I’m just like anyone else. When I ask someone “Where did you get that?”, because they are wearing something I find fabulous, and they respond with “I thrifted it.”, my mouth gets just as big as a tot on Christmas, opening a toy he didn’t think he was getting.

I can’t say it enough. It’s ridiculous (yet amazing) what people so easily throw away. I can’t put enough emphasis on the saying “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.” This coming from the girl that rides around the nice neighborhoods (including my own, just because I’m a bargain hunter doesn’t mean my place isn’t “nice”) scoping out what pieces of furniture people just don’t want to put any time into and would rather the garbage men take care of. I’m pretty certain that almost all magical finds I’ve encountered come down to being in the right place at the right time.

Now. Lets get down to business! I’ll start by answering the most common thrift-related questions to fill my ask box.

I really want to go thrifting, but I have no idea where to start. Where do you suggest?
My personal favorites happen to include church shops and shops that operate geared towards a certain cause. Lets face it… Old people are awesome. And where are you most likely to find a bunch of old people? No, not a hospital, you meanies.  Church! I know vintage sounds like a cool word and everything, but the truest meaning of it is: OLD. Another advantage to little stores like this is that it will be drastically cheaper than anywhere else. I have walked out church shops with little old men tailing me as we lugged bags and bags of goodies to my car. And how much did I spend? Just twenty dollars. 
However, when it all comes down to it, the most important thing about thrifting is to not be afraid to try a place out. It’s incredibly hard to look for thrift stores when you’re driving, so any time you ride along anywhere, be observant of your surroundings and write down/save in your phone places to return to. DO NOT be intimidated by run down buildings. More often than not, that’s where the best of treasures are hiding.

Whenever I go into a thrift store, I have no idea where to begin. What do I do!?!
An overwhelming feeling when you know something you’ll love can be hiding anywhere, huh? Though, this is simple. Start where something catches your eye. There is no right place to start in places like this. You are going to have to dig through ALL of it to feel completely satisfied when you go to checkout. That, I think, is the best advice I can give you on this matter. Look through everything. 

When is the best time to thrift?
When you HAVE time. Don’t go on an empty stomach, don’t go when you have somewhere to be, and definitely don’t go inside somewhere if you have to pee! A weird thing to say, but it’s true. You won’t be able to fully concentrate. Another very important don’t: Don’t go if you’re tired. Digging through racks, shelves, and bins does tire you out. On top of that, you have to carry around what you find, and it’s not unusual for my pile to get high. I also recommend a weekday. Too many people get in your way on the weekend and employees are more likely to be restocking items Monday-Friday. It’s also important to remember specials. For example, Salvation Army does half off all clothes on Wednesdays. I like to check back with my favorite stores once every other week.

Should I go alone or with a buddy/group?
Alone. Alone. Alone. I can’t say it enough… ALONE! Maybe it’s just me, but I just like being in my own little world when I shop. It gives me more space to think and brainstorm outfit ideas when I see a piece. Plus, I’ve been in situations where the person I was with sped around and hoarded all of the cute things. I can’t tell you anything more annoying when you’re just trying to browse and relax. Go with someone who has a style that isn’t too similar to your own, so you can separate and it not be a big deal.

I find really cute things, but a lot of the time they are WAY too big or long. Help!
I run into this problem a lot. Now, I don’t expect you to take up sewing, so if something is just way too big and you don’t have a very generous grandmother — I’m sorry, you’re a little out of luck. I buy clothing that is HUGE quite frequently. Why? Because of the material. I cut it up and use it for other projects. However, if you’ve found a dress, a shirt, or a skirt that is adorable, but just way too long… Let me introduce you to your new best friends. 

I own this little guy and he is a life saver. Just draw a line with a fabric pencil on the clothing of your desired length (add one inch so you can fold in and up to hem) and run him over it. It’s a straight line, so it’s quite simple!
 This is a lot quicker a fix. You generally do the same as I said above, only you use an iron. It also is very durable and what I’ve used it on has lasted through multiple washes.

I hope I helped! I will be adding more questions as they are presented to me. So if you’re curious, ask away.