Recently my friend shared with me that Plato’s Closet, a consignment store geared towards teens, was having their Grab Bag sale. Basically you get a bag and you can put as much as you want in it for only $15. Good deal, right? Obviously only certain items were allowed to go in the bag but there was still a decent amount to choose from. Today I am sharing a few tips for how to get the most out of your money at thrift stores/ resale shops, as well as what I ended up buying!
1. Allow plenty of time- The Plato’s Closet that is closest to us is not that big, but it still took us about 2 hours to get through everything. It can take a lot of time to find good deals, so if you only give yourself 20 minutes you will most likely walk out disappointed.
2. Don’t be afraid to dig- Sometimes you have to dig through bins and search every rack in the store to find things you style. Don’t just stay in your usual size either! Most resale places aren’t too organized, so there could be a few smalls mixed in the larges.
3. Bring hand sanitizer- Sometimes these places can be a little gross feeling, so keeping a bottle of hand sanitizer in your car is always a good idea!
4. Check for holes, stains, etc- Unless you are sure you can repair it, do not buy an item that is damaged no matter how cheap it is!
5. Try on in store- I know some people that don’t do this if it is under $5 because they figure it is only a few dollars even if it ends up not fitting. But you could end up throwing away quite a bit of money after a while if you do this. Save yourself time and money by quickly trying it on before you leave the store.
6. Watch for sales- To get the most out your money, watch for sales like the Grab Bag sale. Another local resale shop has one Saturday a month where certain things are marked down to $3! I ended up spending $20 and got 7 new tops, whereas if I had gone to the mall instead I would have been lucky to leave with 1 new top for that price.
The first 5 items I got were part of the grab bag event. I ended up paying $8 for all 5 because me and my friend split a bag. This first top is originally from Forever 21!
Originally from Hollister, but I just loved the little flower print! Plus I have been adding a bit more navy to my closet recently so this top was the perfect addition.
Originally from H&M.. and get ready because you are about to see I was in the mood for black and white stripes that day.
GUESS floral tank top- it is $15 on Poshmark!
Unknown brand, but the bow was too cute to pass up!
Then these next two items were not part of the Grab Bag, but everything else in the store was 20% off, so they ended up being $4.80 each. This green peplum top is from Express!
Unknown brand, but a girl can never have to many basic striped shirts, right?
Which piece is your favorite? Do you ever shop resale? Share in the comments!
xo, Scarlett