To think we all need to learn to love second hand

[Ravenspeckingontheroof]

Second hand almost everything? Go onto eBay; there are 92000 used size 10 tops for sale, 4500 used travel systems, 1700 used Bluetooth speakers. Go to your local recycling centre and watch people throw perfectly useable furniture away.
We are literally drowning in cast offs many of which will go to landfill, but which are perfectly useable.
I’d say about 1/3 of my wardrobe is preloved and maybe 10% of our household furniture. I love going and choosing new things. But I think choosing preloved needs to become a first choice, and we should be incentivised to do so.
But if I walk down any high street, read any magazine, pick up my phone I am bombarded with ads for all the new things I ‘need’. Every single shop is rammed with more stuff to buy. Our society depends on us buying more stuff. How do we fix this?

I and DH were going on a posh holiday for a wedding anniversary. He needed posh clobber - dinner jacket/suit, bow tie, waistcoat, dress shirt etc- all bought for less than £40 from Charity shops. Because he's given them such little extra wear they can be moved on....

@ERFFER

kindaclassy, no it’s not “ over complicated “ ? My baby has a full set of tomee tippee bottles he doesn’t use as he prefers Mam ones? Waste of plastic right there.. I’ve a million dummies to try and find ones that his little tongue tie could deal with? I’ve sleeping bags /cellular blankets- he preferred swaddle bags ? Lady I bought the jumperoo from , her baby didn’t like it ? £80 of unused plastic Babies don’t come with a crystal ball.

I bought a dummy for the appropriate age. My baby with tongue tie didn't like it. I just figured he didn't like dummies. Swaddled him, he cried and struggled until his arms were out, figured he just didn't want to be swaddled. It didn't occur to me to buy alternatives. Not a dig at you, just I hadn't thought of it! Obviously there would be waste if a baby had a reaction to a nappy so you couldn't use the rest of the packet, things like that.

Marketplace. Brilliant. Having 'down-sized' we use it all the time to mainly sell. So great to see stuff have a second or even third life rather than cart it down to the local tip. Some stuff has even been bought by retailers (Antique dealers etc) and good luck to them I say!

@ERFFER now I think of it I did try another mother's stretchy wrap carrier at a mothers group when DS was 10 weeks. He slept for over two hours when until then he'd never slept longer than 40 minutes in the day. I had a sling already but he hated being in a lying down position in it so I was just carrying him everywhere. I would never have bought another carrier if I hadn't tried that one due to the cost. I bought one and used it until he was six months.

I buy some clothes second hand but trousers are difficult as I need a short leg. I have trawled the charity shops when I needed something for a particular occasion though. I buy a lot of books second hand.

I mainly give away though, however I am currently clearing my MIL house and it is so difficult to know what to do with stuff, I'm trying to pass on as much as I can but far more will end up at the tip then I am comfortable with. She has loads and loads of (garish) curtains, bed sheets, blankets, bed spreads (was a traditional bedsheets and blankets) towels etc. Old tea sets, coffee sets, knick knacks, makes my head hurt thinking about it.

We need proper thrift stores like they have in US

I would love that! I remember bricabrac shops and we could really do with more of those, and selling clothes too. I absolutely get that the “charity” in charity shop is raising money not providing goods cheaply but some do tend towards the overpriced when, IMO, cheapness should be the pay off for limited ranges (after all, it’s not like I can hand it back and ask if they’ve got it in a 10 instead…) and things being secondhand/a bit outdated.

I’m a recent convert to pre-loved. Most of my second child’s clothing is second hand (friends, eBay) and I feel weirdly nostalgic about wearing items which already have a story (that sounds weird I know). I’ve started buying for me from eBay too - absolutely love it and find full priced stuff extremely expensive now. BTW I’m no fashion icon but I like to look well put together.

How do you go about it? More press about the horrendous amount we send to landfill. Tips for online shopping, swaps sites / events and family matches (swapping the two oldest kids clothing for the younger ones - works best when child 1 and 2 are different genders and opposite to the receiving family’s kids). Obvs, gendered clothing won’t matter to some. Love it!

I make quilts out of old clothes and rag rugs.

What happens when we all have enough stuff, the economy will collapse. I love second hand and vintage, trying to buy something on ebay, unsuccessful yet again! but one day I will get that brooch.

Genuinely thought this was another Matt Hancock thread xxx

I thought it was going to be about dating the second time around.

We will still need food and other consumables. Clothes will still wear out. You can spend money differently without spending less. I don't buy 'stuff', if I had more money I might spend it at the farmers market or support other small local businesses.

That was to @Ddot, quote failed

I'm a huge fan of ebay - I would say 80% of my wardrobe is from eBay. And most of it is Joules, Monsoon, M&S, even some Seasalt, and Boden!

I rarely pay over £20 for any one item, and usually a LOT less. I do occasionally get things which don't fit, usually if I buy a brand I've not bought before, but I have still saved loads overall, and have a HUGE wardrobe, which I could never have afforded otherwise!

I love second hand things. Preloved is the right word for it. Most of my things are preloved. All my kids clothes are pretty loved, their beds and furniture. I'm always on eBay or gumtree if I need/want anything.

Also council cleanups. You'll be amazed at what people throw out.

It's always such a waste when things are in perfect workable condition

I'm with you OP!
In this day and age, with the likes of 'fast fashion' and places like Vinted to sell on, 'pre-loved' tends to be 'worn a couple of times', particularly with kids clothing. I buy a lot of their bits pre-loved by splurge a bit on UK handmade stuff, so I think I have a nice balance.
Some people still seem to think that pre-loved means old, holey and smelly and it's just not the case for the most part!

I mean... I bought pre-loved cloth nappies... after a hot wash they were pretty much perfect 😂🙈

As a manager of a charity shop thank you!!

Most of my clothes are secondhand and I buy and sell on eBay and vinted. Our car boots sales in my area have only recently opened up again, I missed them in lock down. I have got some excellent quality furniture from marketplace. I do think sometimes when you get addicted to saving money it can sometimes take the shine off buying new, as I find myself looking for things in shops and then trawling online to buy them cheaper or used. I also never buy new fine jewellery as the quality of secondhand is normally much better and you getter better value.

I sold some old dated jewellery at the pawnbrokers ( shop around ) the difference you get from stores is frightening. I then used the cash to get something beautiful from them that I would wear and a real bargain.

Try being plus sized and buying clothes second hand! So very rarely do things pop up in charity shops in plus sizes (I'm talking bigger than a 24). And what there is available is usually donated by much older people and just not what you would want to wear. And then on ebay, maybe due to the fact that people know its harder to get plus sizes second hand, it's often no cheaper, or barely cheaper after postage, than buying brand new. Considering the amount of items I try on new before I find one that fits and looks right, I'm not going to risk buying it for almost new cost on ebay. I also don't have the time to trawl around carboots and charity shops for things I actually need that I may not find. I'm more than happy to buy second hand, and I do especially for books, toys, kids stuff etc. But those are not purchases of need so much as because it's there.

@Ddot

What happens when we all have enough stuff, the economy will collapse. I love second hand and vintage, trying to buy something on ebay, unsuccessful yet again! but one day I will get that brooch.

I mean, the economy has never collapsed before we all had 23 jumpers and 45 pairs of shoes. I think this is a lie we tell ourselves. money can be made from experiences, food, drinks, etc. it doesn't have to be all based around stuff. and if we all bought less we would need less money so could work less.

Agree. So much stuff in the world.

Whatever I can source 2nd hand I will.

Just things I can't find or it's not practical I will buy new - bras, pants and leggins. Some new school uniform - and some 2nd hand which looks as good as new to balance the cost.

I always try to re-home items that are going out if I can.

Currently scrubbing and machine washing trainers so they can go in the school uniform/PE cupboard. I've had lots of things from there for £1 over the years and been glad of them. So I always make things as nice as possible and donate to school/freegle or charity shops. Sometimes I will sell if I can be bothered.

@AfternoonToffee

Call your local animal rescue centres. They always need old material (they get through a lot as animals are poorly sometimes). I bet the cats and dogs won't mind the garish patterns.

Just check if they want them washed first if dusty/damp smelling at all.

When we moved house a lady came from a dog's home and she was really thrilled with our bags of old sheets etc!

Old china - don't know. Charity shop probably or give away on freegle or Facebook? Sometimes schools or artists will take some if they are doing mosaics.

Even a box outside on your garden wall or whatever, labelled 'Free - help yourself' can be a good way. Some people cannot resist a free item! not talking about myself at all here

Thank you @KisstheTeapot14 there are a couple locally so I will try them. A box outside her house might be a good idea.