see what days they give out discounts. If you have a Goodwill near you, they tend to have different sales based on certain colored tags and then will have a set tag color that is on sale for the whole week. You can often find this information on their websites or they will have signs posted on the outside and inside of their stores.

4. Saturday's

This one is pretty debated in the thrifting community but a highly suggested one for me because of one simple thing, time. Like most people who work during the week, Saturday is the time to relax, go out, and do something you enjoy. It’s super important that when you go thrifting you are able to block out some time of your day dedicated to just thrifting so you can really search for those awesome finds. Saturdays are great because you can do as much thrifting as you'd like however, I would still suggest going in the mornings to beat those crowds.

5. Spring

Spring for me means the end of my seasonal depression and motivation seems to finally find its way back into my life. Thank goodness! However, this is not the only reason why I love thrifting in the spring. Spring cleaning is real guys! Spring season tends to be a very busy time of the year for second-hand stores because everyone is cleaning out their closets and preparing for the new season. Perfect time for thrifters. More clothes means more opportunities for some crazy finds.