THRIFT STORE SECRETS TO HELP YOURSELF AND CHARITY

Mountains of clothes. Boxes of vintage glassware. Rooms stuffed with shoes, shirts, dresses, electronics, games and housewares.

That’s what life behind the scenes of a thrift store looks like.

When I started volunteering for Austin Pets Alive’s thrift store in May, I didn’t know what to expect at the new shop. Then I became a sorter. I stand in a back room with other volunteers, digging through piles of clothes-filled garbage bags donated to the nonprofit thrift store, which benefits the organization and helps animals in shelters.

Sorters pick out the best stuff we can find, hang it up, put it on shelves and then dig around for quality merchandise. It has hammered home the reality that you can outfit yourself from head to toe for less than $15 in some places. Today, our models and Austin Pets Alive dogs show some of those best finds.

Working at a thri ft store has taught me a lot about thrift-store culture. Here are some tips to help you make the most of your experience and walk away satisfied. Good luck and happy thrifting!

■ Come often. Merchandise is constantly changing. If it’s not in your size today, something else might be tomorrow .“Younever know what you’re gonna find there,” said Jan Gunter, spokeswoman for the Salvation Army. “The more often you show up, the luckier you get on finding a good deal.” If you see something you like, buy it. It may not last.

■ Check quality, buttons, zippers. Thrift store workers sift through thousands of donated items, and while they do their best to ditch the damaged ones, it’s inevitable that a few less-thanstellar items make it on a hanger. Look for stains and tears. Make sure all the buttons are there and the zippers work.

■ Ask for help. Just because you don’t see it on the shop floor doesn’t mean they don’t have what you’re looking for. There’s likely lots of stuff in the back that hasn’t made it out yet, and the staff may have exactly what you want in the storeroom.