Early January marks one of the best times to visit thrift stores

On New Year’s Eve, my wife sent me to a local Goodwill to donate a variety of household items and clothes so we could take a deduction on last year’s taxes.

So there I was, backing up my car up to the door and carrying in one thing after another, until a helpful man brought out a cart that I quickly filled up. As I was talking with the man, I recalled that when I went to donate a couple of years ago, I had to wait in queue to get to the door because there were so many people donating!

I’m embarrassed to admit this, but it took an article I read in Time to see the other side of the equation.

Right now, we are in best time of year to go to thrift stores

Just like me, so many people donate during the last week of the year to get a deduction on last year’s taxes. So the thrift stores are chock-a-block full of great stuff these days.

My senior radio producer Kimberly is a thrift store veteran. She goes thrifting almost every other week, with an eye toward vintage clothing. (Vintage clothing may be the one exception to the January rule.) She notes that she’s seen amazing furniture popping up recently in the thrift shops. Maybe this is because warehouse clubs like Costco Wholesale have their semiannual furniture sale. That means people are simultaneously getting new stuff and unloading the old.

So take time to look through everything at the thrift shops and you’ll probably find some amazing stuff this month. The one category I never really find anything in is men’s clothes. Guys tend to wear their clothes until they’re threadbare and even I don’t want it then! Women, however, usually cycle through clothes more quickly and you can find some good outfits.