Thrift Shopping Hacks

1. The earlier the better

Time is of the essence when it comes to thrifting. Those early mornings to Gikombaa will totally pay off. This is because the minute these clothes hit the market, there a tonne of people on the run for them. This often happens at the crack of dawn!

2. Dress light

At a thrift market, changing spaces are rare. Bulky clothes will be really inconvenient in instances where you will have to try on the piece of clothing before buying it. Throw on a pair light clothes and sandals that will be easy for you to dress over and you are good to go.

3. Learn the art of ‘eyeballing’

Trying on clothes is always the best idea because an outfit can look exceptionally good once you have it on you. However, thrift markets could get super crowded and you just might just have to grab the outfit and go! This is where eyeballing comes in handy. You need to learn how to visually judge your clothing fit and tell whether it’s your size or not, because y’all know there are no returns at a thrift market. The seller probably meets hundreds of people in one day and they could easily claim to have never seen your face before.

4. Bargain

Regardless of how cheap clothes are at a thrift market, there is always a better bargain. Learn to negotiate with the seller for a lower price or always go for the final price or as they say, ‘bei ya mwisho’. You get yourself a cool outfit and save money at the same time. It can’t better than that!

5. Remember to wash after purchase.

It is advisable to wash thrifted clothes because they are second hand, meaning they have been used before and the owner is a total mystery to you. This will prevent any infections from transferring to your skin. You do not want to take that risk.

Happy thrifting!