Friday, March 16, 2012

On Thrift Shopping: The Top 5 Things I'll Never Buy at the Thrift Store


Last week we talked about the things we can't resist buying at the Thrift Store. Now I'm curious, what things do you always avoid while thrift hunting? For me, it's:

1. Anything Non-Popculture from the 1980s: There's a reselling market for a lot of it, but I just can't stand the furniture, accessories, or clothing from the era. Unless it's transformers or ninja turtles or related pop culture toy fun.

2. Anything Non-Popculture from the 1990s: It's gotta be toys, movies, or kids stuff or I don't want it!

3. Clothes in General: This one is kind of a cheat, I do buy clothes at the Thrift Store, I just hate clothing shopping! I love vintage clothes, but it's not the niche I specialize in. I'll usually run my hand down the clothing racks to quickly vintage hunt; you can tell the age by the feel of the fabric.

4. Undergarments, Intimates of any kind: The obvious point where we all draw the line! They're too cheap new to justify buying them for nearly the same price at the thrift store.

5. Medication: I don't even like taking new medication, why would I buy it used?


What do you never buy at the Thrift Store? We all draw the line somewhere...
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35 comments:

  1. Replies
    1. Teehee. A lot of people draw the line at shoes...not I! :)

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  2. I'll buy clothes, bras and shoes! Undergarments I get dry cleaned, same with shoes. But, a couple of my thrift stores have arrangements with Target and a couple other retail stores locally. They get lots of never worn shoes. Those I just spray a bit and leave outside for a couple days. And if you think bras are cheap, I can get them from the thrift store for 3 dollars, plus $5 for dry cleaning. Eight dollars is a lot less than $68.

    What I won't buy are things that are obviously cracked or food stained. And definitely no medicine! ....although there was this one time they got a shipment of all unopened vitamins. It looked like a CVS in there.

    ~Trudy http://thriftscore42.blogspot.com/

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    Replies
    1. Hm...I've never thought of the dry cleaning option for bras. I gotta admit as a kid I did raid my mom's drawer for bras before going to the store to buy new ones. I'm cheap, ever so cheap...

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  3. i'm the same with clothes. i usually do a quick run up and down the clothing aisles and will stop if i see something that catches my eye. but it's definitely not the part of the thrift store i run to first.

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    1. There's gotta be a way to make hunting through the endless aisles of clothing more fun for a reseller. Definitely a necessary evil.

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  4. Faint... that picture is crazy. lol. For me it is undies & socks... those have to be new. Everything else is up for grabs but only if it is in good nic and hopefully something we need/is useful.

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    1. Agree, socks are cheap enough new that no one should -ever- buy 'em used. But I suppose that's less waste if people don't mind them being used...

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  5. My great aunt owned an antique store in the 1960s and 1970s. Her advice was to "never buy anything with a chip."

    I don't have a problem with shoes if they are good quality. I draw the line at hats, though. And swimsuits.

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    Replies
    1. I need to follow that advise. I'm bad, I will buy and sell things with chips!

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  6. I won't buy thrifted shoes; I guess if they were brand spanking new with tags, I might consider it, but I never even look. I rarely look at clothes there, though there are deals to be had and I have found some great stuff. It's just too time-consuming looking at clothes and I'm always there for the other stuff!

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    1. I agree, the clothing hunting is soooo damn overwhelming. I only hunt for necessary replacements and don't even like doing that.

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  7. I would NEVER buy a mattress at a thrift store or undergarments!!

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    1. I've always received hand-me-down mattresses. Ick to some, but ah well, I sleep fine without icky bed bugs. I can't bring my cheap self to invest in a new one when people donate quality ones to me for free.

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  8. Mattresses for sure! Underwear and shoes are a pass for me. Also, anything with a hint of smoke gets a no from me. Just today I was at an estate sale and had to pass on almost everything because I could smell smoke on the items. I also don't really care for Southwest decor and since I live in Arizona I see it a lot and have to walk by.

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    Replies
    1. I -should- pass on smoke smelling things, but I've bought them before. They're are a big pain to clean! Ick! Even wall hanging absorb the smell.

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  9. I now realize your comment link is at the top of the blog. Several times I wanted to comment but did not find the button and thought why doesn't she allow comments when she asks questions.

    Ok about your question I would never, ever buy undergarments or swimming suits unless they had the tags. Sometimes Target donates stuff with the tags. I would never buy used hair clips or pony tail holders. I don't normally look at clothes but Im not against buying them

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    1. Thanks for joining the conversation! Yep, I need to make commenting more clear somehow...

      I wouldn't buy used hair clips either, you can buy them abundantly for cheap brand new.

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  10. Underpinnings,stuffed animals, and swimsuits..there is a reason why retail stores want people to leave their underwear on when trying on swimsuits =0

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    Replies
    1. Indeed! We don't who tried on our bathing suits in retail settings, either. "Hygienic liner" or not, it's food for thought.

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  11. Shoes, undergarments, pots & pans, books that have been specifically made to be in the bathroom, bathroom mats & toilet seat covers, mattress pads.

    I'd never buy an 8-track either - have no use for them!

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    1. I don't buy anything meant to be in the bathroom, either. Not just ick, but I don't find any of it terribly necessary.

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  12. Undergarmets, swim suits, shoes, anything that comes from or belongs in a bathroom, and I won't buy plastic kitchenware. When I was a kid I knew a lady who would use her plastic bowls for a dog dish and then, after they were washed, use them to serve food in. Just the fact that plastic can absorb so many things....yikes! You never know where that plastic has been!!!

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    Replies
    1. Too true about the plastic.. even though I have bought a couple things, I've never thought about it before.

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    2. I rarely buy plastic just because I don't like it. Your exclamation made it even more icky to think of ;)

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  13. Under-ware. Gross.

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  14. Honestly, used bed linens kind of freak me out. I know a lot of people LOVE vintage-print flat sheets and stuff, but it freaks me out a little...

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    1. I haven't bought vintage sheets to use and not sell either. I think because I haven't found any I really like that fit my bed...

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  15. Underwear...won't buy it. Nor will I buy mattresses, medicine, personal hygiene items such as lotions, shampoos, colognes, etc. I don't usually buy shoes at thrift stores because I cannot find them in Wide...so I have to purchase them new most of the time unless my consignment shops have them. Since they take in gently used items and charge a bit more, they seem to be nicer...er', cleaner.

    As for bathroom items...I've used towels I've purchased at auctions or even shower curtains if they're in the package or in really, really nice shape. They're just going in the washer before I use them and they're clean. I don't use rugs or toilet seat covers as it is in my bathroom...yuk all the way...new or not so new!

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    1. Oh, I forgot about that. Toiletries is a good one. I'll never buy them because they are inexpensive...and I like to make my own anyway. Buying it used is so unnecessary.

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