Toddler thrift haul day! I love sharing what I find on my thrifting adventures because it always feels like I’ve won the lottery. Haha!
I always visit Once Upon a Child because it is my favorite spot for secondhand kids clothing. They always have great sales and the best selection.
Why do we thrift? Easy.
#1: We are on a budget and the pricing is right on secondhand clothing.
#2: It is better for the environment and does not promote the fast fashion industry.
#3: Kids get messy and clothes get ruined… really no need to invest in expensive pieces.
#4: Toddler outgrow their clothes FAST!
Honestly, thrifting just makes the most sense to us and it makes me so happy. It’s like a game and you’ll never know what you are going to find. You’ll sometimes find really unique pieces that you wouldn’t find otherwise!
The few clothing items that we do not thrift are: swimsuits, shoes, underwear/socks, and sometimes pajamas (only because where I shop it is usually hard to find decent ones in the larger sizes but baby pajamas are a GO!)
So before I get into what we got for spring/summer, you’ll see that most (almost all) of the clothes here are for Willow because Fiona is still wearing hand-me-downs from Willow (we have soooo many beautiful pieces that are in great shape from big sis!) She is so young and has no idea that her clothes are not “new” so ain’t no shame in our game. To be honest, I know family will still buy her new things here and there so she won’t miss out. But I did grab her just a few pieces because cheap cheap cheap.
Here’s what we got on two separate trips:
- Cat & Jack Tie-dye zip-up
- Blue mandala tank top
- Mustard yellow top
- Butterfly leggings
- Daisy leggings
- Brown & gold pants
- Cat & Jack jeans
- Cat & Jack shorts
- GAP shorts
- Pastel shorts
- Animal print shorts
- Flamingo tank top
- H&M butterfly dress
- Wonder Nation star romper
- NOT PICTURED: a Life Is Good tee with a cute sun graphic (she was wearing it as I took the photo)
This haul came to $60.
- Daisy Duck tee
- Mickey sunset tee
- Yellow/strawberry tank
- Easter dresses – pink for Willow, yellow for Fiona (both Old Navy)
- Wonder Nation zebra tee
- Heart tank
- Arizona striped daisy top
- Carters cupcake pajamas
- Carters monkey pajamas
- Watermelon shorts
- Bohemian print shorts
This haul came to $35.
So there you have it – a little under $100 for 27 pieces, coming to about $3-4 per piece.
I have shared this before, but I do have some tips that I swear by if you are new at thrifting. Just a few things to keep in mind…
- No stains, pilling, or fading. Inspect each item of clothing to make sure it looks “new.”
- Look for name brands. Keep your eyes peeled for name brands that you like. I always keep my eyes open for Cat & Jack, GAP, Carters, H&M, etc.
- Don’t overpay. Personally, I do not like to spend more than $5 or $6 dollars on thrifted kids clothing, unless is is something special. Something special might be a dress for a holiday, a jacket/coat, or snow pants. But if it is just a tee, shorts, jeans, sweater, etc, I keep it under $6.
- Check boys and girls section. I have daughters but I still browse the boys section! Lots of unisex items can be found there.
- Visit often. I try to visit at least once every couple months because clothes cycle in and out of there very quickly.
- Always ask about deals or specials. Many thrift shops will have daily, weekly, or monthly deals to move product quickly. Don’t hesitate to ask.
- Ask about the return policy. They can be quick, like 7 days only to return. It’s good to know for kids clothing, especially if you aren’t sure on sizing.
I hope that the above tips help and inspire you to get out there and thrift. It really is like treasure hunting… and it is addicting. See for yourself! x
