Head to These Atlanta Thrift Stores to Find Some New-to-You Goods (2025)

FAQs

What are 10 tips for shopping at the thrift store so you don t get overwhelmed and find what you need? ›

Look for typically high-value items

Once inside a thrift store, you can search for items that may be ideal for flipping. These items may include collectable items, such as trading cards and action figures, or clothes and accessories, such as shoes, purses and watches.

By choosing to buy secondhand clothing instead of brand new, you reduce waste and help the planet. In this way, thrift shopping is the ultimate way to live out the ” reduce, reuse, recycle” motto!

According to Goodwill, the perfect time slot to shop at thrift stores is in the morning on both Monday and Tuesday. This is because, at least as far as Goodwill is concerned, people tend to donate garage sale remnants on Sunday, so the pickings are new and fresh come early weekdays.

Dirty. Clothing and textiles that are donated to thrift stores are not laundered before they end up in the store and could contain lots of bacteria or even bedbugs. Some of these clothes are so dirty, a thrift shop will likely immediately throw them away.

As secondhand shoppers feel like they're saving something from ending up in a landfill, buying used clothing is no longer viewed as inferior to buying new. Thrifting today is "not only not a stigma," Craig said, "it's a badge of honor."

It's fun, cheap and green as you are recycling. Many thrift shops benefit a charity or are small local businesses. They used to be where less affluent people had to shop, but a lot of people who shop at them now can afford to buy new, but they like vintage finds and supporting local or charity businesses.

When it comes to clothing, electronics, and other home goods, it takes a lot of water and energy to make these items. When you thrift something, you are not directly supporting the demand for new things to be made, and this has a positive impact since resources and energy were already used to create that item.

Marble and Stone Items

Anything that's solid stone or marble and has some weight is going to have more value than a lighter weight piece or a plastic imitation. From marble trays to stone vases, look for items that feel hefty in your hand.

How to spot real jewelry at thrift stores? ›

That's exactly what's happening at thrift stores. Thrift Tip: While most people wash the items they donate, most thrift stores don't have the capacity to clean the goods they sell. That's why we recommend washing your items before donation and after purchase.

Give yourself time to shop slowly and seriously consider each item of clothing you find. Leave time to try on the clothes and imagine how you'd style them, or schedule a snack break between stores for a quick recharge. Know the signs of overwhelm and take a moment to yourself when they start to show up.

Your anxiety may be due to the relatively chaotic, non-uniform, and somewhat messy appearance of the thrift store. If you are accustomed to orderly shopping environments, thrift stores take some getting used to.