How To Op Shop Like a Pro

ITS TUESDAY! My blissful holiday of adventure has come to a close, and its back to the books with finals in less than a month. I'm hoping your first day wasn't as much of a slap in the face as mine, and if it was, I'm about to make it a whole lot better by enlightening you with my Op Shopping tips. Lets get started!

1. Think about your timing

Op Shops rely on donated items, so obviously stock doesn't come in as regularly as other shops. So, you're likely to find the most stock after a lot of people have donated stuff. I'd say the best time of year is around spring, because everyone is doing their spring cleaning. If you want to get serious, the best day to Op shop is supposedly a Tuesday. This is because everyone cleans out on weekends, and the monday is spent sorting the clothes.  

2. Go Op Shopping in cool places
This one is a serious key to success. The Op shops with the coolest clothes are always the ones where the fashionable people live. For example, some areas I know in Sydney include Surry Hills, Darlinghurst, and Glebe. I also really love the Op shops in Avalon and Manly. You can find all the Op Shops in Australia on this website, http://www.opshop.org/ .




3. Take a bag
I know all my favourite Op shops are always short on bags. Often when you buy something, there won't be a bag available for you, so play it safe and bring a little tote bag when you go on an Op shopping trip. 




4. Be nice to the volunteers
My lovely Op Shop buddies Aimee, and Caitlyn. 
This is just a general ethics one, but its super important! All the people that work in Op shops are 100% volunteers. Their often super cute old ladies, actually. So be friendly and polite!




5. Look thoroughly 

Op shops can have a tonne of stock, and their not usually as well set out as your average store. Go ahead and get in the spirit by taking the time to dig through the racks. You're sure to find something awesome. 

6. Go out of your comfort zone

An Op shop is probably a place you wouldn't normally shop, so don't be afraid to go for things you wouldn't normally wear. Try finding some vintage, and brands you wouldn't normally go for. Make sure you try whatever it is on first though!

7. Get creative!

One of the reasons op shopped pieces are so cool are you can make them totally your own. Often I find amazing fabrics, cool accessories and fun styles, but something just isn't quite right. This is where you can get creative! Think as big or small as you like, and don't forget to have fun with it. Try bringing out the sewing kit, a pair of scissors or even dye. You could even just style something a little differently. For example, I scored the cutest pair of shorts from an Op shop in the holidays. They were wayyyyy long, and I never would've worn them, but with just a few rolls around the bottom they were transformed into a cute boyfriend short! For only $9!

8. Don't forget to look at the rest of the shop
You'll probably head out on an Op shopping excursion with clothes in mind, but don't forget the other sections! When we went Op shopping, my friend Aimee turned to me and said 'what I love about Op shopping is you never know what your going to find!'. It is so true! You'll often find a treasure trove of books, shoes, and jewellery. I even found some records! 

9. Don't give up

If your Op shopping trip isn't a success, don't give up! Op shops have new stock coming in all the time, and honestly it's not very consistent. Sometimes I'll go op shopping and want to buy everything, and other times there's nothing that catches my eye. If you don't find anything, make sure you go back. It might also be a good idea to try your luck at a different shop.

10. Think about donating

Op shopping is so much fun, but it wouldn't work without donated items. If you're in the mood for a wardrobe/room clean out, sort your good quality things into a bag and take it down to your local Op shop. You can donate pretty much anything from wetsuits, to those old High School Musical DVD's. Plus, all the money made on the things you donate goes to charity! #winning

So there you have it! Happy Op shopping!

P.S. My Instagram has been going crazy over the past few days, so a shoutout to my new followers! If you want to join the party follow me @zolablog

P.P.S. If you haven't entered my giveaway yet, your missing out!! Keep scrolling for all the details x