Still stuck trying to find a unique present for a friend, loved one or in-law ( đ )? Yet everything youâre finding is sooo darn pricey? Well, you need to get your hands on the best selection your secondhand shop has to offer and start thrifting like a pro.
The same tried and true basic rules for a successful secondhand shopping excursion applies to the holidays as well.
Here are two of the most important tips:
Learn the Sales: That means signing up for rewards, getting on texting or email lists, and checking in with staff as you shop to be certain youâre not missing out on any big discounts. This makes even the highest end items (and possibly nicest of gifts) much more attainable for the thrifty budget. Some stores share this info on their website and social media as well, so go find them there to stay in the loop.
Be Early: Nothing can increase your odds of snagging that perfect gift and help you wrap up your gift list quicker, than catching newly-added items to the salesfloor. Simply ask staff when new items are added to the mix and come by at those times. That exquisite piece of jewelry or the brand new North Face, Carhartt, or Nike jacket with the tags still attached are going to be long gone if youâre several hours late to the shopping party.
âïž Bonus Tip for the Thriftiest of Gift-Givers: Arrange any or all of your gift exchanges to take place days or weeks after the holiday if possible. Once youâve set a later date, the pressure is off for scrambling and settling for something thatâs just meh. The competition for the best items is out the door, and once the calendar hits January, youâve now entered what I call the Thriftmas Miracle Season. As more and more people are spending increased time at home, the urge to purge prevails, and any and all gifts that were not exactly a fit are quickly offloaded to secondhand shops. Thereâs never a greater selection of freshly packaged, ready-to-go, brand spanking new items available for a fraction of what someone just spent on them weeks earlier. Shop at Thriftmas time in January and February for your later gift-exchanges, or just snag the deals for next year and save the stress.
Now onto the list to up your gift-giving game on a budget.
The Top 10 Presents to Get Secondhand:
10. Candles– Many thrift shops are inundated with candles. Here in Boulder, it is not uncommon to find a selection of unused jar candles, pillar candles with unique holders, or boxes of standard tapered, votive or tealights. An easy-peasy-lemon-squeezy gift that most anyone would like!
9. Boxed Craft Projects– A variety of sealed-packaged items hide out in the Arts/Crafts dept. at your favorite thrift shops. So many untouched projects get donated for both children and adults (picture items like create your own scrapbooks, design a Zen garden, bracelet-making kits, etcâŠ) All unopened and ready for the perfect recipient!
8. Ties/Scarves– Most secondhand shops receive hundreds of these items each month and some surely still have their original tags attached. A scarf with a beautiful design/feel can either make an excellent gift, or be added to spruce up any packaging youâre giving. And finding a professional looking, high-style tie for that office-goer on your list is almost always an easy find.
7. Christmas dĂ©cor items– For the person on your list who really, really loves holidays, theyâll dig a wreath, series of ornaments, or that cute silly reindeer set you find while thrifting. Keep in mind, that different neighborhoods donate different calibers of this stuff.
Iâm not much of a holiday person myself, but I do know what people LOVE to find when theyâre thrifting. My pro tip for gift-giving to a holiday lover is- Santas. People like really, really go a little nutty when they find cool, unique or well-made Santas (the non-living kind). Pretty much anything Santa works: Ornaments, wooden Santas, outdoor ones, standing Santas to put near a tree. I may or may not have witnessed some fights over the years over a good Santa, so yeah, those would probably be an easy gift-giving win for you to find while thrifting.
6. Lotiony, bath itemy, or perfumey gift baskets- These are locked and loaded to just slap a bow on and hand on over. Check the scent though! It needs to smell great for this to be a win, and if you score this from my store, itâs sure to have been checked to not expire soon; however thatâs always an important area to double check so there are no issues and the gift works great as intended.
5. Board Games– 10-15% of the board games handed off to thrift stores are still newly-packaged. Theyâre untouched and sure to have all parts and instructions still included. Itâs almost too easy, where your only challenge will be to pick a fun one for the correct age range.
4. Clothing– So much, at least in Boulder anyway, is donated with manufacturers tags still intact. Tags attached means that no one needs to know you didnât get that gorgeous Free People top straight from Nordstromâs, if you have say, a family member youâre buying for who has yet to come around to the thrill of the thrift life.
There is a great chance that with a couple of quick-hit shopping trips to check the racks of your fave secondhand shop, you should find items that are easy crowd pleasers (brand new athletic wear, PJs, cute sweaters, or accessory set in plain, likeable colors). Just avoid the bold/ wild choices unless you are confident you know the personâs style well. This way the gift has a much higher chance for sustainabilityâs sake, of being appreciated and of course well-loved.
3. Sealed-Package Appliances/ Electronics– Think wedding / birthday / holiday gift overflow. So many occasions result in excess gift items donated to a local thrift store. While the item itself may be great, and exactly what the person on your gift list might love; the bride and groom or original recipient may simply have duplicates or not enough counter space for that high-end home espresso machine or Vitamix. Itâs now your job to check in frequently to catch those unopened thrift scores hitting the salesfloor of your favorite secondhand shop and win the holidays!
2. When in gifty doubt, secondhand vases will help you out- Thrift shops are havens for these bad boys, and with a quick scrub down once you find a cool one, they are the perfect foundation for the easiest put-a-smile-on-someoneâs-face gift ever, second only to a rescue dog.
Simply pop by your fave mom and pop florist or small business grocery store, grab a fresh flower bouquet (or two!) and add them into an appropriately-sized vase you scored while thrifting. Thatâs it! Just pick a cool or classy vase, give it a scrub and voila, a gift that is sure to please while brightening up the indoors this winter.
1. Grab a unique plant pot or dish, terracotta or ceramic etc. – This tried and true gift is about as simple as it gets and you donât even want to be friends with whomever wouldnât love this one ;). Add a Christmas cactus (bonus points if itâs flowering) or series of 3-5 small succulents to your thrifted containers and there you have it. It will be so fresh and cute, your only concern will be not wanting to hand it over when the time comes for your gift exchange.
OK, those are this yearâs biggest gift-giving wins I came up with- so let me hear what you think: Would any of these work for someone on your list? Is there an even better thrifty giftable you have found or are on the hunt for? – Go ahead and let me know in the comments below.
