Growing up, I got almost all my toys, clothes and books from thrift stores. I loved it! Going thrifting with my mom is a big part of my childhood. Going to places like, Once Upon a Child, Plato’s Closet and The Prop Shop was always a blast because I would leave with my arms full of new books and clothes! I still go thrifting as often as I can. One of my favorite things to do is go thrifting with family or friends in the cities. Just about everything in my closet is from thrift stores. I never really understood how huge the impact of second hand stores are in our society until recently.

Did you about 21 billion pounds of textile waste goes to landfills every year? Textile waste is actually the second most pollution in the world. The factories where the clothes are made releases toxins into the atmosphere and when our clothes reach the dumpsite the dyes leak into the soil. If you donate your old clothes to thrift stores you can cut down on your amount of waste that you produce and maybe even get money back. Places like Plato’s Closet and Once Upon a Child give you money in turn for your gently used clothes.

Second hand stores also build up community life. People donate their washed, gently used clothes to places such as GoodWill and people from lower income families are able to get the clothes they need to survive. Just by donating your clothes, you can make an impact on someones life. Another way it strengthens communities is by the jobs it gives people. Secondhand stores open up many jobs that can benefit people in many ways. For example, Goodwill can help people earn their high school diploma and possibly their associates degree.

Being someone that doesn’t earn a whole lot of money, thrift stores allow me to get anything I need or want at an extremely affordable cost. I can buy anything thrifting, from 99 cent movies to random knick knacks  to over sized sweaters! Thrift shopping is a fun, easy way to help out your local community and the world while also saving money.

I loved thrift shopping so much that my dad, who is a commercial director, allowed me to act in one of Once Upon a Child commercials as a young, thrifting enthusiast, enjoy!