I like to reduce my footprint by buying secondhand for myself or asking for secondhand gifts, but have long struggled to buy secondhand items for others. To help ease my shopping anxiety, I asked my friend Meag Moore, owner of the online secondhand store Pulpy Thrift to give her tips on thrifting your gifting.
I get it: There can be a lot of mixed feelings about buying secondhand gifts for other people.
Will your friend or family member look at it and feel like they’d rather have that re-gifted candle that’s been passed around for the last few years? Will they be insulted, thinking it was a last minute panic gift? Will they think it isn’t as thoughtful or special as something you could have purchased brand new?
The thing is, when done right a secondhand gift is the perfect gift. I considered making this a Do’s & Don’ts list, but I realized there’s no right or wrong way to appreciate vintage or repurposed gifts. People buy secondhand items for themselves and others for lots of reasons – zero waste, specific tastes, affordability, collecting, niche fashion aesthetics…and those are just the reasons I can think of on the spot. But more importantly, secondhand shopping is fun and better for the planet, so what’s the harm in giving it a try?
If you’re ready to try giving a secondhand gift, here’s my advice:
Start early & go often.
It takes more work and shopping trips than buying something brand new. Thrift stores, antique shops, and estate sales are infinitely less organized and monotonous as a department store. Sometimes it just flat out doesn’t work, especially if you’re looking for something very specific. Give yourself time to stumble upon things. Making a list and giving yourself time to explore options means less stress as the Christmas deadline approaches. No fighting the shopping masses means more time eating those basic (but backbone of our society) grocery store cookies from the comfort of your own couch.
Consider taste before you choose.
This sounds obvious, but everyone is different. Is the gift receiver okay with vintage home decor, or style with a retro twist to it? Maybe they love some good thrashed denim? Do they think small flaws give items character? Peep their style and preferences!
For Christmas gifts specifically, I love stumbling upon the weirdly perfect thing. Gift giving is 100% my love language and doing it secondhand is not only cost-effective, but you also get the thrill of the hunt. For example: anyone could have gotten you wall art from Target, but ya girl got you this ridiculous 80’s velvet painting of a googly eyed Rottweiler that made you audibly gasp & really pulls the bathroom together. Anyone could have gotten you a sweater from the mall, but how about this might-as-well-be-one-of-a-kind perfectly worn in retro knit? True stories!
When in doubt, choose timeless pieces. Not everyone is going to like quirky secondhand gifts, but there are things that never go out of style and last virtually forever. From cast iron pans and dutch ovens to a high-quality white button down shirt, classic, useful items make great secondhand gifts when you find them in good condition.
Consider repurposing.
So they just don’t like gently used, huh? Handmade items are also, if not more, thoughtful! Dye a cool vintage piece, rip up some flannels and make a rad rug, sew a 80’s librarian two piece into a one-of-a kind mini dress everyone will envy. Get weird with it! I’ve been known to make vintage mugs into teeny terrariums and mosaic tables out of broken bottles. Find an awesome container and give it new life as a vessel for handmade cookies. Frankenstein new jewelry out of great older pieces! Little Lemon Candles makes great candles out of found objects! The possibilities are endless and there are tons of great tutorials out there.
Get your hands dirty.
Maybe a secondhand gift needs a little love to fix the frame or you need to get rid of that stuck-in-the-attic smell. Repairing and cleaning secondhand items is worth it to see its new owner laugh or be excited about a hard-to-find piece. Finally, if you just can’t find the perfect thing, consider making your own repurposed gift wrap or buying thrifted, gently-used bags to wrap a brand new gift. Every little bit counts when it comes to reducing waste and no one will know the difference.
It’s the thought that counts.
Cheesy, but true: if you put actual effort into finding a secondhand gift, chances are the person who receives it will appreciate those efforts. In my experience, thrifting stories are always more entertaining than going to the department store, and what better time for storytelling than Christmas time?