Why I Go Thrift Shopping

Thrift shopping has a bad rep, especially in the past years. It always felt the the stuff sold in thrift shops are icky, and are of bad quality. I would have to say that that’s not always the case. Here in New Zealand, most of the second hand items sold are clean and are still in good condition. But there may be some stores (especially in the Philippines, where I’m from) where you can already smell the age of the items once you enter. So, I guess, you just have to be picky about which thrift shops to go to 😊

I only started thrift shopping when I began my journey to simple living. I started to realise that there’s already so much stuff in our world, most of which will just be discarded, even if it’s still usable. I have already bought thrifted clothes, glasses, and books. We have also donated some kitchen stuff that we don’t use. So why do I choose to thrift shop?

Cheap prices

This might be the most obvious reason, but I should say that I don’t buy thrifted items just because of the cheap prices. I’m still pretty choosy about the stuff that I buy. The quality should still be good, and it should be something that I like.

For the environment

This is one of my major reasons to go thrift shopping. I prefer to reuse someone else’s old stuff than to get something new whose production has had a huge negative impact on the environment. It also keeps these old items out of the landfill. As they say, “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure.”

Unique pieces

You can chance upon some unique clothing pieces – even branded ones – if you’re patient enough. But personally, I still get drawn to basics that you can match with anything.

Bonus: Thrift shops usually support a community or charitable cause.

Having said all that, here’s a disclaimer: Thrift shopping should be intentional too! If you need to get something, check out a thrift shop first before purchasing a brand new item. But don’t buy stuff just because it’s cheap. This can be a tricky one, especially when it comes to decors, accessories, dining ware, and furniture. You may see some interesting pieces, but take a step back and think if it’s really in line with your style and aesthetic.

Happy thrift shopping! 💜