You just get more beautiful with age

Sometimes there is nothing more annoying than getting your, "Oh your bag is so amazing, where's it from?" answered with the classic, "Thanks! I bought it in a charity shop." I mean, GRR! Why was that bag not in there when I went in? However, beautiful leather satchels that look exactly like-the-one-that-I-just-spent-fifty-pounds-on do tend to be a one off and take a lot of dedication to find (or just luck. Damn their luck.) Therefore, if you really are looking specifically for a leather satchel, I'd say charity shops aren't always the best way to go about it. 

However, recently I was introduced to the serious bargains that can be found by second hand 'interior' shopping when I was re-organising my room (something that I seem to do a lot...) and was looking for some pretty storage pots/jars. Normally I would have headed straight for the highstreet but it just happened that I was walking passed the local community centre shop and I thought I'd take a peep. And lo and behold, I was presented with some li'l gems! After some sifting, I picked out this lovely glass jar and bowl for a grand total of £1.20. I mean really, how could I say no?? I then glanced through the window of a second hand shop just up the road and this adorable little glass bird stared straight back at me. I'd been looking for a small pot or dish to keep my day to day jewellery in when I was asleep, so you can imagine how chuffed I was when I found my own Li'l Sparrow to keep guard for me. (The shopkeeper had labelled it a robin but I say it's cleeaarly a sparrow...)

Glass Jar: Charity Shop (75p)

Glass Bowl: Charity Shop (45p)

Glass Bird Pot: Second Hand Shop (£4)

So, I'm aware that I'm now doing precisely what I just said really annoys me, but my point is that there are some items that are far easier to find when looking in charity shops. Glassware is a classic category that is almost always in abundance (please notice my almost) and will always look in good condition (I mean, you can hardly sell broken glass can you?) In the future if I'm looking for any other li'l extras for my room, and especially if I haven't got my mind set on anything in particular, I will definitely be heading straight for the charity shops before I lose all my cash by hitting the highstreet!

I'd be interested to know whether you've managed to find any second hand gems recently? What are your favourite items to go shopping in the charity shops for?

Essie x