Over the last year and a half, ditching the high street in favour of charity shops has played a huge role in my money saving mission. Not only have charity shop bargains helped my savings grow, it’s also allowed me to do my bit for the environment and donate money to worthy causes!
Written by Jo Smyth aka @Jo_joblogs this post is the first of a two part series which looks at how self-confessed shopaholics can be that little bit thriftier. Today’s post focuses on charity shops but keep your eyes peeled for a post about eBay in the next few days!
It’s common knowledge that you can find out exactly where a dress was from and how much it costs simply by complimenting a woman’s outfit. I don’t know why us women so often feel the need to share all this information as soon as someone says “nice coat” but we just do. And “Thanks! £5. Charity Shop!” is the type of phrase I’ve found myself uttering on numerous occasions recently, having picked up some absolutely amazing second hand bargains.
Far too many people seem to be under the impression that charity shops are filled with junk that no one wants to buy, but this simply isn’t the case. With trends changing on a regular basis and many dedicated fashion-lovers replacing their wardrobes every season, charity shops are often bursting at the seams with both high street and designer garments. Here are just three charity shop items that I’ve picked up recently…
At £14.99 the dress below was a bit pricier than I’d usually pay in a charity shop, but considering it is brand new with tags and was originally a whopping £169, I decided I’d hit the jackpot! Big thanks to whoever donated this beauty to Oxfam in Withington.
I’m currently on a bit of a mission to smarten up my wardrobe (without spending a ton of money on brand new items) so as soon as I spotted this gorgeous long sleeved lil number in The British Heart Foundation, I knew I had to try it on. I’ve worn it several times in the last few weeks, so already feel like I’m well on my way to getting my money’s worth.
Another British Heart Foundation treat, it really was love at first sight with this Henry Holland dress. I love how it’s casual enough to wear with leggings and trainers, but could easily be smartened up with tights, shoes and a blazer.
Snapped up any gorgeous second hand bargains lately? Whether its from a charity shop, car boot sale or eBay, I’d love to see your finds.
It was only a few weeks ago that I first heard about the homelessness charity Emmaus. I spotted them on Twitter and found myself spending ages looking through their tweets. Bursting with photos of donations, charity shop displays, and stories of the people they help, these guys really are experts when it comes to promoting their charity on social media. As soon as I spotted the photo below, I knew I’d have to start paying their shops a visit.
Calling all #fashionistas, #fashionbloggers & #vintage lovers - visit our shops: http://t.co/YGk2OHYvvA pic.twitter.com/kbqLPvYIAw
— Emmaus UK (@EmmausUK) July 5, 2015
I soon realised that their Fitzwarren Street store in Salford isn’t too far from Jake’s house, so popped over for a visit yesterday. Although there’s one room overflowing with clothes and several bookcases filled with great titles, this shop’s best feature is definitely the amount of affordable furniture it has on offer.
As soon as I spotted the two bedside cabinets below for just £5 each, I instantly knew that I’d be returning another day with my Dad and his car. These babies might be gone by the time we can nip back, but I’ve got my fingers crossed that there’ll be some other bargains for us.
Everything in the building (and in the car park outside) was so well priced and I found myself wishing I could buy almost everything and take it home for some TLC. It really is the perfect place for upcyclers looking for an easy project! Although everything is cheap, it’s also in decent condition and nothing seems like too much hard work. A quick paint job should ought to do the trick, but the vast majority of pieces would also be perfectly fine as they are, particularly if you’re a first time buyer or someone who has just moved into an unfurnished flat.
Can you believe this table and chairs below is just £65 for the set? There’s nothing wrong with it! If I had a van big enough to drive these home, I’d probably paint it all white and recover the cushions with a different fabric, but it’d certainly be perfectly fine left as it is if you couldn’t be bothered with the mither.
I think my next upcycling project might involve a little something like this nest of tables. Since I’m living at my parents’ house at the moment, I’ve been firmly warned not to bring anything hefty home as the house is already bursting at the seems. So something like this would be perfect to do up and stash in the garage until it’s time for me to move out.
So much furniture…just a shame I don’t have my own van to take it all home in!
If you’d like to know more about this fantastic charity, take a look at the Emmaus website or follow them on Twitter.
Have you got a favourite place you turn to when looking for your next upcycling project? Or perhaps you’ve just moved into a new home and you’re in the process of filling it with second hand treasures? I’d love to hear from you in the comments below!
Fur has long been thought of as the baddie of the fashion world and as a result, as soon as Autumn comes around our high street shops are filled with faux alternatives.
However, these alternatives can be extremely bad for the environment for a number of reasons:
The impact these alternatives have on the environment is only half the problem. Although we’re doing what we can to save animals we’re inadvertently showing a complete disregard for humans. We already know that many of the clothes that we wear have been created by small, poverty-stricken children in developing parts of the world but does that stop us from buying and wearing them? Not really.
As a result, some campaigners are saying that we SHOULD be wearing fur after all, because not only does its production rarely involve sweatshops, it’s also a sustainable alternative to the fast fashion that we’ve grown so accustomed to.
Besides, what use is saving animals if we’re gradually working towards destroying the whole planet?
But HANG FIRE! Before we choose to add a fur coat to our wardrobes once summer is over, let’s take the pro-fur propaganda with a pinch of salt. While fur does actually seem like a more natural alternative to wearing plastic that’s been made to look and feel like an cuddly animal, the idea of animals being slaughtered for fashion still doesn’t seem quite right.
The good news is we have other options. What can we do to minimise the impact that our purchases have on the environment, animals, and people around the world?
Well, let’s use Meat Free Mondays as a source of inspiration. The initiative was introduced to encourage people to reduce their meat consumption. With meat production having a detrimental effect on the environment, giving up everything from burgers to chicken breasts for just one day a week can make a significant difference. Maybe we need to do this with fashion too?
So I’m not saying we have to give up shopping on the high street, buying fast fashion, or even…wearing fur if that’s what you want to do. What I’m saying is that if we all did our bit to REDUCE the amount of the stuff we buy brand new (because constantly buying new stuff is a large part of the problem) we will be helping to implement change.
Here are a few ideas for shopping more sustainably:
Although the above suggestions may help many of us to reduce the impact on the environment and animals, unfortunately so much more needs to be done to fully tackle the issue of poor working conditions in sweatshops. It’s disgraceful that so many people in developing countries are being so cruelly taken advantage of in the name of fashion.
I’d like to think that by doing what we can to reduce the number of new purchases that we make, we can at least prevent the demand for this type of clothing from increasing. We need to show retailers that we care about ethically sourced garments. If you want to know more about the the effects of sweatshops, I’d definitely recommend having a look at the Who Made My Clothes? campaign.
What do you think? Do you wear fur, faux, or neither of them? Have you got any other ideas to help people be more sustainable without completely turning their back on the world of fashion?
I’ve said it myself many times in the past, the way to grab the best second hand finds involves shopping in posh areas. With so many wealthy residents nearby, many of whom probably don’t have the time to faff about on eBay for very little profit, an overwhelming number of quality - and often designer - items are handed into these charity shops.
However, during a recent trip to Salford Shopping City, I’ve realised that, thanks to great charity shop managers and devoted volunteers, fantastic charity bargains can be found anywhere.
Every city in the world has its good parts and bad parts and far too often the negative overshadows the positive. The city of Salford is no different. As a whole, Salford has been gaining an increasing amount of good press in recent years due to the BBC’s move to Media City, but there’s no denying that there are still some areas that unfortunately still have a bit of a reputation.
The 2011 riots which saw the shopping centre being looted, smashed up and set on fire probably didn’t help….nor did this interview with a local resident. However, having spent 5 years living in Salford myself with no trouble, I can honestly say the place is alright.
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Having recently finished his degree, Jake has now said goodbye to his student house in Fallowfield and has moved into a rented room in Salford. Although he’s not in the poshest part of town, the house is great, the landlord is a top bloke, and most importantly, it’s far more affordable than it would be to rent a room in the centre of Manchester which is just a short 10 minute bus ride away.
After moving his stuff in, the two of us wandered over to the shopping centre to buy some bits and pieces for the house. We soon spotted a British Heart Foundation and decided to pop in. I thought we’d only be there for a few minutes but I found myself spending ages looking through all the gorgeous clothes. It was clearly well managed and is easily the best charity shop I’ve ever been in.
Since I started helping out at a charity shop myself I’ve learned just how many donations they get each day. Many of which are unfortunately not fit for sale but sometimes I do find charity shops bursting at the seams with items which really don’t deserve a place on the hanger.
Of course, if a charity is only receiving poor quality donations, I guess they have little choice, but I think it’s really important to be as ruthless as possible when deciding what to sell. Perhaps it’s better to have a tidy and minimalist shop than one cluttered with absolute rubbish? Besides, the clothes that don’t go on sale don’t actually goes to waste. Clothes that aren’t fit for sale in the shop can still make money for the charity if bagged up and sold to the rag collectors .
In this British Heart Foundation, however, every single item had earned its place in the shop but I suspect the volunteers have to recycle the vast majority of the donations they are given.
I guess it’s like kissing a lot of frogs before you find your prince. Charity shop volunteers have to sift through a lot of rubbish before they find their hidden gems.
By ensuring that the right items are on sale, the team at the British Heart Foundation have created a really great shop that I’m sure keeps customers returning to time and time again.
Generally, charity shops tend to rotate stock on a regular basis, recycling items that have been on display for a set period of time but haven’t sold. However, if those items are good quality, I think it’s far more effective to keep them out there and reduce them in price than it is to replace them with something that is perhaps not as appealing. So what if that gorgeous dress hasn’t sold after 4 months? It might just be the case that the right person hasn’t been in yet.
While posher areas may still be the best for those looking to bag designer goods, I think the British Heart Foundation in Salford proves that with great management and ruthless volunteers who aren’t afraid to recycle some donations, charities in any area can create a great store and put an end to the misconception that their shops are too often filled with rubbish.
So what’s the moral of the story? If you’re looking to pick up some great bargains or revamp your wardrobe with thrifted finds, keep an open mind and don’t rule any charity shops out purely because they aren’t in a posh part of town. You might end up missing out on some hidden gems!
If you’ve spotted a crackin’ charity shop in a not-posh place, I’d love to hear from you. Let us know your favourite ‘chazzers’ in the comments below.
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Photo credits:
All photos taken inside the charity shop are by me. You may use them if you wish, but please link back to me. Thanks
British Heart Foundation exterior. Mikey
Salford Shopping City tower. Mikey
Up until recently, I wasn’t too keen on the idea of buying things from charity shops to sell on Ebay for a profit. I had two main reasons:
I never thought these eBayers were doing anything wrong (there’s no laws against making a profit from charity shop finds) but I did feel like such a tactic was taking a little magic away from these secondhand havens.
Since I started helping out at a charity shop, however, my opinion on this has really changed. Here’s why…
This afternoon I helped out at a local charity shop for the very first time. Having already worked part-time in a supermarket for 7 years, I never thought I’d see the day I’d be excited to return to retail, but I’ve been looking forward to this for weeks!
I’m lucky to have landed quite a varied role, as not only will I be on the till, organising stock, and dressing the window, I might also be dabbling with a bit of eBay, Instagram and Facebook.
Today though, the manager gave me a tour and explained how the place works. After shopping in charity shops for several months now, it was really interesting to find out what goes on behind the scenes and to learn just how much effort it takes to keep everything going.
One thing that I never considered before, was how much effort volunteers have to put into preparing the stock before it goes out on the shelves. It’s not simply a case of accepting a donation and putting it straight out there.
For example, they try to always count jigsaw pieces and check that all the contents are included in children’s games. It’s just something that never crossed my mind, especially when games tend to only fetch a pound or two. In a way, it doesn’t seem worth it, but if it makes the charity a bit of money and saves things from going to waste, I guess it’s better than throwing things in the bin.
I’m hoping to learn some thrifty tips from the charity shop manager, as she explained how she tries her best to not let any donations go to waste. If an old cardigan has a hole in it that is beyond repairing, she’ll remove the buttons and sell those, before selling the cardigan to the rag collectors to recycle.
After having a good chat, she suggested I have a go at updating the mannequins in the shop window. I was delighted to have that as my first job, as I’d already spotted a few items of clothing that I liked the look of.
After choosing two dresses for the female mannequins, and a t-shirt for the male one, it wasn’t long before a woman popped in and asked to try something on from the display.
Sadly it didn’t fit her in the end, but it’s a good sign that it caught her eye. I think seeing things on a mannequin rather than a coat hanger can make such a big difference as to whether someone is interested or not.
I also set aside a few items for us to sell on the charity’s eBay account, before taking one for the team and quickly counting some jigsaw pieces. You may be pleased to know, they were all there! 😉 And to be fair, counting to 100 isn’t particularly time consuming.
I can’t wait for next week and to get properly stuck in!
If you’ve visited my blog once or twice before, you’ll probably already know that I’m a little bit obsessed with charity shops. I enjoy trawling through them on the hunt for my next bargain and there’s nothing better than emerging from the shop triumphantly with something new (or old, whichever way you look at it).
I also love reading about other bloggers’ charity shop finds though too, and so here are just a few of my favourite charity shop bloggers that I’ve been following recently. I’m always on the lookout for more vintage/second hand inspiration though, so if you enjoy blogging about your thrifty finds too, leave a link in the comments below so I can see what you’ve been up to 🙂
Pauper To Princess is a brilliant charity shop blog created by Louise, from Dorset. It might just be my favourite second hand blog as it’s pretty much a one-stop-shop for all things thrift.
One thing I love about Pauper To Princess is that Louise never hesitates to share tons of stories from fellow thrifty bloggers. After one visit to her website, you’ll leave with a list as long as your arm of other charity shop lovers and thrifting fantastics to keep an eye out for.
I’m pretty jealous of how well-travelled Louise is too, as some of her most recent blog posts have shared unique fashion finds from places such as Amsterdam, Thailand and Estonia.
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Paloma in Disguise is a fashion blog created by Theatrical Costume student, Hannah. Everything she wears is just adorable and I love how she often manages to incorporate second hand shirts from charity shops in her outfits. I often spot old shirts that I like the look of, but if they don’t fit perfectly or I can’t think of something to wear them with on the spot, I tend to leave them on the rail.
I’ll start off by saying that not everything on Polkadot Pink is from charity shops. Some items have been borrowed from friends and some are off the high street, but the items that blogger, Donna, manages to thrift are just so gorgeous that I decided she’s well deserving of a place in this list.
If you’re a lover of pastels, prints, lots of layers, and great photos, I definitely recommend paying Donna a visit.
The woman behind Charity Shop Chic is a clothes upcycling pro! By altering and resizing unwanted items of clothing that she’s found in charity shops, she rescues clothes from landfill by injecting them with a new lease of life. Sometimes, if something looks almost beyond repair, she’ll simply cut it up and start from scratch. If you want to start learning how to alter and customise everything from t-shirts to dresses, then I’d definitely recommend having a nosey at the Charity Shop Chic blog. Hats of to her for transforming this huge frumpy blazer into the one below it.
[July 2016 update: Charlotte’s taking a break from blogging and her website is currently private]
Charlotte is a fellow charity shop blogger from Manchester. I stumbled across her blog, Charity Shop Gold, through Instagram and it was only after commenting on each others’ photos a few times that we realised we haunt many of the same charity shops as one another. To be honest, as a much more experienced charity shopper than I, Charlotte really does have an eye for tracking down the best pieces, and both her blog and Instagram are filled with gorgeous finds!
In a recent blog post, I shared some charity shop tips, and mentioned the importance of looking out for timeless classics that you’ll be able to wear time and time again, and this is something that Charlotte does so well. After having a nosey at her blog, give her a follow on Instagram @charityshopgold
I’m always on the lookout for other bloggers with a love for charity shops and thriftiness, so if this sounds like you, or you know someone I should pay a visit, please get in touch!
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