The Hands Down Best Time To Go To The Thrift Store For Kitchen Finds

Thrift stores hold many household treasures: Vintage kitchen linens, rare patterned Pyrex dishes, and even your dream antique kitchen island. For money-minded shoppers, thrift stores are an excellent way to curate an aesthetic kitchen on a budget while still retaining high quality and personal style. But finding the right time to go to the thrift store can be a challenge. Many times, by the time you arrive, all the quality items are already gone. But fear not, we've found the optimal way to beat the crowds and score the best vintage kitchen treasures before anyone else — the best time to go to the thrift store for some amazing kitchen finds is weekday mornings.

By arriving right when your local thrift store opens, you get to see what was put on the shelves the night before. In other words, you get to shop from the cream of the crop, not some picked-through inventory everyone has already passed up. And thrifting on a weekday morning means that most people are at work — giving you the best chance to shop without having to worry about cart snatchers or a large horde of eager bargain hunters.

Better yet, if you can spare some time at the beginning of the week, try shopping on a Monday or Tuesday for the best chance of success. Because many people tend to drop off donated goods on the weekends, newer inventory is most likely available for your perusal earlier in the week. Though keep in mind that stores like Goodwill also restock continuously throughout the day as items are processed, meaning you can still catch fresh carts rolling out even after the morning rush.

And along with this general guideline to go in the morning on a weekday, keep in mind that certain shops will have different types of discounts each day, so do some research before you head to your local thrift store to see what kinds of deals you'll be able to score. It also doesn't hurt to prepare yourself by getting the gist of what kinds of kitchenware you are looking for. That way, you can scan the shelves and quickly find what you want without having to look through every piece and decide as you go.

Finally, never give up! Chances are, you won't find what you are looking for on every trip to the thrift store — and that is okay. Try again on another weekday morning, or wait a week or two before returning to the store on a Monday or Tuesday; inventory changes as new used items and donations come in, so you will always have another chance to stumble upon some excellent finds.