Many people like thrifting because it is a fun and thrilling experience, and you don’t even have to break the bank to get what you want. Thrift stores sell items that have been fairly used for a reduced price. The most common items are clothing, bags, art, jewelry, and shoes. Let’s know What Valuables Should I Look For At Thrift Stores?
What Valuables Should I Look For At Thrift Stores
- Vintage Kitchenware: Most thrift stores like Goodwill have a wide selection of glassware and kitchen supplies. When thrift shopping, keep a look out for the following valuable items:
- China sets: China pieces- teacups, saucers, and plates are high collectibles, especially those with vintage patterns. It will be fun to purchase different pieces to create your unique collection.
- Jadeite: Mint green cups, serving trays, and cups were formerly popular and carry great value today.
- Retro cookie jars: Cookie jars representing cartoons are fun collectibles. They also stand out uniquely anywhere you place them in your kitchen or dining area.
- Designer-label clothes: It is fairly common to find designer clothes at thrift stores. Look out for vintage pieces too.
- First-edition books: Finding used hardcover books in decent condition are an awesome deal. Keep your eyes peeled for first-edition books and autographed copies by popular authors. They are rare and valuable.
- Old-school Electronics: DVDs, video game consoles, retro stereos, VHS players, cameras, and walkmans are always an excellent find at thrift stores. Many people purchase these to create a collection of antiques to remind them of years past.
- Trunks and Luggage: Decently used trunks or luggage can be used for travel or repurposed and decorated as stylish home décor.
- Jewelry: Browsing through the accessories section of thrift stores can land you a precious find! Sometimes, precious gems are misclassified as costume jewelry, and if you have a keen eye, it could be a good purchase.
- Toys and games: We’re not talking about regular legos but vintage toys like old board games and tin toys. Vintage toys are rare collectibles and can be worth thousands if they are complete and in decent condition if you decide to resell.
- Folk Art: Antique American folk art is in great demand, even though determining authenticity might be tricky. Hints like carved names, stickers, and stamps can help you decipher a real from a reproduction. Pick pieces that you appreciate and serve as unique home décor pieces.
- Quilts: Antique quilts are eye-catching, practical, and valuable. They give a comfortable appeal to any bed, wall, or table.
- Decorations: Decorations for Christmas or Halloween are also a lovely find at thrift stores. They cost less than you would spend in a regular store too.
Items You Shouldn’t Buy From A Thrift Store
- Helmets: Bike and motorcycle helmets are designed to withstand one serious impact. Buying helmets at a thrift store is risky because you do not know their history, and they can carry unwanted visitors like lice and infections. Better safe than sorry.
- Stuffed animals: When buying stuffed toys at thrift stores, you should be careful. They can carry mold, bed bugs, germs, and odors, and even washing them in hot water does not make them completely safe.
- Underwear: Underwear is not one of the items you should be purchasing second-hand. Except you can confirm that they have never been worn, avoid purchasing undergarments from thrift stores.
- Electric appliances: Make sure you test appliances before purchase to ensure it is in good working condition.
Best Thrift Stores 2022
- Furnish Studio (Alaska)
- Urban Suburban Antiques (Alabama)
- Pop up Home (California)
- Monger’s market (Connecticut)
- Oddballs Nifty thrift (Florida)
- Atlanta used furniture (Georgia)
- Brown Elephant (Illinois)
- Practically perfect (Indiana)
- Community Forklift (Maryland)
- Southside Vintage (Minnesota)
- Father and son antiques (North Carolina)
- Rhode Island Antiques Mall (Rhode Island)
Thrift-Shopping- The Pros And Cons
The Pros
- It is planet-friendly.
- You can save money as thrift items are cheaper.
- You’re contributing to charity.
- You can find unbelievable deals.
- Thrift items are one of a kind.
- You can bargain prices.
The Cons
- Thrift items are used.
- It might take much longer to find the items you need.
- There is no warranty on thrift items.
- Returns are not allowed.
- You can pick up a lot of junk items.
- You can overpay in some situations.
Conclusion
Thrift shopping is a good way to buy clothing, accessories, and other basic items for very cheap. Thrift stores stock antique furniture, art, and even books that many antique collectors might be interested in. Thrifting helps reduce planet waste by reusing or repurposing already used items. You can find some really valuable items in thrift shops for a good price, but it is advised that you be careful to pick only the right items as not all thrift items are good.
FAQs
What is the most common thrift item?
Clothing. Clothing items sell best and are the most common items in many thrift stores.
Can I wear thrift clothes without cleaning them?
Thrift stores will typically only sort through and display clean items, but it is advised to wash all cloth items, whether new or thrift.
