My Greatest Second-Hand Finds

I’ve enjoyed thrifting, going to yard sales and flea markets for years. It can be a thankless sport. I walk in and walk out with nothing a lot of the time, but that’s the whole point. You practice, train your eye, learn what you like, what to look for, and get a little intuitive with it. It’s personal, and you have to do it to figure it out.

But with all the nothing also comes the good stuff. I’ve found my fair share of “diamonds in the rough,” but when I thought about writing this article, I knew I needed to narrow my list down. Which didn’t end up being that difficult. Three of my finds are clear winners (to me, I’m sure my friends would argue that others should’ve made the list)...

My friends and I were hanging out around Kitsilano (in Vancouver) on a Sunday when we walked up on a yard sale. Neighbours had coordinated and were out in the back laneway having a joint sale. They had a lot of different things: old movies, trinkets, knick-knacks, dishware, and a one-piece bathing suit. The most perfect one-piece bathing suit, I should say. As soon as I saw the bright turquoise with royal blue stitching, I knew I'd stumbled on greatness. When I picked it up, it was a thick elastane material that I also knew was good quality. An 80s sporty, aerobic-style suit. It had been put to good use too, as the lady selling it said so herself. She didn’t want to give it up, but it no longer fit her—so here it was. Hanging off an old candlestick holder with a $4 sticker, and I had a five in my wallet.

I was in Portugal this summer with three of my best girlfriends (you can read about it in more detail in our travel section), and when we were in Lisbon, I was insistent that we go to a certain Saturday flea market I’d looked up. We stopped in on our last day, and the market was on a steep hill in 30-degree European heat at noon. Not the best combo! And I wanted to go off by myself, which meant I also needed to mind the boat (be hyper-aware of my surroundings, as this spot was known for pickpockets). I had browsed a couple of booths and was already sweaty when I walked up to this lady’s tent-less booth with clothes and trinkets laid out on an old sheet. How the prophets foretold. I wanted to look at everything she had. Eventually, I picked up a pair of off-white capris with multiple pockets and chunky zippers. The brand tag was cut out and just the tiniest size tag remained. With nowhere to properly try them on, I wrapped the waistband around my neck and they seemed like they’d fit. For three euros, I didn’t really care. I paid and threw them over my shoulder to continue browsing. When we got to our next hostel, I tried them on and they fit perfectly. Snug and loose in all the right places. The yard-sale gods were on my side that day.

I’m back at that Kitsilano yard sale and have walked down the laneway to rugs that are hung over a fence. One of them was a striking eggplant purple that felt like it was from the 70s—or at least had that vibe. I pulled it off the fence. It was in good shape, 100% wool, not worn, but thick and with all its pigment. The lady said it was $80 (A STEAL), but my friends convinced me to barter and I got it for $60 (AN EVEN BIGGER STEAL). When I got back to my apartment, I vacuumed the rug and put it in my room, partially under my bed. It was the pop of colour my tiny basement room needed. Unfortunately, I moved out of that place and all the way back to Ontario just five months later, and I left the rug. I know—why the hell would I leave the rug? At the time, it just didn’t make sense to ship it. I already had four suitcases and two boxes going home with me. The purple rug was set to stay. The worst part of this, though, wasn’t that I was leaving the rug. It was that two UBC students (men) were moving in after us, and there’s no way in hell they understood the value of that purple rug. On the bright side, now I can spend years hyper-focusing on finding another second-hand rug and relishing in my yard sale and thrift skills when I do. Here’s to hoping it’s still in that apartment bedroom.

You may be thinking, None of those finds are groundbreaking—and you’re probably right. What makes them my top picks is the story. How I found them, how much (or how little) I spent. I took my time and was intentional with my decisions. I also like to think that second-hand pieces have lived other lives and carry with them prior adventures with past owners. Now they’re with me, and I get to take them on new ones.