Is it just me who is addicted to second hand?

[mormess]

When I'm having an annoying day, say if I have to go to the bank or am trying to avoid work, I love going into a charity shop or junk shop. I immediately feel calmer. Even if I don't buy anything, I just like to have a root around.

Freecycle has been brilliant too- I love looking through the list of what people have to offer or are wanting, and have done very well myself in both respects.

And then there's skips. I can't help looking in them. And recently I've pulled out 2 chairs, a cupboard and a PC case. And there's the stuff in my living room - a lick of paint and they're looking fine. I just feel it's criminal that people throw good stuff away.

I used to live in a street with nice big terraced houses and the back alleys were a gold mine for me - stuff that people couldn't be bothered getting rid of properly.

So is it just me who's a scavenging freak, whose boyfriend rolls his eyes every time I veer towards a charity shop or drags in something out of a skip?

Am I on the verge of becoming a bag-lady or am I doing my bit to save the environment?

[TillyNilly]

I'm the same mormess....A bag lady in the making!!!...I hate waste....I can't go to the tip with out bringing treasures home.....Its a real treat to have a rummage!....The only thing is sometimes its the thrill of finding and getting a bargain that out weighs the fact that I don't actually need the thing!...What do you do with a pet cage with all the trimmings and extras when I don't actually even have a furry critter!...
Whats this Freecycle...you're teasing me now!!..lol...So I'm just as bad!..Perhaps we should form a club.............Scavengers-R-Us!!!...lol
Tilly x

[mormess]

Hoorah! Mind you, I once picked up a spade at the tip only to find it belonged to the man who worked there!

www.freecycle.org, and find your local group. It's fantastic! I am almost a Freecycle evangelist!

I am quite ruthless too, and often donate stuff to a charity shop only to wish I'd kept it a year or so on. Then it's time to do the "albany road run" - about 10 charity shops in one street!

[flump1]

Hi mormess, you are not alone , I love going for a rummage in charity shops and have left gleefully clutching many bargains and treasures ! Today while browsing I picked up a pair of brand new trousers from a chain store at a fraction of their original price. I buy loads of my clothes from charity shops, I love em !!! I buy second hand too, it is much more value for money in my opinion ! I sometimes donate things when I clear out, then I have to beware I don't go buying my stuff back !!

[carrust]

I trawl the charity shops for CD's & books. But I wont buy clothes from them. I feel a bit funny about wearing something that somebody else has worn..They could have had scabies or crabs, or some other anti-social disease.

[Mammar]

It does an old woman good to know that there's more out there!
So sensible! Keep doing it. I got a superb Lloyd Loom nursing chair out of a skip once. I couldn't bear to take it without permission so I took round a small box of chocs and asked for it.
Only a couple of months ago I saw a child's ride-on car in a trailer looking like it was going to a tip so I stuck a note through her door asking if they were going to tip it and saying I would like it. She rang me and said of course I could have it. So my grandson has a car and she got a bag of home-made scones!

[loukr]

I'm exactly the same!! I buy clothes to reconstruct into something different, be it a bag, or a different top or a skirt.. anything :D also, I'm a sucker for craft and art books.. even if i dont like the look of them. :D hehe xx

[TillyNilly]

mormess...Love the spade story!!..lol...
If I have a clearout, the bags have to disappear quickly, otherwise things start magically reappearing back on shelves or whatever...lol

Mammar....How brilliant.......you can take from my skip for a homemade chocolate cake anytime!...mmmm..lol..
The only problem with me is I can't bear to see things thrown and would have taken the bike and would then have to find a home for it!!

carrust...How do you know the new clothes or shoes out of shops haven't been tryed by someone with the lurgy!!!..ooeerrr
Tilly x

[loukr]

can you please explain how freecycle works, I've just joined my group and it all looks too good to be true lol

[MustangLady]

I feel calmer just thinking about shopping at charity shops... I'm addicted and find it a challenge to find a bargain in the charity shops, i also love bootsales, local jumble sales and Ebay... all of which give me a great buzz if I manage to find something worthy! And of course not forgetting that the money spent in charity shops go to a well deserved cause - I feel I'm doing my bit for chairty by buying something. Oh and I'd never heard of 'Freecycle' but can't wait to check it out now!

[loukr]

I can't wait to post on freecycle... but I don't really know what im doing yet... :D lol

[mormess]

Excellent! I feel in the company of great people!

Loukr, Freecycle really is that great. It's ettiquette (SP?) to offer something on your first go, then after that, you can ask for things or email people who have offered things. Try and give a good reason why you want something if you're emailing, not just say "I'll have it" as some people like to know their beloved but no longer accommodated thing is going to a good home or a worthy cause. They'll have sent ettiquette rules and guidance when you joined. But from personal experience - always keep appointments!

I furnished my studio through Freecycle, and it's opposite a car boot market site - 2 days a week!

For clothes - I don't have much apart from underwear and t-shirts that isn't second hand! Although sometimes I find out why it was given to the charity shop in the first place- itchy or unflattering! But you just have to wash it to get rid of that generic perfume smell that charity shops seem to infuse into their clothes - know what I mean?

Anyway, thanks for all your replies so far!

[loukr]

I don't know if I'm sounding silly here... but how do you contact them about an offer? do you use the email address thats given?? I'm so excited!! lol what was the first thing you offered??

[winny]

I think budding bag ladies are great. My husband is a plumber and we have to pay to tip all the old bathroom suites he removes (sometimes they are perfect appart from a colour someone does not like). whilst he has been saving them on the drive to do a big load we have had several baths a toilet and basin and other bits go missing. If someone can use them even if they only putting plants in them good luck.
I have also been known to put stuff I cannot sell in the local paper on the drive with free to a good home on it and it always goes.

[str]

I know what you mean. We live in a throw away society - yesterday my dvd player packed up, still under guarantee, so I took it back to Currys prepared to do without it for a while until they repaired it. No such thing - they apparently dont repair these things now, they just gave me a brand new one. Nice I suppose but not very environmentally friendly. I'd have been happy with a repair.

[TillyNilly]

Morness...I think you've started something now judging by all these replys...lol

winny...I want to live near you....lol

loukr...I've just joined my local freecycle on morness's recomendations....Exciting isn't it?

MustangLady...I loveeeeeeeeee Ebay...well addicted...lots of bargains.

[I_love_Ken]

I think it's fab to buy second hand and even though I'm young, I'll still walk into the odd charity shop and have convinced others to do so in the past too.

Got my prom dress from there and I wouldn't swap it for the world as it's the most beauriful, indiviual dress you could ever imagine*loves*

It's not geeky neither, plenty of celebs shop in charity shops such as the beautiful Loo Brearly

[TillyNilly]

I_love_Ken......When I was young I often dressed in jumble sale clothes...I could get together really fantastic trendy outfits...I spent hours happily rummaging .....I think as you say you can find fantastic vintage clothes that celebs pay alot more for...and yes you end up with a very unique style...I bet your prom dress was gorgeous!
Tilly

[mormess]

loukr - to answer a posting, click on that post, and to the right i think there's a link that says send email or something.

i_love_ken - I don't think age has anything to do with dressing from charity shops! If you're lucky to have a real vintage store near you that's great and you can dress individually, but most of the clothes i get are pretty normal. My mum loves charity shops!

I used to live near Reading and we had a Sue Ryder Home which opened for sales once a month or so. The whole place had different "departments" and my favourite was wrestling clothes at 50p a go into a bin liner, and not quite knowing what i'd bought until I got it home! I miss it. Although at the car boot sale opposite me now, I've got 3 lovely linen baskets, 2 of which are hexagonal Lloyd Looms - all for under �4 each!

Keep the posts coming!

Winny - there's a house in Kent I've seen with an array of toilets out front all planted up! Very individual!

[winny]

He did have one customer who wanted to keep the toilet for just that as she had given birth very quickly whilst on it!!!!!

I hate throwing things away as I just know someone will want it just a matter of finding that person.
I am going to try registering for ferrcycle again as I had trouble last time.
We have to empty the garage soon and I just know it is going to break my heart throwing stuff away.
Kids clothes and toys are real good off car boots and charity shops. I have re sold lots of mine again.

[StudentGal]

I wonder who you get that hording instinct off Winny? :p

I don't share that vice but I do LOVE car boot sales. I got my nieces christmas prezzie off a car boot for �3 and it was in pristine condition. It's a little changing station for dollies, BARGAIN!

I love Ebay too, you can make some serious cash on there for all your old crap, just a shame it taks so long to sort out.