Hire a Pro Thriftter

Love vintage clothes

but hate sifting through racks to uncover one-of-a-kind gems? Good news: You can hire someone to do the hard work for you. Enter “thrift bundles,” bespoke selections of pre-loved items that are hand-picked by a seasoned second-hand shopper and sent to your door.

When Lauren Hogg was in need of a new wardrobe for work, the Langley, B.C., elementary school teacher decided to give the service she’d seen all over TikTok a try. She reached out to Teagan Comeau-Wolgien, the owner of Vancouver-based thrifting service Seconds and Thirds, to assemble a sustainable closet refresh for her.

The process started with a form— which asked for measurements and sizing preferences as well as details like must-have items and preferred fabrics and colour palettes—and a mood board. Hogg was looking for classroom-appropriate pieces she could also wear in her everyday life. “I’m inspired by colours, fun patterns and layers,” she says. “I wanted things that I could wear with the kids on the playground but still look put together in.” Comeau-Wolgien nailed the assignment with a mix of wearable neutrals and vibrant pieces.

She charges a sliding rate for her shopping services, which starts at $120 based on the number of items a client wants. She then asks clients how much they’d like to spend. With a budget of $60, she got Hogg eight preloved pieces. “I got high-quality vintage pieces for the same price as one or two retail items,” says Hogg.

Comeau-Wolgien started her business in October 2023 as a way to dedicate more time to her favourite hobby. “Thrifting is like meditation for me,” she says. She shops two to three times a week and spends around four hours in each store, combing all sections with her clients’ sizes and must-have pieces in mind. “It’s all about patience.”