If you thrift regularly, you probably have your own little routine. You check the fabric, look over the seams, search for stains, and inspect the tags before deciding whether something deserves a spot in your cart.
There’s one more thing that deserves a quick check: the pockets.
It takes only a few seconds, but checking pockets can lead to some surprisingly good finds. People often forget what they leave in their clothes, bags, and coats, and those forgotten items sometimes end up at thrift stores.
The Step Many Shoppers Forget
I’ve spent plenty of time browsing thrift stores, and checking the condition of clothing eventually became second nature. I look at the fabric, check for signs of wear, and make sure the item is worth the price.
Pockets were something I used to overlook.
That changed once I realized how easily people can leave things behind. Donated clothing can come from closets, drawers, attics, storage bins, or moving boxes. If someone hasn’t worn a coat or pair of pants in years, there’s a good chance they forgot what was tucked inside.
By the time that item reaches a thrift store, the original owner may have no idea something is still sitting in a pocket.
And that forgotten item could end up being found by the next person who buys it.
Thrifters Have Found Some Pretty Surprising Things
Spend enough time reading thrift store stories and you’ll see plenty of pocket discoveries.
Shoppers have reported finding loose change, cash, jewelry, gift cards, and other personal belongings. One shopper said they found $125 inside a dress pocket, while another reported finding hundreds of dollars tucked inside a jacket lining.
Large amounts of money are rare, of course. More often, the find might be a few dollars, some change, or an old gift card that still has a balance.
Still, finding money in something you were already planning to buy would be a pretty nice surprise.
Thrift store employees have their own stories, too. Workers who sort through donations have reported coming across cash, jewelry, and other personal belongings. Some donated items can even turn out to be valuable, including random household items that may be worth thousands.
The Pocket Find Isn’t Always Valuable
Most pocket discoveries aren’t going to make you rich.
You’re much more likely to pull out an old receipt, piece of gum, tissue, key, or random bit of junk. Some things are funny, some are sentimental, and others leave you wondering why anyone was carrying them around in the first place.
People have reported finding things such as:
- Gift cards tucked inside purses
- Jewelry left in coat pockets
- Old photographs and handwritten notes
- Receipts with phone numbers written on them
- Batteries and small toys
- Gloves and other personal belongings
- Loose change and forgotten bills
Some discoveries can also give you a little glimpse into the previous owner’s life. An old photograph, handwritten note, or keepsake can make an ordinary thrift store purchase feel a little more memorable.
Related: 9 Things Thrift Stores Wish More People Would Donate
Check More Than Just the Main Pockets
Once you get into the habit, it helps to check every pocket you can find.
For clothing, look at jacket linings, inside breast pockets, back pockets, small coin pockets, cargo pockets, and hoodie pouches. A pocket hidden inside a coat or jacket can be easy to miss.
Bags and purses deserve an even closer look. Check zippered compartments, interior pockets, side sections, and small slots where someone might have tucked away a card or piece of jewelry.
It can also be worth checking books, especially older ones, since people sometimes leave receipts, photographs, notes, or other small items between the pages.
Coats, purses, bags, and books tend to be good places to check because they have plenty of spots where small belongings can disappear.
It Only Takes a Few Seconds
Checking pockets doesn’t take much time, and there really isn’t much downside to doing it.
Before you put that thrifted jacket, pair of jeans, purse, or coat in your cart, give every pocket a quick look. Most of the time, you’ll find nothing more exciting than an old receipt.
But every once in a while, you might find a few dollars, a forgotten keepsake, or something that makes you wonder how it ended up there.
That little pocket check could turn an ordinary thrift store find into a much more interesting one.
