Magpie Monday – the joy of charity shops
I love charity shops. It was my mum who first taught me that they can be a great source of pre-loved treasure – and a really good way to declutter good quality items that are no longer needed.
I am very lucky to have a great selection of charity shops just a short walk from where I live. People just seem to keep donating fantastic stuff to these shops, especially homewares. It is very rare that I come home empty-handed from a thrift-shopping trip.
The shops tend to be staffed by an assortment of students, some of whom seem slightly dazed and confused. But there must be some good people in charge of how the stock is arranged and priced, and the window displays are usually enticing.
This blogpost is about some pre-loved items I bought for myself on Saturday, and I will also say a little bit about the charity shops I found them in.
1. Tupperware from the Oxfam shop
These were a real find and I like them so, so much. Two orange harvester round cake containers with the distinctive fan-style lids.
I am looking forward to showing them off any time that I am asked to bring food along to picnics, pot luck parties or bake sales. (I will probably bake some of this Goats’ Cheese and Potato Bread using Delia Smith’s recipe)
Tupperware like this tends to go for silly money on eBay, so I was very happy to get these two for £6.99 each (and £0 p&p of course, unlike eBay). Both cake containers are in perfect condition albeit in need of good scrub.
The Oxfam Shop in Beeston is a fantastic charity shop. People just seem to keep donating lots of good items to this shop. The prices tend to reflect the quality and saleability of the items, but in some cases I have left things on the shelf due to lack of affordability.
Here are some examples of items I have bought there:
- This crochet blanket and this crochet blanket and these two patchwork knitted blankets
- These buttons and a cross stitch kit plus more buttons and these cross stitch and beading kits
- This really gorgeous teal silk blouse
I have also donated quite a few items myself. I’ve signed up to their GiftAid scheme so that they can reclaim the tax when they sell items which I have donated.
2. Cross stitch book from the British Heart Foundation Shop
Yes I bought yet another cross stitch book. Must stop now! This one was a good buy for £2 as it has lots of great designs for greetings cards.
It is usually the display of books in the window of the British Heart Foundation shop which draws me in. As well as books, they tend to have a good selection of homewares too, but I usually resist the temptation to buy an entire 1970s dinner service. I did get this Denby Arabesque coaster though! Other purchases include this yoga kit and a Healthy Back Bag.
3. Liquor glasses from the YMCA shop
These glasses will be great for sipping cointreau in! Only £1.49 the pair. I don’t often buy things from the YMCA shop but we donated various items of furniture to them when we first moved to Beeston, and the teak bookcase in our hall came from there.
PS I also found the perfect thing for my Faith Hope and Charity Swapping partner – but I’ll wait until she has received it before revealing all the swap items.
I’m linking up with this week’s Magpie Monday at Me & My Shadow.
I’ll also be joining in with the Charity Shop Blog Hop at the Lulastic Blog.
The tupperware is fab! Haven’t seen that design before. It really has become so collectible, hasn’t it? Love the glasses too x
Both the glasses and the cake containers make me smile when I look at them.
The prices on eBay for some types of tupperware are quite astonishing! I found this blogpost http://donebydeb.com/blog/reselling/profitable-ebay-items-vintage-tupperware/ which says the people are “gaga for tupperware” because they “buy their childhood”.
Oh, I pretty much ALWAYS love what you find- this tupperware is just a total delight!
Lovely write up- I’m excited about Thursday yipeeeee x
Thanks!
Hope this post will qualify for Thursday’s link-up. I had planned to write a bit more about the charity shops themselves but I found such lovely things on Saturday that I ended up saying more about the finds and slightly less about the shops.
Yeah, this is PERFECT! x x
Hooray! Have linked up. xx
Fabulous items lady, I’m going to brush over the cross stitch book and pretend like you don’t have an addiction and focus on the Tupperware, love it. Remember one of my friend’s mums having that style although the concertina effect lid must be a bugger to keep clean! xx
Yes the Tupperware will definitely be going in the dishwasher!
As for the cross stitch book addiction, it could be worse. I could be addicted to buying yarn!
Love love love the orange tupperware. I have one that is just like those but taller – we keep our biscuits in it. Great finds! x
I’ll be looking out for more in the same style now. A biscuit tub sounds good! x
Fab tupperware and I love the glasses – can’t resist a bit of 70s orange!
Yes I’m with you on the 70s orange – something to do with being born in 1970 in my case I suspect
Great post – I love hearing about other peoples charity shops. LOL at the dazed and confused students! We just seem to have dazed and confused old bids down here!
They actually have waiting lists for volunteers in some of our local charity shops, because there are so many students who want to do this.
Love the Tupperware and the glasses , but then I have a bit of a thing about Tupperware and orange myself!
Yes I’d spotted that! I quite often covet your magpie Monday finds for that very reason
Please do a local tour sometime – these posts are so handy. I’ve finally got my guide to Crystal Palace up although there’s not that many charity shops, mostly vintage/retro/junk