Thrifting and raising children are a perfect match. Children are constantly changing, growing, and exploring new interests; and meeting those needs and giving them opportunities to try new things can be expensive.

Every day, thousands of gently used items are donated to our stores. These items are still in great condition and are priced considerably lower than you’d find in traditional retail stores. That means savings for you while still providing high-quality items for your children.

So which items are best to thrift? Here are the top five items we’d recommend buying secondhand for your children.

1. Clothing
2. Books
3. Toys, Games, and Puzzles
4. Furniture
5. Sports and Hobby Equipment

 

Clothing

Children often outgrow clothing before the clothing is worn out. That means the children’s clothing section at your local Deseret Industries store is probably well-stocked with a wide variety of clothing that still has a lot of use left.

Most often, you’ll find the children’s clothing organized into a boy’s section, a girl’s section, and an infants’ section. The type of clothing is adjusted seasonally for warmer and cooler weather—but there’s usually some overlap, allowing you to start stocking up on seasonal clothing in advance.

 

Books

The book section is the favorite area of DI for many people, and it’s no different for children. At DI, children’s books are usually grouped together to make it easy to scan for the best books. Whether you’re looking for picture books or chapter books, you’re bound to find something that interests your child.

There are also a lot of instructional books that teach hobbies, such as drawing, cooking, or playing the piano. You’ll find books that explore bugs, dinosaurs, butterflies, and everything in between. And if you don’t find something of interest this time, the inventory is always changing so you’re bound to find a book your kids love next time. And over time, you can donate back the books your children no longer read and replace them with more advanced books.

 

Toys, Games, and Puzzles

Toys, games, and puzzles are thrift store staples. Most of our stores have an aisle or two dedicated to these items—a favorite for children. The items are typically still in good condition and have plenty of play time left in them.

Each year, millions of tons of toys end up in landfills. By thrifting toys, you can help prevent this waste and help the environment—and the fact that you’re saving money doesn’t hurt, either.

Toy thrifting can also be a great family activity. Over the years, we’ve met many families who bring their children to DI to pick out an item for themselves or for another family member. Sometimes, they choose a game or puzzle to do as a family. All these options are fun, inexpensive activities to do as a family, all while teaching children about the benefits of secondhand shopping.

 

Furniture

As children grow, their needs and interests change. With these changes, children sometimes need an update to their furniture as well.

There is always a wide variety of gently used furniture available at Deseret Industries. Often, furniture pieces just need to be cleaned and they’re good to go. Of course, if DIY is of interest to you or your child, then a good upcycle project may be a fun thing to do together. We see so many creative things that people do to transform secondhand furniture to fit their child’s needs, interests, and personality.

One thing to keep in mind is that for safety reasons, Deseret Industries does not sell used cribs. The good news? We do sell new cribs, bunkbeds, bed frames, and mattresses in all sizes—not to mention dressers. These new items are made at our factory, Deseret Manufacturing, and are available for order in our DI stores. The advantage of these items is you get a brand new, sturdy piece of furniture that’s made to last; plus, they’re often less expensive than you’d find in a traditional retail store.

 

Sports and Hobby Equipment

Musical instruments, roller blades, bikes, golf clubs, craft supplies—the range of hobby and sports-related equipment donated at DI is practically endless. That’s ideal for young people who want to explore different hobbies and interests.

The yard section of our stores is where you’ll find most sports equipment. Large musical items like pianos and organs can be found in the furniture section. Small instruments can typically be found in the collectables section of the store. There’s also typically a space designated for craft items, and the clothing section often includes uniforms, as well as team jerseys for both local teams and national teams.

Buying secondhand is ideal when giving your kids the opportunity to explore interests. By purchasing thrifted items, you can greatly reduce the expense of outfitting your child for a new sport or hobby—at least until you know for sure that your child will stick with it longer than a month or two.

 

 

What items have you thrifted from DI for your kids? Do you have any thrifting tips and tricks for other parents? Share your thoughts with us on social media by tagging @deseretindustriesthrift on Facebook or @deseret_industries on Instagram.