7 Tips for Successful Charity Shopping
Photo by Burst
I’ve worn second-hand clothes since I was little, thanks to my mum, and some of my favourite garments have come from charity shops. As much as I love wearing second-hand clothes, though, shopping for myself as an adult can be hard work as my height, curves and individual style make finding items that I like and that fit me a bit more challenging. Whilst I love supporting worthy causes when I shop, buying from charities adds an additional layer of difficulty due to limited sizing options and the general randomness of what’s available.
I know I’m not alone in struggling to keep my second-hand wardrobe fresh so I thought I’d share some helpful tips that have served me well over the years.
Choose a location where there are lots of shops and greater footfall. The more options you have in terms of places to visit the better as more shops means more variety. It's also more likely that you'll find quality items in densely populated communities or areas where there's a large student population because more people means more donations.
Visit as frequently as possible. The more often you’re able to visit your chosen charity shops the more likely it is that you’ll find items you like as donations are sold and replaced on a daily basis.
Spend a good amount of time rummaging through the rails. The best way to find quality items is to dedicate a good amount of time to looking thoroughly through all of the rails as donations tend to be organised non-hierarchically.
Always check the window display. To entice customers, shops display the best donations in the window so it’s always worth having a proper look.
Go around the shop at least twice before leaving. It can be tempting to leave after the first walk around, especially if you’ve not found anything you like. However, it’s often on the second or even third time around that I find the best bargains as items can be very good at hiding!
Visit throughout the week. If you’re busy it can be tempting to limit visits to charity shops to a specific day. However, new donations may arrive any day throughout the week so to avoid missing out it’s best to visit on as many days as possible.
Don’t be afraid to ask. If you’re looking for a specific item and haven’t found it don’t be shy to ask a member of staff. New donations arrive all the time so it’s possible they may have more hiding in the back. I’ve found some of my favourite items this way so it’s definitely always worth asking.
