Top 5 Goodwill Shopping Tips

Goodwill is my favorite place to buy clothes, and over the years I have learned some tips and tricks for finding the best items. Here are my Top 5 Tips for Shopping at Goodwill.

When I was younger I can remember being so grossed out by thrift store shopping. In my 20’s, I started shopping at Goodwill, and man I tell you it changed my life…seriously.

I have always been cheap, and when I say cheap, I mean I have always picked quantity over quality. When I was in high school I never followed the expensive fashion trends like all of my friends. Why buy a pair of pants for $80.00 when I could buy two, or three, outfits for the same price? Now that I shop at Goodwill I could probably buy 5 outfits for $80.00.

I’m telling you, once you find your first awesome deal you will fall in love with the Goodwill, just like me. So keep reading for some of my top tips for finding the best deals.

Leave the tags on. This may be my most genius tip. Leave the little tags on the clothes you buy, and throw them straight in the wash. Then you can try on nice clean clothes, and if they don’t fit, take them back.
Be Patient. It takes time, and some digging to find the hidden gems, especially when you are looking for clothes. You really have to be in the mood to take your time, and go through the items one by one so you don’t miss anything. When I go to the Goodwill I know it’s going to take me a while, so I make sure everyone knows to leave. me. alone.
Don’t Focus on Sizes. I know some people are weird about this, but I recommend trying the clothes on. At Goodwill most things have already been washed, and may have stretched out or gotten smaller in the wash. Not everything at Goodwill is true to size. I literally own anywhere from XS to 2XL. But don’t worry, if you are someone who doesn’t like to try on in store, reference step 1.

4. Goodwill accepts returns. You can return most things, so be sure to ask your cashier if your items are returnable. Buy a pile of clothes, and wait until you get home to try them on. Then just bring back what you don’t like.

5. Look for new items. My nearest Goodwill gets tons of NEW stuff from Target Stores. I don’t know if Target donates these things, or how it works, but there will usually be multiple size options on these items. So keep on the look out for Target brands.

I hope some of these tips were helpful, and gives you some ideas on how to shop at the thrift store in style.