Good Things Take Time
It’s almost been a whole year since we challenged ourselves with a $50 budget (each) to hit the second-hand stores in Wellington and find some goodies to style our living room sideboard. Not only was this a super fun challenge, but we managed to find some really great pieces that we still have displayed at home to this day!
So, we felt it was time to bring the second-hand styling challenge back and have another go at styling this same sideboard. Initially, we planned to come at this challenge with the same approach; $50 each, explore the second-hand stores and let our followers on social media decide who did the best job. But like most things in life, this didn’t go entirely to plan…
We discovered pretty quickly into our trip around the Petone op shops that this time was going to be a bit more challenging. With both of us struggling for inspiration and leaving Petone empty-handed, we decided to take a different approach and combine forces to find our styling pieces. We headed to the second-hand stores in Karori, Thorndon and Kelburn and after finding a silver serving tray and cocktail shaker kit, our theme became clear!
Overall, despite the challenging nature of this challenge, we had a lot of fun hunting around the Wellington op shops and managed to pull together a little vignette that we both think is pretty cool! Although shopping for home decor at second-hand stores definitely takes more time and vision than popping into a name brand store and shopping the latest trends, it’s so worth it. So, here are some of our takeaways from this unintentionally epic Wellington op shopping trip…
Good Things Take Time…
By far our biggest learning from this second-hand styling challenge is that good things definitely take time. We spent more time at the op-shops for this challenge than we probably should have…but once we’d started, we were both determined to see it through.
If you’re an avid second-hand shopper, this will come as no surprise, but shopping this way takes time. We would recommend putting aside at least a few hours to peruse your local op shops for home decor, or even spread the mission out across several days as we did. Overall, the cost savings and unique pieces you’ll find make all this time worth it. But, you definitely don’t want to be in a hurry!
Put in The Mahi…
If good things take time, they also take some mahi! Op shopping with a purpose can be a lot more challenging than simply browsing and seeing what catches your eye. We made sure to look through every single piece in the home goods section, sometimes even going back to make sure we hadn’t missed something.
At the end of the day, all of this work will be worth it when you find something truly special, and some days that happens right off the bat. But, if you have a specific vision in mind, this might require a bit more patience and persistence.
The Vision…
Something that became evident very quickly in our op-shopping trip was that going in with too much of a plan wasn't going to be helpful. Part of the charm that comes with finding unique second-hand items is also one of the downfalls, you just never know what you’re going to find.
Eliminating expectations and instead trying to see the vision for the space you’re looking to decorate is definitely the way to go. Having a photo of the piece of furniture or room that you’re shopping for is a great way to stay on track and make sure you’re sticking to a general vibe or colour palette. But, you really need to have an open mind. Sometimes a piece won’t catch your eye on the crowded shelves of the op-shops, but once it’s sitting in your own space, it can feel like it was always meant to be there!
The Price is Right…
With all of the challenges that come from shopping second-hand for a specific purpose, the financial benefit is undeniable. Even the most expensive piece at the op shop doesn’t compare to some of the mass made decor that can be found at big name brand stores. Plus, you’re supporting local charities in the process and saving things that may have otherwise wound up in the landfill.
With that being said, sometimes you will stumble across something really special at the op shops and $20-$50 can seem so pricey, compared to the $3-$5 price tags surrounding it. But, investing in a vintage or super unique piece that really speaks to you is always worth it.