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 think about this with Ikea furniture, the amount that gets sold new everyday - where does it all go!!

I do agree with you and think about this often myself! I always try and source items from eBay and other websites like gumtree, some items are perfectly fine. We are killing the planet and it’s all due to human greed 😩

I love second hand everything. I try to buy most things used now. But totally agree with a pp that we need to buy less full stop.

Selling second hand stuff is actually quite hard to shift and not everything is sellable quality. Lots of my kids clothes get what seems like oil stains on them and they go into rabbit bags.

One thing this pandemic has tought me is that my kids do not need lots of different clothes for different occasions as kids grow out of clothes fast. I'm only going to buy what they need as they need it from now on. If I ever manage to go on a two week holiday again I can buy a few extra Tshirts and shorts a few days before I go.

@claracluck1978 @TheCountessofFitzdotterel where would you recommend I look for antique furniture?
As someone without a car, I struggle to buy large things secondhand! I also find that ebay purchases are very hit or miss, and charity shops are expensive as well... I do try to source secondhand but it's time - consuming!

Yep. Nearly all our furniture, bar mattresses, is second hand. Clothing too.

I'm there already with my second-hand love.

I am a volunteer at a charity shop and regularly pick up bits and pieces from there when working. I would say around 40% of my tops/dresses/jackets are second hand and all in fabulous condition. I'm currently a student and a dedicated customer of Abebooks and Music Magpie books - try not to buy anything new and anyway, some of the books I need are out of print so second hand is the only option.

Bought two massive Ikea bags of knitting yarn from a lady on Gumtree for £20, bargain of the century. DH has spent the last week working at home from a Gumtree desk, my desk is a repurposed dressing table, orange pine but painted. We have pictures bought second hand, jewellery, lots of things.

I don't want my house to look like everyone else's, straight from Next/Ikea. I want something different and often second hand is the way to achieve that.

Im happy to buy second hand stuff and love a bargain. FB market place is great for bundles of kids clothes etc. I find eBay too expensive if you added on the postage. Some people from our local school organised a uniform swap shop. Take your old uniform and if they have the next size up you can swap it for that. As we all know how expensive uniforms can be, it's great

These days I'm more of a reducer. I like to be quite minimalist anyway so I'm happy to buy good quality new stuff if it will last me for years.

I had a phase of buying clothes off eBay for me and the kids, but to be honest a lot of it wasn't in good condition and it never got worn. I got a few bargains off there years ago but now a lot of the stuff is worn out crap, or barely cheaper than buying new.

Local buy and sell through Facebook is better quality but can be a hassle trying to arrange collections and delivery.

I was totally addicted for years, especially abroad.

If you like fashion and having an individual style, second hand is fantastic.

When I first started working in an investment bank I need suits, and I picked up half a half dozen stunners in second hand shops for £5 a piece one very lucky day.
Someone had cleared out their wardrobe and I picked up 6 suits, all collarless in the style of channel in various colours.
Two were Norman Hartnell's and were a deep green and a gorgeous blue.
I got years of wear from them and they were always admired.
I also bought the most divine short fitted french navy leather jacket that was a classic, and again, much admired.
Loved second hand.
Have always bought expensive, good quality clothes in a timeless style.
I have gorgeous pieces from 20+ years ago that still totally look great.

One thing this pandemic has tought me is that my kids do not need lots of different clothes for different occasions as kids grow out of clothes fast. I'm only going to buy what they need as they need it from now on. If I ever manage to go on a two week holiday again I can buy a few extra Tshirts and shorts a few days before I go.

I dont know if it's bad form but I've never bought anything too smart for my DS for the few weddings and funerals hes been to. We went to one wedding and all the other boys (including toddlers) had smart suits on, but I didnt want to buy something that a) he would probably find uncomfortable and b) never wear again. I did buy new clothes but they were trainers/chino type shorts that he was more likely to wear again than a suit with a waistcoat and a pair of shoes. With girls I think they would wear a dress again to a party but very few boys would choose to wear a suit!

@LongLiveGoblingKing

Grayson Perry did a documentary exploring the class system in Britain, and there was a whole bit about buying second hand stuff. To summarize:

High class: it's expected that everything is second hand because it's all antiques and pieces passed down through generations. It's trendy to wear great grannie's tweed.

Middle class: like to show off about how little something costs and feel smug about recycling.

Lower class: like to show off about how much something costs. Why logos are important.

Of course this is tarring people with the stereotype brush but I think had some truth and is interesting to think about.

This is pretty spot on in my opinion.

If you're fairly well off and secure in your own skin, not feeling judged, then you'll happily shop in Oxfam and pass bags of hand me downs round your friends.

If you haven't much money, it's far more important to have new, even cheap new like Primark is better to you than high-quality second hand at the same price.

My inlaws would NEVER set foot in a charity shop. They think charity shops and second hand are for poor people. Buying second hand means you're advertising to all and sundry that you don't have the money for new. They won't even drop off old stuff at charity shops because someone might see them and assume they're shopping.

It's a totally alien mindset to me, but DH and I were brought up in vert different ways.

A tip from the sorting room - some of the very best buys in charity shops are "special occasion" outfits. Prom dresses, ball gowns, evening dresses, mother of the bride outfits, wedding hats. People understandably do want something new or special for their daughter's wedding or graduation ball. And don't want to wear it again. I can't believe anyone would turn their nose up at a worn once outfit.

@TheGenealogist I do. In some circumstances.

I’ve lived for years on fuck all and scrimped and saved to provide for my kids.

Damn sure if they’re going to a special event like a prom or a graduation they’re going in a new outfit.

I wouldn’t give a toss what anyone else does (I don’t even notice) but I personally want my kids in a new outfit for that sort of an occasion. It’s a pride thing for me.

I don’t buy second hand but then again I wouldn’t buy clothes online either as I like to try clothes on before buying them.

If people are happy to buy second hand then good for them but others shouldnt be called out for preferring to buy brand new items.

Each to their own,

I just want “normal” clothes the sort that get worn to death by most people not on trend fashion that’s given to charity shops. Leggings tunic tops long cardigans or shirts. If I buy just what I need and then gets recycled for rags that’s just as good as buying second hand. Far cheaper for me to spent £8 on top I wear every week for 15years then spend £6 from a charity shop that’s already had a 10year life span and few years before worn out, stretched out shape, to many stains can’t remove.

I've donated some clothes to a charity using this site where they find your nearest charity and provide a list of what they are looking for:

droppoint.org

I am not in a position to buy brand new furniture, so l just make the best of what I've got. I think being content with what you've got and no desire to keep buying bigger and better is the key to a contented life.

A good place to start would be by teaching our children.

DD12 is very much unaffected by fashion BUT has a style very much of her own. She absolutely loves a charity shop trawl! And when she is done with something she donates it back.

And as for a bag of hand me downs - its like Christmas for her!

I don't buy much for several reasons, I can't afford, stuff, don't need it, and have to deal with it once finished with. Perhaps I'm not typical, I don't know.
I have too much stuff atm, but most of it is other peoples stuff, inherited.

I don't personally like charity shops due to the way they smell and when I've bought things I can't get that smell out of them. I would buy things like glasses, crockery etc from them but I live in a not wealthy area so people don't tend to donate stuff which would be worth buying second hand. I have no time or inclination to go to richer areas to trawl charity shops.

I do buy most furniture second hand. Not beds or sofas due to personal preference but we got our dining table and sideboard from a friend at a fraction of what she paid for it and it's very beautiful teak which I plan on keeping the rest of our lives. I also happened upon the matching TV unit on ebay too.

I get bags of clothes from friends for my kids which I'm very happy to receive. My 13 Yr old wouldn't wear something from a charity shop but he's quite happy if it comes from friends. My 6yr old doesn't care and wears whatever appears in his wardrobe.

I, in turn, pass all but the absolutely wrecked clothes on to a friend who gladly receives them. I love seeing her kids in clothes I've passed on.

Anything we don't need anymore goes onto marketplace. I'd rather get a couple of quid for it than bin it.

@Longestfewdaysupcoming

To give you an example

I need a new kitchen table. I’ve finally done my house up, and the one I have is falling apart and was given to me by a friend. The chairs done match, half of them are wobbly and the top of the table is all scratched as well as the table itself being wobbly.

I don’t have a garage (live in a terrace) and I have no tools.

How do I fix and renovate that table? If I pay someone to do it it will cost the price of a new one and not be what I want which is an extending table and matching chairs.

I’ve watched Facebook and gumtree for the last 6 months and not seen anything I want.

So I’ll buy new.

But you could sell your old stuff old Gumtree/give it to charity because someone else might have the time and ability to renovate it. As someone else said, some people do need to buy new or there will be no second hand stuff in the future!

Whilst I get the idea, and I started off with most of my stuff being preloved

1. What would happen to all those people currently employed in manufacturing clothes, furniture, pots, pans China etc. It’s not like the same volume of jobs are available in the preloved sector
2. At some point there won’t be preloved stuff available as none is being manufactured

3 there have been posts on her recently, charity shops are becoming more and more expensive, and in some cases it’s just as cheap yo but new 4 I worked hard to swap all my disjointed second hand furniture to matching new furniture and I make no apology for that, my money to spend how I wish

There will always be a market for preloved but it’s up to people how they spend their money

Where did I say I wasn’t giving my old table away (I am - it’s going on freecycle as soon as I get a new one)?

[quote SquirrelFan]**@claracluck1978* @TheCountessofFitzdotterel* where would you recommend I look for antique furniture?
As someone without a car, I struggle to buy large things secondhand! I also find that ebay purchases are very hit or miss, and charity shops are expensive as well... I do try to source secondhand but it's time - consuming![/quote]
The best bargains are at auctions though obviously it is hit and miss.
My local auction houses all have men with vans who will do deliveries to local addresses on the day after the sale for a very reasonable price (one near me used to charge £5 an item, though to be fair we are very nearby😯) - if you chat to the people at the front desk they will probably be able to put you in touch.

There are certain types of furniture that sell better than others - small bookcases go easily but bureaus often don’t sell, and there are loads of chests of drawers to be had. Odd dining chairs, individually or in pairs, can be a bargain if you don’t mind not having a matching set.

I totally agree with the sentiment of buying everything secondhand & we already do just that!

I have 3 DSes. About 90% of their clothes & shoes are hand-me-downs in the first place- passed on from cousins & friends. Exceptions are school uniform & football kit, even then we have some secondhand bits. This is all then passed from DS1 to the others & either passed on to friends or used as cleaning rags if not fit to be passed on.

Their toys are 50% secondhand, either passed on or bought from charity shops. They know all of this & are happy with it, even 12-year old DS1.

About 90% of my clothes are secondhand too. I love a charity shop & also have a similar-sized friend who passes on gorgeous bits to me. DH buys more new stuff than I do, but wears it for years.

Most of our furniture is secondhand & even things like books & cars! Even my job deals mainly with reusing as I work in a library, encouraging people to borrow secondhand, rather than buying new.

This was all borne out of necessity in the first place, as we have never been well-off. But now it is a matter of principle & I love how green it is.

@Longestfewdaysupcoming

Where did I say I wasn’t giving my old table away (I am - it’s going on freecycle as soon as I get a new one)?

Apologies, no offence meant