I’ve been getting all my clothes from the charity shops and car boot sales for the last 30 years, I can’t remember the last time I purchased anything full price from a clothes shop!
I love the buzz of finding something unusual or just a fantastic bargain and go to the charity shops at least once a week - I think it’s actually my hobby (It makes me happy)
We get most of our home wares and things we never knew we needed there too.
Do you love buying secondhand?
Next time you get a bargain, post your photos here - I’d love to see it. I’ll find some of my things later and take some photos!
Me too, started when my children were babies and haven’t stopped, although I’m finding it’s getting harder and harder to get good quality clothes from charity shops now, I think eBay and vinted are to blame for that a bit.
I also have a regular wardrobe clear out back to the charity shops, same with books, my tiny house means I’m limited on space as I love to recycle books, although there are quite a few I would never part with.
Yup, me! Also haven’t bought new clothes in many years, I have some fabulous quirky outfits that cost me peanuts in charity shops. I used to have a stall in a local vintage/craft emporium and had a lot of fun sourcing bits and bobs, initially as props for my spoons and then as stock in their own right, I admit to keeping a few when the place closed down. Husband and I also do occasional art/sound installations and performances and we always try to use boot sale finds rather than new materials, it’s such fun seeing what there is and imagining how it might be used creatively, we get lots of funny looks as we like to find out what sounds things make so we will twang, bang and rattle before we decide whether to buy!
I love charity shops, always amazing what you find. Got a wedding dress, not for me but for the appliqués, lace and beading, beautiful and only £5 would have cost the earth as a lot of French lace involved. Perfect for journals. Will have to have another trawl.
My friend in the next village always goes and often finds a couple of shirts which she unpicks and makes into something new.
Mother used to get parachutes during the war from the local airfield. She would dye with plants, make silk blouses and sell them.
Yes, I do find that a lot of charity shops do their research on clothing now and sell a lot of the higher range clothing on eBay themselves Lynne @PaintedHorseArt
It’s not quite what it was even 15 years ago but I guess they need to make as much profit as they can.
My favourite charity shop has now put most of their clothing out of my price range. I shop there for a reason, (because I’m poor…lol!) so £8.99 for a top (unless it’s a really good brand) is too much for me.
Oh yes, I do buy things like rubber stamps, cutters, mark making tools, art supplies etc too. My best art related bargain was from the car boot sale….a kiln! I was living in a flat at the time and my big kiln was in storage so I couldn’t do my pottery - then I found a small kiln at the car boot sale for £40 (that was a bargain as they were still over £1000 new at the time) so I was able to set up Dottery Pottery!
I love to hear what people recycle into other things! Your Mum sounded very enterprising Caroline @Caroleecrafts - what kind of plants did she use to dye the silk?
Lynn @LooneySpoons - I’m imagining you and your husband trying things out for sound…lol!
My first kiln also came second hand from a local auction - and it came complete with shelves, kiln controller, and stacks of underglaze colours and glazes. I then graduated to a larger kiln, but my first wheel was second hand too. And charity shops are my personal choice for clothes shopping - you can put together a much more individual look!
I mainly donate to charity shops as it’s impossible finding Goth clothing in them especially in our area, most of my clothes are quite expensive as I have to buy them online from alternative shops but I do pop in with donations and have a look while I am there. I have started buying toys and books for my grandson to stay at grandmas house and recently picked up a brand new coat from Next for him and a little check shirt so will be keeping a look out for more in future. When my mum in law was still with us she use to work at Dove house so we always donated our clothes there and as I need a longer length trousers she thought she had hit the jackpot and brought home a bag full all in what she thought was my size, we laughed as it turned out they were the ones i had just donated.
Love em! I’m still a bit windswept from this mornings car boot in York! I’m looking out for old fabrics all the time to make my bags from, then I get side tracked with all the old clothing, so now I also sell that on a well known auction house too. I volunteer a morning a week at Sue Ryder, and we have a fantastic vintage floor upstairs. Its the only place I have ever worked where everyone is happy with their purchases.Win win for all. ( love your trousers story @Bearlescent )
I’m a donator to charity shops but occasionally something will catch my eye, like a pretty photo frame I once bought to put a piece of my own artwork in.
Absolutely love a car boot or yard sale. Went to a very busy one this morning - on the way I said to my son I wanted to find one of those big soft basket shoulder bags to store hats and scarves in … first thing I spotted was exactly that! Also got a pair of curtains to repurpose (dinosaur beach bags on the way!) and two little china things to make into pin cushions. It was a fun morning
My clothes are almost entirely pre loved, either charity shops or eBay. Found a pure wool coat from East on Wednesday for £10 will be perfect for chilly winter craft fairs.
Rarely get to car boots, but love the second hand tool stalls, old hammers are my weakness.
I absolutely love looking for interesting glasses but have had to put a bit of a hold on it as the kitchen cupboards are heaving with them!! I also look for old jeans but try to buy the ones that look like they’ll be left behind
