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It’s a brand new year, and one of the promises we made to ourselves would be to reconnect with our hobbies. For some of us, that means setting aside more time for art, writing, and building boats. While for others that means rededicating themselves to the honorable pursuit of awesome thrift store goods.

Hunting for interesting finds in thrift stores, garage sales, and secondhand shops is an adventure in itself. You can never tell what treasures you’ll unearth by accident. And it takes a seasoned veteran to spot truly good deals. The next thing you know, you’re back at home, showing off your goods—from the wonderful to the peculiar—with everyone you can.

One of the places where people show off their awesome secondhand finds is the r/ThriftStoreHauls subreddit, an online community with a whopping 2-million-member count. Scroll down for the best furniture, clothes, jewelry, and other knick-knacks people found, and upvote the pics you enjoyed the most.

Bored Panda reached out to the moderator team running r/ThriftStoreHauls, and Casey, the founder of the subreddit, was happy to answer our questions. We spoke about the community, how thrifting has changed during the pandemic, and why people love thrifting so much.

The founder said that to them and a large majority of the subreddit's members, thrifting is a treasure hunt. "Sifting through racks upon racks of items. Seeing what could be useful to ourselves, or someone we may know. For some even, like myself, it's a place I enjoy going just for the number of things to look at and talk about. I love finding stuff I want/need or would be cool to own, but I also just like looking at neat stuff." However, within the last couple of years, there's been a shift in how some people, especially new members, view thrifting. Read on to find out about it.

Got any thrilling thrifting tales to share with all the other Pandas? Drop on by the comment section. In the mood for some more secondhand shopping fun? We’ve got you covered. Check out Bored Panda’s previous article about r/ThriftStoreHauls when you’re done enjoying this list.

#1

Me: “How Much Are These? There’s No Price.” Lady: “$10 For Both”

Me: “How Much Are These? There’s No Price.” Lady: “$10 For Both”

tn2k7 Report

The reasons to go thrifting are as varied as the people who go bargain hunting in secondhand shops. "I think the thread that goes through most of them is the hunt. You can't go to a thrift store and get what you want. You have to spend the time going often, and at that point, you only increase your chances," Casey told Bored Panda.

"So when you finally go into that thrift store and you find that thing you have been looking for weeks/months/years. The end of the story you get, and the excitement of finally owning it. Everyone who thrifts for the experience gets that to some degree, whether consciously or subconsciously. That is why the subreddit works. We are sharing the ends of the hunting story with everyone else who knows that feeling. Sometimes it's a hunt that lasted a week, sometimes it's a year or more."

#2

The Wedding Dress Of My Dreams (And In My Size) For $40 At Goodwill

The Wedding Dress Of My Dreams (And In My Size) For $40 At Goodwill

baltering_magdalene Report

#3

Bought At My Local Small Town Thrift Store. I Love Him

Bought At My Local Small Town Thrift Store. I Love Him

padawanana Report

The thrill of the hunt might be important to most members of the sub, but some new members see thrifting as a way to make cash. "The last couple years there has been an influx of people looking at thrifting purely as a place for monetary gain. Which, I am fine with. I understand their need/want for the extra cash. Where that line intersects the sub however is where I put my foot down," Casey, the founder of the r/ThriftStoreHauls subreddit, told Bored Panda.

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"I don't care what you do with your stuff, just keep the 'this is for sale' or 'I want to buy this if you are selling' off of the sub. Furthermore, in our push to keep the reseller influx to a minimum we have made it a rule not to allow information-seeking titles. Which does sting a bit because we have such a lovely community of knowledgeable people. It was just getting to the point where people were just using us as a more specific google with less work."

#4

When The Checker Asked Me What This Was, I Muttered That It’s For Making Coffee And Ran Away. $1200 La Pavoni Europiccola Espresso Maker For $6.50 At Goodwill. My Coffee Dreams Have Now Been Fulfilled

When The Checker Asked Me What This Was, I Muttered That It’s For Making Coffee And Ran Away. $1200 La Pavoni Europiccola Espresso Maker For $6.50 At Goodwill. My Coffee Dreams Have Now Been Fulfilled

randomlybev Report

#5

Fffff-Forty Dollars You Say?!!! Drexler Mcm Walnut Bookcase

Fffff-Forty Dollars You Say?!!! Drexler Mcm Walnut Bookcase

Avantgardeaclue13 Report

#6

For Years I Was Always Tempted By Miniature Chairs At Thrift Shops, And Then One Day I Finally Bought Nine Of Them

For Years I Was Always Tempted By Miniature Chairs At Thrift Shops, And Then One Day I Finally Bought Nine Of Them

damestillmen Report

The founder stressed that when they made the sub, they simply wanted to create a place to show off what people got. "Simple as that. So far with our growth, it seems like that vision is shared with a lot of people, so we keep growing."

Bored Panda spoke to the creator of the community about how the pandemic has impacted the thrifting lifestyle. Here's what they had to say.

"Early in the pandemic, I had a sticky post stating that we should just remain at home. Wash your hands, stay away from people. I said that that was just my opinion, but regularly I would see people (pre-pandemic) state that the sub had inspired them to go thrifting. Which that, I felt a bit of guilt since I would assume people were still going based on seeing all the cool stuff people were posting. I told everyone that I can't force them to not go, just be mindful. As time passes, and more people are vaccinated, I still urge people to be safe," they told Bored Panda, adding that they literally got their booster shot 30 minutes before writing back to Bored Panda.

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#7

It Finally Happened To Me. After Years Of Being Jealous Of People On Here For Finding Them. I've Finally Found My White Whale! For Ten Dollars

It Finally Happened To Me. After Years Of Being Jealous Of People On Here For Finding Them. I've Finally Found My White Whale! For Ten Dollars

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Philly Bob Squires
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I would kill to have one... they are just too damned expensive! In purple yet!! This is the ultimate kitchen gadget!

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#8

Internalized Homophobia And Misogyny I Thought I Had Long Ago Dealt With Has Always Kept Me From Exploring This Side Of Myself. Well, On My Last Thrift Run I Said To Hell With That, And When I Tell You I Have Never Felt So Elegant, I Mean That In A Heart Changing Way

Internalized Homophobia And Misogyny I Thought I Had Long Ago Dealt With Has Always Kept Me From Exploring This Side Of Myself. Well, On My Last Thrift Run I Said To Hell With That, And When I Tell You I Have Never Felt So Elegant, I Mean That In A Heart Changing Way

tareqdaqtyl Report

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Samantha Lomb
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

He looks good. The dark blue dress at the top is the nicest in my opinion.

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#9

My Luck Has Truly Been Bananas. Broyhill Brasilia Set. Couple Bought A House, Previous Owner Left It, It “Wasn’t Their Style”, They Wanted It Out. $100 For The Set

My Luck Has Truly Been Bananas. Broyhill Brasilia Set. Couple Bought A House, Previous Owner Left It, It “Wasn’t Their Style”, They Wanted It Out. $100 For The Set

thethriftgods Report

The founder of the sub said that they haven't gone to their local thrift shops a lot these past few months. "My local Goodwill is having staffing problems. I don't know if it is because of Covid, the r/antiwork movement, or other factors. The same amount of people is going to the stores as I have always seen, if not more."

What's more, they noticed that the prices of secondhand items have been going up, too. "We could only assume it's because with more people going, maybe they think they can find people that would spend that amount. I just don't want to see non-sold eBay listings taped to random items at a thrift store. I think it's tacky," Casey said.

#10

I Found A Suit For My Son At A Yard Sale. $15.00

I Found A Suit For My Son At A Yard Sale. $15.00

Frugallyspoilt Report

#11

I Found Hundreds Of Love Letters Between A Sailor And His Wife During 1918 (Ww1). They Start Out As A Secret Couple, Then Marry After A Few Months! He Also Has The Mumps For A Bit

I Found Hundreds Of Love Letters Between A Sailor And His Wife During 1918 (Ww1). They Start Out As A Secret Couple, Then Marry After A Few Months! He Also Has The Mumps For A Bit

wilsoncommaadam Report

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#12

Another Dress I Made From A Vintage Bedsheet I Found At The Bins, Aka Treasure Trove

Another Dress I Made From A Vintage Bedsheet I Found At The Bins, Aka Treasure Trove

PDXGhoulz Report

The last time that Bored Panda got in touch with the r/ThriftStoreHauls community’s moderators, the subreddit had 1.6 million members. In just a year, they’ve added a whopping half a million new redditors to their ranks. We think it’s very impressive. And it shows that a lot of people relate to the content they post. There are far more thrift shoppers than you think!

The founder of the subreddit shared with Bored Panda last time why they created r/ThriftStoreHauls in the first place. They told us that, at the time, there weren’t any subs with strong communities that were dedicated entirely to thrifting and secondhand shopping.

“I wanted to have a place where people could share the items they found, but the subreddits that existed at the time were not active at all," the founder told Bored Panda.

#13

My Mum Bought A Load Of Yarn From A Thrifters And Made This For Me! It’s So Good!

My Mum Bought A Load Of Yarn From A Thrifters And Made This For Me! It’s So Good!

ltbluepoetry Report

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A B C
Community Member
2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That's the most amazing c̶r̶o̶c̶h̶e̶t̶e̶d̶ knitted hoodie I've ever seen! :D

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#14

Cute Baby Side Table For $25!

Cute Baby Side Table For $25!

llilsaladd Report

#15

My Husband And I Turned This Antique Fire Extinguisher He Got For Free From A Co-Worker Into A Side Table Using A Marble Top We Found At A Garage Sale For $1. Really Pleased With How This Turned Out!

My Husband And I Turned This Antique Fire Extinguisher He Got For Free From A Co-Worker Into A Side Table Using A Marble Top We Found At A Garage Sale For $1. Really Pleased With How This Turned Out!

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Susan Green
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I love antique fire extinguishers. Making it into a side table is such a great idea.

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According to them, moderating a subreddit of such size is actually “fairly simple.” It’s not as time-intensive that many of us would think. It takes roughly 30 minutes of work each to approve new posts, go through spam and reports, remove posts, and enforce bans.

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"I don't want people selling or advertising their blog or anything like that. A picture of the thing you got, that is it. That makes the subreddit easily digestible," the founder said that the r/ThriftStoreHauls is supposed to be straightforward, focused, and pure. "We thrive in having a singular focus."

#16

Thrifted Nwt Couch From The Local Salvation Army. Couldn’t Believe My Luck!

Thrifted Nwt Couch From The Local Salvation Army. Couldn’t Believe My Luck!

carvjess Report

#17

Just Found This Beautiful Baldwin Organ. Works Perfectly, And Got It For Only 170$. My Biggest Thriftstore Haul Of All Time , I’ve Wanted One Forever!!

Just Found This Beautiful Baldwin Organ. Works Perfectly, And Got It For Only 170$. My Biggest Thriftstore Haul Of All Time , I’ve Wanted One Forever!!

-georgie Report

#18

$50 For This Old Heavy Dresser And Mirror. I’m In Love

$50 For This Old Heavy Dresser And Mirror. I’m In Love

reddit.com Report

A year ago, the founder of the sub told Bored Panda that they hadn’t been to any thrift stores in person since January of 2020. "There was a lot of talk about how great it would be once they opened since people were stuck at home and probably were cleaning out their garages/attic/closet. From the content I have seen, nobody seemed to get amazing scores. So, other than a limit to how many people can be in a store, I really don't know,” they explained what the thrifting situation was like at the time.

#19

My Thrifting Has Peaked: Kitty Sweater With Hand Painted Fish Buttons!

My Thrifting Has Peaked: Kitty Sweater With Hand Painted Fish Buttons!

thestrangerzone Report

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#20

My Thrift Store Find. Emerald And Diamond 18k Gold Ring. $16

My Thrift Store Find. Emerald And Diamond 18k Gold Ring. $16

urmomspotaytoes Report

#21

I've Been Wanting A Piece Of Stained Glass And Found This

I've Been Wanting A Piece Of Stained Glass And Found This

bored-as-shit Report

"There is always the hope of finding something awesome when out thrifting. Not finding anything can take its toll and take away the fun of going. What I tell people is to go and just enjoy looking at stuff. Bring a friend and have some laughs. Buy a random CD and have that be the CD you listen to while out thrifting. Then, if you do happen to find something awesome, it's a bonus,” they shared with Bored Panda what the thrill of thrifting is like.

#22

My Smoking Hot Duck I Found Today. I Did Not Even Know It Was An Incense Burner, I Just Loved Him

My Smoking Hot Duck I Found Today. I Did Not Even Know It Was An Incense Burner, I Just Loved Him

Dramatic_Walk8387 Report

#23

Visited A Salvation Army For The First Time Yesterday And Picked Up This (Possibly Vintage?) Dress! It Was 25% Off So I Paid Less Than $5!

Visited A Salvation Army For The First Time Yesterday And Picked Up This (Possibly Vintage?) Dress! It Was 25% Off So I Paid Less Than $5!

dumbblondecollegekid Report

#24

$15 Dollars At A Thrift Store.. It's An Original! Holy Cow I Could Look At It Forever

$15 Dollars At A Thrift Store.. It's An Original! Holy Cow I Could Look At It Forever

RobotsSuck28 Report

The Covid-19 pandemic had changed how thrift stores and secondhand shops operate. Some shops have focused on increasing their online presence and setting up delivery services. Online ordering and curbside pickup have become the norm in some areas.

Other shops have taken to limiting the number of customers who can be inside the store at any one time. Mask mandates, plexiglass barriers, and hand sanitizers are some of the ways that these shops keep their employees and their customers safe as they go bargain hunting.

#25

A $40 Thrifted Vintage Lace Wedding Dress. I’m Eloping In July And It Fits Perfectly!

A $40 Thrifted Vintage Lace Wedding Dress. I’m Eloping In July And It Fits Perfectly!

ruzzti Report

#26

The Most Amazing 2 Piece Vintage Set That I Just Thrifted For $10

The Most Amazing 2 Piece Vintage Set That I Just Thrifted For $10

zorlda_ Report

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Andy Acceber
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

All I see is Dolores Umbridge, but if it makes you happy, more power to you!

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#28

Thrifted This Rattan Etagere For $30!! Favorite Find So Far

Thrifted This Rattan Etagere For $30!! Favorite Find So Far

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#29

I Got This From Fb Marketplace , I Think He Likes It

I Got This From Fb Marketplace , I Think He Likes It

ExtensionBad2629 Report

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#32

In 1978, My Mom Made A Ceramic Tree For My Grandma. When Grma Passed In 2001, My Uncles Gave It Away To Goodwill. In 2002, I Found It (Confirmed Marked On Bottom) At A Local Thrift, For $15

In 1978, My Mom Made A Ceramic Tree For My Grandma. When Grma Passed In 2001, My Uncles Gave It Away To Goodwill. In 2002, I Found It (Confirmed Marked On Bottom) At A Local Thrift, For $15

MinaFur Report

#34

5 Euro Strawberry Halter Dress Thrifted In Paris!

5 Euro Strawberry Halter Dress Thrifted In Paris!

reddit.com Report

#35

Well I Don’t Know How To Say This But I Bought A Bedroom Set At The Local Gallery And Didn’t Check The Drawers, After Moving It All Up 3 Flights Of Stairs I Found Photo Albums, Notes, Cards, And This Exorcism Kit

Well I Don’t Know How To Say This But I Bought A Bedroom Set At The Local Gallery And Didn’t Check The Drawers, After Moving It All Up 3 Flights Of Stairs I Found Photo Albums, Notes, Cards, And This Exorcism Kit

MetalandWoodworks Report

#36

This Behemoth 80s Lotus Lamp Was A Literal Haul... Its Huge! Brass, Pink, 80s And Floral Are My Weaknesses

This Behemoth 80s Lotus Lamp Was A Literal Haul... Its Huge! Brass, Pink, 80s And Floral Are My Weaknesses

damestillmen Report

#37

Found At Local Goodwill: An Exact Copy Of The Sweater My Mom Has Owned For At Least A Couple Decades

Found At Local Goodwill: An Exact Copy Of The Sweater My Mom Has Owned For At Least A Couple Decades

reddit.com Report

#38

I Love Lemon Print And Found This Gorgeous Dress At Goodwill For Less Than 5 Bucks

I Love Lemon Print And Found This Gorgeous Dress At Goodwill For Less Than 5 Bucks

IfIWasYouIdWan2BeMe2 Report

#39

$15 Vintage Dress At An Estate Sale That Fits Like A Glove. I’m Feeling Little Bo Peep Meets Gunne Sax Meets Pride & Prejudice!

$15 Vintage Dress At An Estate Sale That Fits Like A Glove. I’m Feeling Little Bo Peep Meets Gunne Sax Meets Pride & Prejudice!

cadencebella Report

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#44

Could Not Leave Bernie At The Thrift Store

Could Not Leave Bernie At The Thrift Store

TeaTimeAtThree Report

#45

Almost Died When My Husband Came Home With This Beautiful Piece Last Year From Goodwill!

Almost Died When My Husband Came Home With This Beautiful Piece Last Year From Goodwill!

Rebeccca1020 Report

#46

You Guys. Look What’s Coming Home With Me Today! Nils Jonsson Troeds Lyon Credenza, Made In Sweden, $20. Needs A Lot Of Tlc But This Is My Dream Find!!!

You Guys. Look What’s Coming Home With Me Today! Nils Jonsson Troeds Lyon Credenza, Made In Sweden, $20. Needs A Lot Of Tlc But This Is My Dream Find!!!

Kittehhh Report

#47

Fully Thrifted Bedroom Dresser Set Up

Fully Thrifted Bedroom Dresser Set Up

buttholepatrol Report

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Sunshine Sunshine
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Ik sorry... i have to ask you what you paid. That looks a lot like a Johnson Carper. In good condition worth well over 10.000. Congrats!

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#48

One Of My Favorite Finds In A While. 1970s Toucan Tea Set

One Of My Favorite Finds In A While. 1970s Toucan Tea Set

Bubbletea_Panda Report

#49

Thrifted These Two Comfy Chairs For My Coffee Shop For $70 Total!!

Thrifted These Two Comfy Chairs For My Coffee Shop For $70 Total!!

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#50

Catch & Release But Now I Regret It

Catch & Release But Now I Regret It

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Samantha Lomb
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

that is horrible. Beyond your butt hanging out in public the plastic will make you super sweaty

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Note: this post originally had 91 images. It’s been shortened to the top 50 images based on user votes.