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?

lately I've noticed some people think using the cringe term 'preloved' means it somehow is worth 90% of the original price

A few more definitions:

"Upcycled" means "We slapped a coat of grey emulsion on it without bothering to sand it first".

"Distressed" means "We slapped a coat of grey emulsion on it without bothering to sand it first then bashed it with a brick".

"Suitable for upcycling" means "Extensively battered and damaged, worth about a fiver but we want £80 for it".

"Antique"and "Vintage" mean pre-2000, apparently. I was horrified to see "antique" furniture that was younger than me.

And the listings that say, "Cost £250 new, will accept £225". I don't care what you paid for it. Other people are selling similar stuff for £90. The market will pay what the market thinks second-hand stuff is worth, not what the seller thinks it's worth.

Though, it is a golden rule of charity shops that if you are looking for something specific they will have hundreds of them until the day you actually go in and try and buy one…

I'm a big fan of consuming as little as possible. It came to my attention that while many people donate to charity shops, for example, far fewer people buy from them.
I try to buy second hand when I can, but when I buy anything, new or otherwise, I think hard about whether I really need it. We consume so much that we don't need, whether it's food, clothing or anything else.
I'm a work in progress but it is very freeing.

@TheCountessofFitzdotterel

Though, it is a golden rule of charity shops that if you are looking for something specific they will have hundreds of them until the day you actually go in and try and buy one…

Totally. Ever since I've decided I wanted a set of three retro storage jars, they have disappeared entirely.

Our furniture is mainly original mid century furniture. I'm sitting at my grandparent's dining table, on a church chair from the church my brother got married in looking at a sideboard I got from ebay. Our hallway has a sidetable that PILs had in their house for years (they got it in a junk shop) and a rosewood sideboard I got from Vinterior. We do have a new chair in there but it's a design classic that we could sell for more than we bought it for. The sittingroom has my grandmother's chaise longue and bookshelves we inherited along with a chair my uncle made for me. We do have an IKEA sofa in there, that we've had for 20 years (few new covers over the years!) but when that is replaced it will be with a second hand danish leather sofa. The DDs room has a mid century desk and recovered midcentury chairs bought from vintage shops along with some other design classics we bought new although their beds were high street, good quality solid wood though so will be passed on when we don't need them any more. I always look at the vintage sellers when I want something 'new' for the house, I'm not cost conscious but with vintage you get better quality for your money at all pricepoints. I only buy new if the vintage version is rare (or nonexistant) and therefore very expensive. The vintage furniture market is well organised and it is no harder to buy a vintage sideboard online than it is to buy new.

I don't buy second hand clothes, the charity shops in this town do not have good things in them, but I don't buy masses of clothes except shoes and I wear them for years and years.

I love second hand and also a firm believe you catch more flies with honey. Huge online communities promoting second hand on Instagram, tiktok ect. I think berating or judging people for buying new isn't the way to go. It's soo easy to pick up new. it's convenient as well as cheap. Head to Asda there's George ect. Primark you can get basics for next to nothing. Kids just fly through clothes. Finding second hand boys 4/5 is a tough gig. Mine wears out holes in trousers within the month.

YANBU. I have bought a lot from eBay/marketplace over the lockdown and I will continue to do so. Me and DP also go to charity shops quite a bit. That way you're getting something second hand and helping a good cause, too :).

I read somewhere everything you bring in to your house is just resting on its way to landfill. Depressing but true.

I don’t know how to begin to fix it. We all buy far too much. Even homeware is seen as disposable now - people painting and redecorating all the time, new cushions, new furniture. It’s much more disposable and trend-led. Instagram doesn’t help, the rise of influencer culture.

The exposé about Amazon destroying stock was disgusting. The government needs to clamp down hard, if they were paying tax as they should they would maybe think twice about destroying stock.

Everything I want to buy, I try and buy second hand first (I mean within reason - I will be buying some new candles today!). You can get good quality things for a fraction of the price of new and it's better for the environment. Win win.

I read somewhere everything you bring in to your house is just resting on its way to landfill. Depressing but true

This very true.

Never have bought anything 2nd hand as personally I prefer to buy everything new for my family.

I understand why people buy 2nd hand and thinks it great it’s just not for me.

No thanks. I never had second hand and wouldn’t want to buy second hand. I would never dress my child in clothes that another child has soiled or toys they’ve had in their mouth! I do sell some of the more expensive items that are in good condition on, so that’s my contribution to saving the planet.

I totally agree OP.
I don't do Ebay but use charity shops a lot.It's a brilliant idea.They benefit and you get a great bargain .Of course charity shops differ.I went in one yesterday that was so smart and beautifully set out it looked like John Lewis.My sister got a brand new pair of wedges for £5.99 usual price £85 !! Can't complain about that.

While I agree I had to throw 2 perfectly good beds away the other week. Advertised them for free emailed charities but nobody wanted them. I couldnt keep them the new (free cycle) beds were here so they had to go to the tip.
It was sad as apart from being used they were fine. Definitely think theres a trick being missed by not having a recycling centre for furniture. Maybe some areas do I'm not sure

Its a risk if you buy from ebay etc with clothes as they may not fit and cant be returned. Having said that just got brand new fitflops from vinted, should have been £80, were £20

I'm getting better at mending what I own, clothes in particular, and using till they can't be mended any more and then sending to fabric recycling. But then I'm not sure if it's being ragged and reused in the UK or just sent overseas for someone else to worry about

I donate a LOT to charity - books and kids clothes and DH clothes. I also give a lot away on local Freecycle or sell if it is in v good condition.

We buy the kids their bikes either on gumtree or from the local recyc-a-bike shop.

I buy new when I know we will get use - e.g. my bike was new but I don't plan on getting another and as I don't have my own car then it's my vehicle. Furniture also gets a real doing, old sofa lasted 15 years and was donated to Salvation Army.

I need to get better at charity shop clothes shopping but haven't because the local ones are either not my style or my old clothes! Covid and dislike of shopping means I largely wear what I already have or make clothes and use the scraps of fabric as sustainably as possible.

We need to encourage reuse and mending as the easier option tbh. Lots of local shops so people don't have to travel to other towns and cities to get what they need. I have plans for this on a national level!

@Pinot4evs
You pass on good condition clothes that presumably arent soiled so why, if you were on the receiving end would you think youd have to dress your children in soiled clothes?
No one should feel obliged to use second hand and your preference is to always buy new but why is the connotation that other peoples second hand stuff is dirty

The exposé about Amazon destroying stock was disgusting. The government needs to clamp down hard, if they were paying tax as they should they would maybe think twice about destroying stock.*

at this clueless take.

Moving on.

Fans of the concept of second-hand should hope Amazon sticks around, seeing as they enable millions of people to sell their used stuff.

@Toebean

Its a risk if you buy from ebay etc with clothes as they may not fit and cant be returned. Having said that just got brand new fitflops from vinted, should have been £80, were £20

It is good if for instance you have a favourite top, cut of jeans etc and you find one the same but in a different colour. Especially if the shop doesn't make them any more.

My sister in law is the antithesis of this. She shops constantly, always buying new, low-quality tat. Clothes, household items, trinkets, Christmas decorations, etc… She replaces her 3-piece suite every few years with an almost identical one. She offloads all of her family's discarded junk onto my parents. My mum can't bear to throw anything away and her cupboards are full of almost-new tacky t-shirts, jogging bottoms, pyjamas, coats, ugly dishes, cheap crockery, you name it and there's boxes of the stuff piled up in Mum and Dad's garage so they can't even get their car in. I want to tell SIL to stop foisting her junk onto them but don't want to cause an upset in the family. My brother just tolerates it for a peaceful life. He even let her get rid of his very good hi-fi system and expensive speakers and replace it with an all-in -one piece of junk that broke after six months!

I wonder how many of those buying second hand (to save money, save the planet, etc etc), used disposable nappies for all of their wains.

No thanks. I don’t want other peoples cast off shit.

@maddiemookins16mum

I wonder how many of those buying second hand (to save money, save the planet, etc etc), used disposable nappies for all of their wains.

I used disposables in the early days and then to go out, not at home. I held DS over the loo to pee at nappy changes to save nappies as well. I don't think anyone is saying never buy new things, it's about all the small choices that add up.

I hate 2nd hand clothing. They have a distinctive smell and I just don't like the thought of wearing them.

Furniture is different. I have inherited some lovely pieces for friends and family. But if you want anything half decent/ usable it usually comes with a hefty price tag.

I'm currently looking for a minimalistic style desk. Preferably 1950's / Retro if 2nd hand. Yep I am picky with design
New around £100.- & and it will be here in a few days. Used I'm looking at £200-£300.- this would be marginally better quality. But it's a lengthy buying process on ebay. If money/ time is a problem, there is no question which one to buy.

@maddiemookins16mum

I wonder how many of those buying second hand (to save money, save the planet, etc etc), used disposable nappies for all of their wains.

This attitude grinds my gears.

Every little helps. There are very few people in the UK who never drive a car, never fly, buy second hand everything, eat a vegan, locally-sourced diet. Everyone could in theory do more.

But the sneery attitude at people who ARE making small changes sucks. Oh what's the point in buying shampoo bars when you're flying overseas on holiday? Why buy second hand when you're using disposable nappies? Why in fact bother at all when other countries aren't?

It's sneery and short-sighted.