I have spent years thrifting and I am very, very good at finding expensive, gorgeous, well-made pieces (of furniture, art, clothing…all of it) for very low prices.

To date, I’ve made hundreds of thousands of dollars flipping furniture, home accessories, art and the like for a profit. I’ve sold vintage to everyone from AD100 interior designers to Jimmy Fallon. But I’ve also bought a lot for myself. I’ve purchased Christian Dior capes and Nina Ricci suits. Goyard trunks and Oscar de la Renta scarves. All at the thrift store.

As I’ve honed my techniques, I’ve taught others how to hone theirs, too. Due to the success of my book Big Thrift Energy, I have traveled throughout North America, speaking to large audiences about how to shop secondhand. I’ve appeared on morning shows, radio segments, NBC News, and spoken to outlets as wide-ranging as The Economist and Elle Decor about shopping vintage. 

So here, I’ve tried to narrow my top tips down as best I can.