Buy Used and Re-use--It's Better Than Recycling!

I shopped for walking shoes and loafers this weekend. I paid just under $12 for both pair, at my local Cancer Society-sponsored Discovery Shop.

I didn't go to walmart or target for two reasons. First, a pair of second-hand shoes (pre-owned, used, pre-loved, broken-in--you decide) is less expensive than a new pair (that's FROOGLE). Second, if I'm wearing it, it won't be in a landfill (that's GREENE).

That just leaves "HOWE?" That's where the Discovery Shop comes in. You may prefer Value Village, Goodwill, Salvation Army, or any of a number of other stores (the shops and sponsoring entities vary--check the yellow pages or dexknows.com for what's available locally).

There are a few things you should know about shopping for used clothing.

There are "Thrift" and "Consignment" stores. Check them out, and decide which works for you. Consignment stores often have quality requirements for the clothes that they will accept, while most thrift stores do not (Goodwill or Salvation Army, for example). This difference is often reflected in the prices as well as the available quality. Be aware of what quality level you will accept, and what you're willing to pay.

Allow plenty of time. If you want those bargains, you have to hunt for them. I didn't say it would be easy, just FROOGLE and GREENE.

Once you've decided to shop at a particular store, take a look around to see how the store is organized. I've wasted time searching through a rack of tops for a green one, only to find that in this store, each color has it's own rack. Other ways to organize include putting all sale items in one area of the store, separating garments by type, or arranging racks according to sizes.

Often garment tags are color-coded, and each week or day a different tag color is on sale--sometimes half-off. These coded tags are often mixed all together. If the store you've chosen has that arrangement, look for the sign that announces the currently-on-sale tag color as soon as you enter.

If you haven't shopped second-hand much, you may suffer from the opposite of sticker-shock. Most everything you see will be cheap, but it's only a bargain if it works for you. You might start by window shopping--just to get used to those prices.

Keep in mind that most second-hand items are One-Of-A-Kind. Two adjacent garments were donated or consigned by two different (sometimes very different) people. so if you find The Perfect Hoody in powder blue (not your color), you're not likely to find an identical a pink one. Usually, it comes down to a decision between accepting the near-perfect and continuing the search. A thrift store can prompt us to re-evaluate our definition of "perfect."

Another point to remember with one-of-a-kind garments is that if you decide to come back later for that wrong-color hoody you may find it's been snapped up by someone who Really Loves powder blue. Be ready for some hard decisions.

A good way to save time in the fitting room is to check for wear, holes, ripped-out seams, pilling on sweaters, and stains before you even remove a garment from the rack. Don't assume they're in good shape. Remember that these garments have been worn; you don't want one that's been worn too much or missused. Particularly if you don't sew, be careful about things that might be perfect if only they weren't in the above category.

On the other hand, if you do sew, are willing to put in the work, and have the time, buying a "project" may be a good investment. Make sure the project is do-able, though. I bought a handmade quilt top, planning to finish it. Once I got it home and attempted to flatten it fully, I realized that the pieces had not been sewn together straight. I couldn't use it without taking it apart piece by piece and beginning all over again, which I didn't.

Most of my shopping experiences have been good ones, though. And whether this is your first step into a second-hand store, or you're a veteran bargain-hunter, I'd love to hear about your re-use shopping trips and tips!