My tips and tricks: What to buy in a second hand shops?

I have been asked a thousand times what are the things worth looking for in second hand shops. Those who have been following my blog for longer, know that I like mixing second hand items with new stuff. Many people go to shops to buy essential items such as clothes and shoes. But if I'm completely honest, I have everything I need in my wardrobe and I could easily live a few years without having to buy anything new.

So, going second hand shopping is more a fun treasure hunt - a quest to see what am I going to stumble upon. But experience also has it that if I go to the shop with a concrete wish to find a winter cape, I might end up with cool vintage shades instead. A winter cape could be waiting on a a nice summer day instead when I've gone to buy a dress for my daughter. Those who do second hand shopping know that the 'right thing' might not reveal itself immediately. But what have been the things I keep my eyes peeled for? This post is about postcards. I love sending postcards. When my friend changed jobs, I found out where her new office was and send her a postcard on the occasion of the new job. She's still going on about how she stepped into her empty office and there was just one thing waiting on her desk - a postcard in an envelope from me with warm words on it. A few times a year I organise a party for my daughter's classmates and the party always starts with us picking out postcards to send as invites. 

So I've often hunted for postcards from second hand shops, I have a small suitcase full of them. Sometimes, the postcards are in beautiful boxes (like in the opening image), and taking them out of the box is a ritual in itself. Often I've found a box of Christmas cards in the spring instead, and I've purchased them for the winter. It's so nice to take the cards out in December and start writing on them. Something I really like doing is sending cards to people who are sick at home. There's plenty of cards like that in second hand shops. So this is my first recommendation - a box of postcards doesn't hurt. Quite the contrary - at times when we give superficial congratulations on Facebook and Christmas cards aren't so much a thing any more, sending a postcard can really do good to your own soul as well. What are your sought-after items in second hand shops and what are your most interesting finds?

Minult on 1000 ja 1 korda küsitud, mida tasuks erinevatest second-hand poodidest jahtida. Need, kes on Stellariumi pikemalt jälginud, teavad, kuidas mulle meeldib taaskasutust uuega miksida. Paljud käivad poodides otsimas elementaarseid asju: riideid, jalanõusid ja käekotte. Kui ma enda ees üdini aus olen, siis on minu garderoobis kõik olemas ja ma võiksin vabalt elada mitu aastat nii, et ei peaks endale midagi juurde soetama.

Seega on second-hand poodides käimine minu jaoks pigem lõbus aarete jaht ehk mille peale ma siis täna satun? Aeg on ka näidanud, et kui lähen poodi kindla sooviga endale näiteks talvine keep leida, võivad näppu sattuda hoopis vinged päikeseprillid. Soe keep võib oodata mind aga hoopis mõnel kenal suvepäeval, kui olen läinud tütrele kleiti ostma. Need, kes ise taaskastust harrastavad, teavad, et seda "õiget asja" ei pruugi kindlasti nüüd ja praegu leida. Kuid mis on siis ikkagi need vahvad leiud, mida mina otsin? See postitus on pühendatud postkaartidele. Nimelt armastan ma väga kaarte saata. Kui mu sõbranna töökohta vahetas, uurisin välja, kus tema uus kontor asub ja saatsin talle uue ameti puhul kaardi. Ta räägib siiani, kuidas astus oma kabinetti ja tühjal laual ootas ees vaid üks asi: minu poolt saadetud postkaart, kuhu olin soojad soovid kirjutanud. Paaril korral aastas teen oma tütre klassiõdedele peo ja pidu saab meie kodus alguse just siis, kui kodus tema vahvatele klassikaaslastele postkaarte valime ja kutse kirjutame. 

Seega olen second-hand poodidest jahtinud sageli postkaarte, mida mul on väike kohver täis. Sageli on postkaardid ilusates karpides (nagu avapildil) ja postkaardi ning ümbriku karbist võtmine on justkui omaette rituaal. Muide, paki jõulukaarte olen tihti leidnud hoopis kevadel ja need talveks ära ostnud. Nii vahva on siis detsembris kohvrist jõulukaardid välja võtta ja asuda neid täitma. Eriti tore komme on saata postkaart kellelegi, kes on kodus haige. Heade soovidega kaarte leidub taaskasutuspoodides palju. Seega on minu esimene soovitus: pakike postkaarte ei võta tükki küljest. Vastupidi: ajal, kui meile soovitakse Facebookis napisõnaliselt õnne ja jõulukaardid pole paljude jaoks enam nii aktuaalsed, annab postkaardi saatmine eelkõige endale sooja tunde. Usun, et ka saajale. Milliseid asju sina taaskasutusest jahid ja mis on sinu kõige põnevamad leiud?