One joyful antidote to hyper-capitalism — and the piles of flimsy fast-fashion pieces we can now see from space — is thrift shopping. Buying clothes, shoes and other necessities secondhand is not only socially responsible, but it’s a lot of fun if you know what you’re doing (or even if you don’t).
For some of us, there’s no greater joy than finding a pair of Levi’s cutoffs from the early ’90s nestled into a rack in the back of Buffalo Exchange or a flawlessly maintained tea set at Goodwill that would complement your living room’s cottage core decor. Giving something pretty another life for under $12 feels like a win for everyone.
Thrifting pros have made it their life’s work to find incredible pieces at bargain prices, and newbies can learn a lot from their experience, patience and intuition. One of those experts is Emily Ruane, who also happens to be the head of HuffPost’s Shopping section, and she graciously carved time out of her busy thrifting life to share some of her best tips with us — Raj Punjabi-Johnson and Noah Michelson, the hosts of HuffPost’s “Am I Doing It Wrong?” podcast.
Listen to the full episode about the secrets of secondhand shopping by pressing play:
Ruane told us to take our time (30 minutes equals 30 seconds in thrift years), sniff things to gauge the funk factor, and remember to clean what you’ve bought when you get home since items usually are not sanitized by these stores.
She also noted that while secondhand spaces — both brick and mortar and online — can feel like Disneyland for the sartorialist on a budget, there are some non-clothing items we want to be a little more discerning about.
Once you leave the clothing racks and bins and venture into the housewares section of the store, there are some unassuming items that you should think twice about purchasing, no matter how good the deal is.
“I don’t really buy electronics,” Ruane told us. “I’m sure there are people out there that are handier than I am and that have greater success at navigating them, but I feel like there are too many unpredictable factors there.”
She explained that an item might not be working correctly, or, even worse, there could be faulty wiring that could veer into dangerous territory and possibly mess with the existing wiring in your house. If you love a boom box or lamp you’ve found and it seems worth buying and taking to an expert who can make sure it won’t catch fire in your home, go for it. Otherwise, keep moving.
Ruane also told us that creepy crawlies love to make their homes in electronics and home appliances, so buyer beware: You could end up with more than you bargained for … in the worst possible way.
“I would even zoom out to [be discerning] about anything heavily functional,” she added, naming strollers, car seats, and other baby items that tend to have higher incidences of manufacturer recalls for safety issues.
“Certainly I understand that for some, affordable baby equipment can be a real necessity,” she said. “But if you have the option of exercising more caution in that regard, it’s probably safer. Or do the research.”
Another non-clothing item you might want to be careful about is older dishware that could contain high amounts of lead or other chemicals, as well as older cookware.
“The nonstick coating can be bad when it starts to disintegrate,” Ruane said.
And now that you know what could go wrong, you’re much better equipped to do thrifting right. That said, this is a judgment-free zone, and ultimately we support you buying whatever makes your heart sing — especially if it has that little red 50% off sticker. Just stay safe and critter-free.
We also chatted with Ruane about some of her favorite items to thrift, how to clean your precious finds, and a wild story about a used mattress, a rainstorm, and a big puddle of urine (you need to hear this).
For more thrifting tips, listen to the full episode above or wherever you get your podcasts.
You can also watch the full episode on YouTube.
Have a question or need some help with something you’ve been doing wrong? Email us at AmIDoingItWrong@HuffPost.com, and we might investigate the topic in an upcoming episode.
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