Secondhand Shopping Benefits & Useful UK Swap Groups

I feel like I’ve had a bit of a Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus awakening the past few months as I’ve really tried to look into the things that bring me joy in life. I tend to surround myself with things that I love and make me happy. But recently I’ve felt that my belongings just weren’t me anymore. Most things were bought because they were popular online or they were in the sale. But after having a good look through at the clothes I had, there were only a few pieces that genuinely made me feel good.

I have tons of glam/dressy outfits but considering I stay in every day and rarely ever go out (even before COVID) I’d been mixing through the same few outfits suitable for home wear. This included the same two pairs of jeans, (yes I do find jeans comfy to lounge around in) and a few basic tops/jumpers.

So I decided to do something about it

I pulled everything out of my wardrobe and went through each piece one by one. I took the time to ask myself if it really bought me any joy or not and if I would buy it again. If the answer was no then in a large black bag it went. As I had accumulated so many items I thought I’d see how I’d get on at selling them.

I looked into some apps and I also joined a couple of Facebook groups for clothes swapping and have had some great success. It feels really good to know that my unwanted items are going to a good, new home. Also I’m happy that they’ll be replaced with items that I love and can give a new lease of life to.

Secondhand shopping/swapping has definitely become a new addiction of mine now but I’d like to think of it as a healthy and sustainable one. I’ve always enjoyed browsing through charity shops to try and find a bargain or a quirky piece of clothing so I love that there’s opportunities like this online.

Secondhand shopping apps

Vinted

Where I’ve bought/sold and swapped 80% of my preloved clothes. I’ve heard mixed reviews about Vinted but thought I’d try it anyway and I’ve had a really good experience so far. There are no fees unless you’re purchasing something which you’ll then be charged a small buyer protection fee. Highly recommend this app! If ever there’s a problem with your item, Vinted refund you instantly so you’re never left out of pocket. You can easily arrange clothes swaps within the app by serarching for clothes ‘available for swaps’. Then you can chat with the seller of something you love to try and work something out.

Depop

So far, I’ve not had any success with selling anything on Depop. I’ve bought two things on there and only one of them was a sucess. The first thing I bought from there was a pair of Limited Edition Converse. They were sent in a different size to what was advertised and in a worse condition. After some back and forth messaging with the seller and getting Paypal involved, I was able to return them; (at my expense) and get back the money I paid. The second thing I bought was a pair of jeans that were new with tags and the seller was really lovely.

I only use Depop now if I’m looking to buy something in particular that I can’t find anywhere else.

UK Facebook groups

The Swop Shop

The Great British Clothes Swap

Swap Family

I’m a member in these 3 groups and often post some my sale items in there and hunt for other to buy or swap with. In total I’ve probably bought about 5 items from these groups (combined) since December 2020. I’ve also managed to sell about 6 things and swap 4 or 5 bits. Everyone I have dealt with in these groups are all really lovely and the admins are active and make sure that tules are followed so the ocmmunity stays fair.

I have used all of the above and if you’re looking to sell your unwanted clothes or buy preloved clothes for a great price then these are some great places to start!

If you’ve seen the rise in people buying preloved lately then there’s a good reason for it. People are definitely becoming more sustainable now and becoming more conscious of what they use and what they’re throwing away.

If you’re still wondering why secondhand shopping is better then here’s a few reasons:

• You give items a second chance to be loved and appreciated

• You’ll be able to get clothes much cheaper than their typical retail price

• It’s likely you’ll come across some hidden gems and bag yourself an item for life

• Your style will become more unique as you won’t be wearing what everyone else is

• It stops old clothes going to landfill and contributes to keeping the planet neat

Fancy seeing my latest thrifty finds and preloved clothes? Then make sure you’re following me on Instagram @imlaurengreen where I post my new finds!