How long do you spend thrifting?

[tunicaslot]

I love garage sales - but when summer turns to fall - garage sales stop and I have to get my kicks from thrifting at the Thrift stores. I watch some of these resellers on youtube and they cover 3,4,5 thrift stores in a day. I can spend 2-3 hours in a thrift and not even get through the store.

I concentrate on men's, and big womens mostly and take a peek at purses and housewares. There are so many Anthropology brands - I'll never master what to look for in women's so I'll leave that alone.

Love the $1 Saturdays at Goodwill and the 1/2 Weds at SA. I like Saver's but unless there is a sale - prices are high in our area.

When we go to Alabama - I have the thrifts scoped out - America's Thrift remind me of Savers - a little on the high side. There are a bunch of independent charity thrifts which are nice but small. My one plan is to hit the Unclaimed Baggage Store but I don't think it will be this trip and I'd love to hit a Goodwill outlet as there's one in Mobile - but that will have to wait until next year.

Anyone spend as much time as me in a thrift or can give some tips on how to get out of them a bit quicker? Do you like some thirfts better than others?

[ymeagainlord]

Don't go near the clothing section = )

[mirror-in-the-attic]

I am as you are.  It takes me quite awhile.  However, I hit almost everywhere.   (Except toys and kids stuff in general).     After about 2-3 hours, I have no desire to hit another one.  Maybe some target specific sections and they go there regularly so most of the things they have already seen and are only looking for the new items.   

[knode89]

Most focus on just a few areas and move on quickly.  The clothing section takes forever unless you learn to scan labels and move on.  Less than a second a label unless something catches your eye.  with so much there, you have to keep moving to get out in any bit of time.  If you have been doing it long enough, your brain knows what you are looking for faster than your conscious self does.  So you go through them and until something catches your eye or you feel off, then you go back and check the last 3 or 4 items.  But you have to be willing to possibly miss something to do it.  Generally I spend no more than an hour but I dont deal in clothing.

[hollysfinds]

It doesn't take me very long in a thrift store.

I don't sell clothing though so that makes it quicker.

My sister in law & I go thrifting together almost every week.

We go to about 3 or 4 in our area & then out for breakfast.

It only takes us about 2 hours or so in the thrifts.

[keziak]

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@tunicaslot wrote:

I love garage sales - but when summer turns to fall - garage sales stop and I have to get my kicks from thrifting at the Thrift stores. I watch some of these resellers on youtube and they cover 3,4,5 thrift stores in a day. I can spend 2-3 hours in a thrift and not even get through the store.

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This comment made me go look at a youtube video for the first time out of curiosity. I came upon one fast talker who was explaining, well, how to be a successful ebay seller. He was pretty good, too. Even brought up online arbitrage. I would think a newbie would be overwhelmed by all that though.

[bigoljim47]

I spend 1hr in a store. I scan the racks. I look for certain patterns or fabric. You can spot quality and certain designer have a specific pattern (Lilly Pulitzer) or Fabric (St John, Misook).  I no longer pick up certain brands, because the Market has turned and I can't sell many preowned clothing.

[kathieskorner]

There are many thrift stores here in Florida - I don't bother with Goodwill or the Salvation Army - I can't get past the odor of the store.    There are two thrift stores I check out weekly - one run by a Catholic charity - the other by hospice a visit can run from 30 minutes to an hour.   They have a lot of turnover in inventory and are reasonably priced.   I used to visit an animal rescue thrift store weekly as well, but they have become too pricey and donations must be down because the same stuff just sits on the shelves so I'm down to a monthly 15 minute visit there.  

There are a couple of thrifts supporting women's shelters that I check out every couple of months - rarely find anything to buy - the same is true of the local weekend flea market.   The other thrifts I have checked out were not worth a repeat visit. 

The fact is that I really don't need any more ebay inventory so I don't buy anywhere near as much as I once did. 

[dustnbones71]

I have been to the Unclaimed Baggage store in Scottsboro Al and thought the prices were way out of line. But maybe I am just too cheap! Best of luck to you. By the way, steer clear of the Goodwill there, it smells very BAD.

[baantiques]

I quit buying that way several years ago.  We were spending all day every Saturday plus stopping on out of town trips.   It just got to be a real drag.  Unfortunately, it killed my love of thrift stores and I seldom go anymore.  I now buy parts by the trailer load.  

[lintbrush*]

I try to spend about 30-45 minutes in a thrift store unless I'm striking gold.  

I don't do clothing so that makes it easier.

There's an area I hit about once a month (about an hour's drive away) and I'll do 6-8 on that day and I'm beat up afterwards, but usually hit real well.

[turquoisetulips]

Anyone spend as much time as me in a thrift or can give some tips on how to get out of them a bit quicker? Do you like some thirfts better than others? tunicsalot - op - unquote ------------------------

I do like to browse through thrift stores  but not as much as my mom did . I was in a thrift store one day and I heard her voice over in the next asile .We didn't go there together . She was on a first name basis with everyone  who ever worked at a thrift store in our area  .  If she were still with us she could no doubt give you some good advice . Anyway , back to the other  questions. There's one thrift store I really like here called Three way thrift  because its extremely clean and when you walk in it doesn't have that musty smell that most do , but their prices are higher . However I really did well in sales  here  after I picked up several pairs of nice  mens swimming trunks  one Spring there . Tulips 

[turquoisetulips]

There are many thrift stores here in Florida - I don't bother with Goodwill or the Salvation Army - I can't get past the odor of the store.   kathieskorner -- unquote ----------

Phew ! you're right about that . That's why I sort of stick to the one I go to , it doesn't have that smell . There are other reasons too that I avoid  some of the lower class thrift  stores and it's the rude  behavior  of some of the other shoppers  . I finally gave up and left a thrift store one day when a kid about 5 or 6 years old kept screaming  '' I'm hungry ''!! . He must have screamed  it 30 times and his father totally ignored him . I guess he didn't have enough brain cells to realize his screaming child may be annoying  other people  or at least buy the kid a snack to quiet him down. Tulips