Thrifting is a great joy to me, and I am very passionate about it. I am thrilled we get to celebrate it on August 17th. I think it should be a national holiday, don’t you? I wanted to remind you of tips, tricks, and advice for thrifting or making purposeful donations. I hope you find them helpful. Let’s live by the reduce, reuse, and recycle motto and live sustainably.

First and foremost, let’s be kind to one another. Some thrift shops are small; if two people browse the same rack, please don’t overreach. We will all get a turn.

Merchandise is also very geographical, so go out of your area, and you will be surprised at how different (in a good way) the merchandise is.

Please do not haggle when shopping at small, independent, charitable thrift stores. Every penny they make goes back into their community, whether to a food bank, back-to-school supplies, services for the elderly, or so much more. Every dollar earned is another dollar to help someone truly in need.

Be kind to anyone who works at a thrift shop, especially charity thrift shops. Most are volunteers, and a little appreciation goes a long way.

Always visit estate sales later in the day unless you have something specific in mind that was advertised. You’re more likely to get a lower price because the sales staff doesn’t want to pack up more than they must after a sale.

Sign up for your favorite thrift shop’s email list so you know when the sales are.

Keep cell phone conversations to a minimum. Some thrift stores are small, and you take the fun out of a person’s adventure by loudly talking on your phone.

The fundamental rule of donating with a purpose is NOT to leave donations outside thrift stores after hours. They then become unusable and must be thrown away, which defeats the purpose of donating and the workers’ effort to discard them. This is one of the most significant issues facing thrift shops today.

Do not donate anything ripped, torn, stained, or unusable. Remember, if you wouldn’t buy it yourself, don’t donate it.

Always ensure that the thrift shop you donate to accepts all your donations.

The way we donate can positively influence the environment, especially in our local communities. When we donate purposefully, we play an essential role in extending the life of items we no longer need, helping to protect this beautiful planet for future generations.

Until next time, Happy Thrifting!