Tips for Your Next Thrift Store Trip!

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Many of our staff and volunteers here at FROM are avid thrift store shoppers! We asked our Marketing Communications Intern, Liz, to share her top tips for how to find treasures and snag the best deals on your next shopping trip. 

 

Thrift shopping is one of my favorite activities. There is always a big rush when your next favorite sweater appears in your life and you also got it for an amazing price. I picked up a number of these tips from my sister, who also loves to thrift. 

 

Thrifting used to be so stressful for me. The crowds, the racks, and did I mention the crowds? My sister explained that the thrifting experience is more than buying a shirt and leaving, the fun part is looking through aisles, trying things on, and giving yourself the time and space to do so. It is a no-pressure time, so don’t add the extra expectation that you ARE going to find a Gucci bag, but that you COULD find one. 

 

After getting into the right headspace and bringing a friend or two, I am now able to fully enjoy the experience and now it has become an activity to help me de-stress. What I love about FROM is that they’re always giving out deals to help make these finds a little sweeter. Keep reading below for some tricks to make your next trip overflow with treasure. 

 

Shop on the Right Day

There is nothing worse than spotting an item and then watching someone else get it first. This has happened to me more times than I can count. The mourning process of what could have been is a hard one to get over. Finding the best day to shop can make or break your experience. For FROM, there is a line out the door almost every Monday, if you are an olympian on thrift shopping, go for it. However, if you like the peaceful atmosphere of a browsing experience, try a Wednesday afternoon or anytime later in the week when we tend to be less busy.

 

Shop Off-Season For Clothes

When checking out a coat in the middle of August, you might get a few looks of confusion or maybe even concern. However, when other pro thrifters see you you’ll get the nod of approval. Other thrift stores give a better deal for out-of-season clothing and materials and FROM is no different. Also, the coats and sweaters will be less picked though so a surprise find is basically guaranteed. 

 

Know When Your Store Restocks 

Restock day is like Christmas in the thrifting community. It’s the newest and shiniest toy under the tree. It will be a busy day but it will be worth it when you get to have first dibs on items. FROM restocks all week, meaning you can make visiting an occasional trip or a daily one. Either or, there will always be something new to find!

 

Dress For The Occasion

Some thrift stores will have changing rooms, while others might not. It is a dangerous game of guessing which is true. It would be a shame to see a dress and think, “yeah that’s so me” buy it, and then try it on only to see that green is not your color. Luckily FROM has some but depending on the day it could be busy. If you don’t have time to wait in lines then dress for the occasion with simple modifications. Are you getting a dress? Bring heels so you can test the length. Looking for a sweater? Wear a tank or a t-shirt so you can try one on. Wearing comfortable shoes is also a must, if you’re going to shop till you drop, make sure you don’t drop for a while.

 

Look For Items to Repurpose

Are you a repurpose expert? I give props to you then because I am still learning this impressive skill. FROM offers many items that can be changed to their full potential. We’ve got tables, chairs, and a bunch of promising items for you to start your next mission. We’ve seen people take old clothing and bring them to life through tie-dye, and many others who have created crafts out of old ties, and brought new life to furniture. The possibilities are truly endless at FROM. 

 

Scan The Aisles

It can be really easy to spend hours looking at each individual piece of clothing on the racks. You might want to make sure you aren’t missing an item that would make all your friends jealous. Unfortunately, not everyone has hours to spend, if you train your eyes and mind to be able to scan the aisles for those pieces you’ve been looking for, then you’ll save so much time. Think of it like a 6th sense, a fashion sense!

 

Make Friends With Your Thrift Store Staff 

Thrift stores don’t run on their own. They need a devoted staff and or volunteers to help keep them running. Most of the time, the people working there are just as passionate as you about thrifting. If you become friends or acquainted with the staff, they can help you find good deals, give advice, or let you know if that top you found looks good! Our staff and volunteers get to know many of our customers, and we’d love to get to know you too so we can help you find those unique items perfect for you! 

 

Why Shop Second Hand

It can bring a thrill when you find an expensive piece for a great price. This feeling alone might be why many choose to thrift, yet, there is also an even better payoff from shopping second-hand. By giving cute tops and couches a second chance at life, you’re keeping them out of landfills. We’ve seen lots of people give clothing a second, third or fourth life by purchasing items through our thrift store. In fact, some people purchase from us, use it awhile and then donate it back to pass it along to someone else.  

 

About Liz: Lis is a junior at Cornerstone University studying Marketing. She’s an avid thrifter and has been interning with FROM since May 2022.

Donation Tips

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Each morning, volunteers at FROM (Flat River Outreach Ministries) prepare to sort another day’s worth of donations for the Thrift Store. Large, colorful bins spread out along the concrete floor of the donation room hold the items as volunteers prepare them to go out on the shelves.

The donations from the Lowell community are a vital part of running the thrift store and FROM has been blessed to receive nearly 300 donations every week. These donations help stock the thrift store floor. They also generate needed funding for the mission of FROM, such as helping to fund the more than a dozen programs FROM offers the Greater Lowell Community throughout the year.

“We so appreciate the generous support from our community to keep Treasures Thrift Store stocked with quality items.” said Executive Director Wendie Preiss.

Unfortunately, among the hundreds of donations, many items are forced to be thrown out because they do not meet the guidelines of FROM’s donation policy, are broken, or damaged in a way they can’t be sold. The buildup of trash is a natural part of any thrift store’s operation, but in excessive amounts, it can be unsafe and costly to the store.

To help limit the amount of waste generated by the thrift store, we have a handful of tips to share. It is important to follow the guidelines posted on the FROM’s website or on the white sign hanging on the wall of the donation room.

Treasures Thrift Store Donation Tips:

Make sure your donations are clean and in good condition

 Be sure to run any clothes through a washing machine and clean any other dirty items before dropping them off at FROM. FROM unfortunately does not have the ability to wash clothes, or clean and fix all items. This means that it is very important to donate items that are still in good condition. Dirty clothes, dishes and broken furniture are typically thrown away.

 

Make sure items are gently used

 “It is important to make sure your items are gently used and in good condition,” Laura Bradeen, the former Thrift Store Manager, said. “We want to make sure we are providing quality items to our customers.” A good guideline before bringing your items in is whether they are in a condition in which you or a friend might purchase them. If the answer is no, it might be a good time to recycle the items, or turn clothing into rags to use around your house!

 

 Package your donations well

Another tip is to package all your items neatly together, especially if your item has multiple parts. Volunteers sort hundreds of donations a week and keeping your donations packaged neatly can help the process, and also ensure nothing is broken. Carol Guyer, a volunteer who has spent countless hours sorting through donations points out the importance of packing the donations safely. “Make sure you keep your things together and pack them in a way that they will not break when they are handled. Especially when donating fragile items,” she said.

 

Follow the guidelines for what items are accepted

 It is always important to be aware of the guidelines for what can be accepted. Information on these can be found on the website or in the donation room. Items such as electronics or damaged clothes cannot be accepted or resold. Additionally, electronics cost an extra charge to dispose of because they cannot be thrown away normally. FROM spent $600 on electronics alone in 2021.

 

Following these tips and guidelines is important. Donations that are not accepted often have to be thrown away, or many hours of time have to go into securing another location to send the items to. This also costs additional time and resources that would be put towards other FROM programs. Currently, volunteers say broken and unsellable items take up 12 large trash cans every day.

The cost to dispose of these items has also increased. Between January and July of 2021, FROM spent about $3,000 on trash removal services alone. Through that same time span in 2022, that number has raised to $3,500.

The consistent donations the thrift store has seen are greatly appreciated and Treasures Thrift Store would not be possible without them. Volunteers are excited every day to sort donated items to uncover new treasures for shoppers! We need help from everyone who donates to FROM to help lower the amount of waste generated by the store so we can direct more funds to further the mission of FROM.

“We want every customer to feel dignified and valued when they shop with us. We offer quality items that any of us would purchase,” Wendie Preiss said. “The store is essential in providing funding for programs and offering affordable and quality items to our community and it also brings dignity and value to each customer.”

 

Learning Something New – Cooking Classes at FROM

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Mid-February we hosted our second Healthy Cooking Class! Led by MSU Extension, the evening was filled with a fun environment to learn cooking skills and be hands on in the cooking process.

 

Nearly a dozen people came to the event to learn knife skills to cut different vegetables, all of helped build the meal. The best part? Enjoying a delicious chicken stir-fry dinner at the end!

 

“It was a fun way for my family to do something together and to enjoy a fresh meal,” one attendee shared.

 

The Healthy Cooking classes were launched Fall 2021 to encourage community members to cook at home with fresher, healthier, and more nutrient dense ingredients.

 

“These classes are also to empower individuals to grow their skills and knowledge in order to feel confident in the kitchen,” Kelly Glas, FROM Healthy Food Program Coordinator shared. “I love being able to take part in these classes and learn something new during each one!”

 

Healthy Cooking Classes are open to the public and will be offered all throughout 2022! Be sure to watch Facebook, or join the FROM email list to hear about the next event coming in May!

Farm Market Update! 3 Months In

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It’s been just over three months since the launch of our newest program – Farm Market – and it’s been a huge success!

“The demand for the Farm Market has exceeded our initial expectations,” Kelly Glas, Healthy Food Coordinator, said. “We’re overwhelmed by the amount of support and items purchased over the last few months. It’s been amazing to meet and work with local farmers.”

More than 6,100 items sold in September, October and November with apples and eggs being the most popular items (with 767 apples and 324 dozen eggs being sold in our first two months).

Kelly shared that part of the program’s success, in additional to the cost, is that families can purchased items based on needs and family size. Food is priced either by item or pound, making it accessible to families no matter the size.

“People have shared that they’re thankful to be able to purchase just one potato, or apple, instead of multiple pounds,” Kelly said.

The Farm Market is located in Treasures Thrift Store and is open during the same hours as the store (Tuesday – Friday 10 AM-6PM and Saturday 10 AM – 2PM). The Farm Market is focused on making locally sourced produce accessible to families in the Greater Lowell Community who are earning less than 300% of the federal poverty guidelines. Families and individuals above this income level are welcome to shop as well! Purchasing produce will help ensure the long-term sustainability of the program.

Want to get involved? We are always looking for new partnerships with local farmers, as well as volunteers to help with stocking throughout the week. Please give us a call at 616.897.8260 if you want to get involved!