- You MUST be persistent and visit regularly. Do not be discouraged by making one visit and not finding any gems. Patience is a virtue, and you will find gold.
- Keep a wish list of items. Goodwill is overwhelming if you enter without an agenda. The hunt is more manageable when you have a running list of items to search for. For example, this season I specifically searched for midi skirts because I knew midis would be in style for spring/summer/winter. Of course, be open to any gold you may find along the way.
- Think outside the box. Be open to all possibilities, hemming longer skirts or using broaches as hair accessories. The possibilities are endless. Pinterest is a great source of inspiration.
- Visit Goodwills in multiple areas. I have a favorite Goodwill, but I make an effort to visit various Goodwills in my area. Higher end neighborhoods usually get the best items, but this is not always the case. Each store has their strong points, some have more furnitures, some have better organization, etc. You have to visit several Goodwills before you find your favorite.
- Don’t buy it just because it’s cheap. This is the tip I struggle with the most. I think, “it’s only $4.99, I’ll wear it at least once.” In reality, these items are still hanging in my closet unworn. See also Tip 9.
- Look at all sizes. Sizes are usually grouped together, but some stores have better organization than others so sizes are usually mixed together. If you find an item you LOVE in a larger size, a little tailoring to fit goes a long way.
- Try everything on! I know. I know. I know. This is my least favorite tip, but it’s very important. Not everything has to fit perfectly, but you should like the color and style on you. If I didn’t try everything on, I would come home from every Goodwill trip with twice as much.
- Jeans! Jeans! Jeans! Goodwill has a great selection of jeans. You can easily find designer jeans in a variety of styles. Don’t neglect the jeans!
- Four Ways Test. If you are questioning a purchase, can you think of 4 ways you can style or wear the piece? If not, don’t buy it. (This is a good rule of thumb for non-Goodwill shopping too.)
- Shop the sales! Most people know about Half Off Saturdays, but Goodwill offers a number of other promotions. Check out your local Goodwill’s website for their promotion schedule.
- Check the tag color. If there are employees putting out new merchandise, look at the tag colors. This makes it easier to skim through the aisles if you are short on time to look at the newest merchandise. For example, if an employee is putting out new stuff with yellow tags, the merchandise with yellow tags will be the newest.
- Give back. Be sure to donate to your local Goodwill. If you haven’t used it or worn it in one year, it goes to Goodwill! (Then I will find it and feature it on the blog…just kidding!)
Do you have any tips for gold digging? Comment below!
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