If You Can Buy It Used, Go For It!

I feel like sometimes there is a stigma around buying something second hand.

Hands up I’ve been there, my Dad once noted that when I lived at home I didn’t care about money. However, as soon as I moved out I wanted the cheapest I could get.

To be honest, it wasn’t until I was moving out of the refuge I decided that I didn’t care where things came from, I was thankful for anything.

I had always loved charity shops, the excitement of perhaps finding a real bargain thrilled me and I loved my days in my teens working in one. I think perhaps my pure nosiness stemmed from those days of looking through the donated bags.

Books, clothes, crockery I had never thought about twice buying second hand, as you could clean it if uncertain of the condition beforehand.

However larger items I never really contemplated buying from an unknown source.

Now don’t get me wrong, my first flat wasn’t filled with brand new goods, most had come from my ex’s home, while kind members of my family and friends donated other things.

However, I remember more about my second flat, the first move in many years.

My neighbour ran a charity in the town, who helped with furniture and he helped me pick out a bedside table, sofas, telephone table, Dutch dresser and side tables.

Kindly my parents had offered to buy me a bed, as I did say I didn’t feel comfortable with a used mattress, although the frame was no issue.

As well as enabling me to get furniture for my home at an affordable price, I also learnt a couple of things.

A lot of the sofas came from homes where the owners replaced them as the fashion changed.

Things are checked thoroughly by the people who take them in, if they don’t believe the items will be useful they say no. These charities and second-hand stores aren’t taking in anything and everything.

The trick is, simple really. Use your eyes, make sure you see things in person beforehand and listen to your gut about it.

After all, you never know what gem you might fall upon, after all that Dutch dresser I mentioned, it’s still with me 2 moves later and is one of my favourite pieces of furniture.

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