FASHION TIPS FOR SHOPPING CHARITY RUMMAGE SALES

Sometimes charity rummage sales are so large it’s a bit overwhelming. You might not know where to start looking for treasures at a rummage sale.  The really large sales can be more fruitful if you have a shopping plan before going in. Over the years I’ve developed a plan that works well for me. Here are my fashion tips for shopping charity rummage sales.

Unless you have specific fashion items you’re looking for, I suggest beginning your search with 4 fashion categories at charity rummage sales. These are belts, handbags, scarves and 2 piece clothing sets. Two piece sets because one of those pieces might be fabulous but not the other – which might be why it was donated.  Another of my fashion tips for shopping charity rummage sales is dress comfortably. Wear an outfit you can try items on over and wear shoes that easily slip off and on. Don’t wear or carry anything not necessary like a heavy handbag or jacket. Read on for details on these tips and more.

4 Items to Look For at Charity Rummage Sales

The first of my fashion tips for shopping charity rummage sales is have a shopping plan. Sometimes at large sales, it can feel overwhelming when you walk in and see a huge amount of stuff.  My plan includes 4 categories of items that I look for first at a charity rummage sale.

1. Belts

   

   I have found many fabulous belts at these types of rummage sales. One reason it’s a good idea to start with belts is not too many others make this a priority.  So I usually get first pick. Many head to clothing, housewares, furniture, etc. Some of the belts I finds I want to wear immediately.  Keep in mind some of the best finds are out of trend at the moment, but that style will return. If waist belts are in and hip belts are out, you might find some great hip belts. Since belt trends change fairly often, I buy any belt that I like even if it’s not a current trend. Sometimes skinny belts are in, wide belts are out. Other times particular styles are trendy like western or embellished. If I find a belt I love, even if it’s not currently trendy, I buy it. Belts don’t take up too much room so I keep a treasure trove of belts. Some are so unique, they’re worth buying even if I have to store them for a while before I wear them.

2. Handbags

   

   Handbags tend to be located close to belts, so it’s an easy transition to look through any piles of handbags. Also they’re an easy quick decision item because there’s no fit issues. Just check out handbags thoroughly to make sure they’re in good condition. The 2 areas that tend to wear most are the handles and the bottom corners. So make sure to check those out for wear. Then move on to the next category. The quicker you are, the more chance you’ll have of finding a treasure at the next category before it’s been picked through.

3. Scarves

   Generally scarves are also close to belts and handbags, so this is the next category worth perusing. Again, you don’t have to try these on so they are a quick decision item. Then you can quickly move on to the next category.

4. 1 Part of a 2 Piece Set

   Two piece sets tend to get passed over by many if they don’t like both pieces. Think outside that box and know you can choose to wear only one piece of a set and get rid of the other piece. Is the skirt a dowdy mid length A-line, but the sweater is a fuzzy fun piece? Is it a suit with large padded shoulders so you don’t like the jacket, but the skirt is a nice quality pencil skirt? You get the point, look at each piece individually, even it it’s part of a set.

Sometimes, I check out other clothing before the 2 piece sets. The clothing separates like shirts and jeans get picked through quickly and the 2 piece sets with an outdated piece tend to get passed over. So I feel I have some time to go through those.

Obviously, every sale is different. So if you attend annual rummage sales, you might have a good idea of what categories seem to be most fruitful for that sale. These are 4 items I generally search for, but not all sales are created equally.  Some I find bags of amazing treasures and some I don’t find anything. That’s just the nature of rummage sale shopping. But, when you do find that amazing piece or pieces, the time to sift through is so worth it!

Do I Stop Shopping After Searching These 4 Categories?

No! Not usually. If I’m in a time crunch, I look at those and head out. If I have time and usually I only go if I have time to leisurely look around, I will look through many other items as well. Sometimes I have a specific item I’m looking for so that category goes high on my priority list. If I really need something like a new winter coat, I’ll head to that section first even before my other 4 priority categories.

Why I prefer Charity Rummage Sales Over Individual Garage Sales

I like shopping at charity rummage sales better than individual yard sales primarily because there is more merchandise to choose from in one location. It’s time consuming to drive around to many sales. Because of my busy schedule I primarily hit the larger charity rummage sales.

How to Find Out About Charity Rummage Sales

The largest charity rummage sales that I attend are annual events and many people know about them. So, in addition to the standard ways of finding garage sales like craigslist and newspapers, you might ask people. Also, you could google your city plus annual rummage sales.

What to Bring to a Charity Rummage Sale

Another of my fashion tips for shopping charity rummage sales is what to bring. One of the most important points is to keep your hands free so you can use them to rummage through stock. Therefore, if you carry a handbag make sure it goes over your shoulder or wear a belt bag. Or to keep it simple, slip your money, credit card and car keys into your pocket and skip a handbag.

I prefer not to carry a handbag because it can get in the way when I bend over to look through a box of items and a handbag is added weight I don’t need. If I find a lot of items, I’ll have enough weight to carry around with those great finds.

I sometimes carry a large lightweight tote that I can throw items in quickly. If you find a lot of items, your hands will fill up fast. An alternative to a tote is a reusable shopping bag. Some even bring a tote on wheels to free up their hands and to avoid having to carry a heavy bag as it fills with your great finds. I haven’t tried that but it’s tempting.

If you are allergic to dust, mold and/or mildew, like me, you may want to bring some tissues for when your nose starts running. Because I do suffer from allergies, I much prefer the outdoor rummage sales. The indoor ones I have to limit my time before my allergies kick up too much.

What NOT to Bring to a Rummage Sale

An important one of my fashion tips for shopping charity rummage sales is don’t bring anything extra that you don’t really need like a jacket. If you’re not too cold, go without a jacket. It will get in the way when you want to try on a blazer or something similar. If you’re wearing a jacket and start feeling warm, you’ll have to carry the jacket, which now will get in your way. And, if you put the jacket down to try on an item, you might forget it and lose your jacket. Or if you’re not watching it closely, someone might innocently pick it up and walk off with it thinking it’s for sale.

If you’re too cold to go totally without a jacket, you might try a sweatshirt or sweater. With one of those, if you get hot and need to take it off, you could tie it around your waist so you don’t have to carry it or risk losing it.

As I mentioned earlier, don’t bring a handbag if you don’t need one. Keep it simple. Money, credit card and car keys in your pocket is simplest.

What to Wear to a Rummage Sale

What to wear to the rummage sale is another of my fashion tips for shopping charity rummage sales.

 Dress for Comfort

First of all you want to be comfortable. I suggest wearing comfortable shoes and clothes that you can easily bend down in and feel comfortable and not like your clothes are pulling or tugging on you.  Wear comfortable shoes – you’ll be on your feet most or all of the time. If you have comfortable shoes that slip on and off easily, wear those. It’s a pain to have to keep tying/untying your sneakers. Thong sandal, slip-on sneakers, or booties are great options.

If you’re not planning on carrying a handbag and want to keep your money and keys in your pocket, make sure to wear clothes with a good pocket or two.

Wear an Outfit You Can Try Items On Over or Under

At most rummage sales, there are no dressing rooms to try on clothes. So, to be able to try on a few things, wear light-weight items that you can try items on over what you’re wearing. I tend to either wear leggings and a long knit shirt or skinny jeans and a fitted sleeveless or short sleeve shirt.

If you want to be able to try on pants you might choose to wear a loose but not overly full skirt and a close fitting top. Wearing a loose skirt allows you to try on pants, shorts or other skirts under your skirt. My outfit is often determined by what types of items I’m looking for that day. So, if I’m specifically looking for tops and jackets, I make sure to wear a fitted top that I can try items on over. If I’m looking for jeans, shorts, pants and/or skirts, I’ll wear a loose skirt to be able to try clothes on underneath my skirt. If I don’t have anything specifically that I’m looking for leggings and a long slim fitting top are my go-to pieces.