Things you always see in Charity Shops

[DanaScully]

Some shops are better than others. There are a few by me that put some right tat out, full of bobbles and half threadbare.

There's always those tiny sherry glasses, random bits of crockery, a bottle of Avon bubble bath, knitting patterns and a commemorative item from the Queen's jubilee in 2002.

That said, I do love having a rummage and I'm so glad they're open again!

 

[Antique Teapot]

The ones that sell furniture have massive dark oak dining tables and matching chairs to seat about 12 people that would never fit in your average house. Also huge 1950s style wardrobes and matching dressing tables. Small weird bedside tables with gold handles. However I do spend far too much time in charity shops and am looking for a TV cabinet that doesn't look like a leftover prize from Bullseye.

 

[Rockin' Robin]

The ones that sell furniture have massive dark oak dining tables and matching chairs to seat about 12 people that would never fit in your average house. Also huge 1950s style wardrobes and matching dressing tables. Small weird bedside tables with gold handles. However I do spend far too much time in charity shops and am looking for a TV cabinet that doesn't look like a leftover prize from Bullseye.

Here's what you could have won!

 

[no-no]

Take your pick

The charity shops in the nicer areas by me have some quality old furniture. The hawkers always get their beaks in first, the staff stick a sold sign on and then they take ages to collect. You should have to take it away there and then it’s stuff that could even fit on a bus!

 

[LaurieLaurie]

I volunteered in a charity shop a few years ago and it never smelt musty at all. The managers were incredibly picky about what went onto the shop floor (more so clothing wise) and it all had to be checked and steamed, anything with a mark or bobble would have to go to the ‘rag man’ pile.

We constantly had shop lifters and people stealing coats from the manikins in the window.

I can’t think of anything interesting cropping up and I’m sure we couldn’t hold items for customers to collect later.

 

[Emperor]

You have to be very low to steal from a charity shop but it happens. I love the shop I volunteer in and we have some genuinely nice things. Probably the bric a brac /small household stuff fits in with the examples given; plates with pictures on, dated glassware and so on. There is always a Bullseye or Blankety Blank prize around! Our books section is fantastic though and before the November lockdown, we were selling new (2020) hardbacks for £2.50 while the local independent shop had it for £20.

As the door is open most of the time (customers can walk straight to the sanitiser unit) there are no musty smells at all and dreadful stuff gets binned. The customer demographic is varied and no one has accused us of charging more than major stores, although there are some who like to barter.
It raises money for a decent cause as well as helping those with a smaller budget. Still, must be nice to be in a position where you can take the piss.

 

[Mustard]

I had a friend who volunteered in a charity shop in an upmarket area in London. He was always pilfering sought after items like Levis and bringing them home for either himself or his boyfriend. I think that is the main reason he volunteered there.

Aren’t a lot of them now selling valuable stuff online?

 

[Dollylovesshoes]

Many years ago I worked near Marylebone Lane,I used to go for a nose in charity shops there,Lovely got some nice designer stuff reasonably priced as well.

 

[Into_the_tunnel]

I volunteer in one too... we clean all the bric a brac before it goes out and the clothes that are bad are put in a linen bag to be recycled so it doesn’t smell the shop out!

I don’t volunteer there to pilfer stuff. I volunteer there because I can’t work anymore and want to do something good.

If anything comes in which is really expensive- say a mulberry bag (which is rare where I volunteer) we eBay it because ultimately we are raising money for a small local hospice.

 

[Kezza_69]

My daughter volunteered in a charity shop, they do rotate stock so its not necessary to travel to the "better" areas for the nicer stuff anymore.

My local 1s have a rail dedicated to designer/high end clothes . .
I got myself a lovely pair of LKBennett shoes for a steal not long ago.

They always seem to have 18/21 tankards/wine glasses

Belts, belts made of lots of pleather circles circa from the "steps" music era .

 

[Rockin' Robin]

I have worked in various charity shops over the years, and can confirm that the selection process for donations is thorough. There are usually bags of clothes that need to be sorted, each selected item must be clean and in good condition. Each rejected item, goes into a rag bag and collected a few days later.
You will not believe the condition of some of the donations, I've had to disgard lots of soiled underwear in my time - not nice. The owners must be too lazy to take them to a recycling centre! I once found a piece of toast in one of the bags that was donated! Dispite all of this, I recommend voluteering in charity shops, it can be quite enjoyable.

 

[Kat5998]

I volunteered in a charity shop a few years ago and it never smelt musty at all. The managers were incredibly picky about what went onto the shop floor (more so clothing wise) and it all had to be checked and steamed, anything with a mark or bobble would have to go to the ‘rag man’ pile.

We constantly had shop lifters and people stealing coats from the manikins in the window.

I can’t think of anything interesting cropping up and I’m sure we couldn’t hold items for customers to collect later.

My mum volunteered in a few over 10+ years and I did my work experience in one when I was 15, it was a wild week that’s for sure

I have worked in various charity shops over the years, and can confirm that the selection process for donations is thorough. There are usually bags of clothes that need to be sorted, each selected item must be clean and in good condition. Each rejected item, goes into a rag bag and collected a few days later.
You will not believe the condition of some of the donations, I've had to disgard lots of soiled underwear in my time - not nice. The owners must be too lazy to take them to a recycling centre! I once found a piece of toast in one of the bags that was donated! Dispite all of this, I recommend voluteering in charity shops, it can be quite enjoyable.

My mum’s seen used period pads amongst some stuff

 

[Pixipoppy]

I used to love charity shops - before it was “trendy” to buy secondhand and vintage clothing I got some amazing things for such a good price. Now I go in and it’s all 2 year old primark tat that was probably bought on the £1 rail to begin with All the decent stuff I assume gets snapped up by vintage shops where you get charged £25 for a plain sweatshirt

 

[lasttime]

As a long time volunteer I'm going with sex toys (obviously not put out on the shop floor) but please people check what you're donating, there's nothing I hate more than looking into a bag of donations and seeing someone's used dildo

 

[Into_the_tunnel]

I got a pizza box today filled with plates.

The pizza box was covered in bird poo and therefore so was I. We were trying to limit entries so it was all a bit so I just took the box without realising and then when I put it down I realised my sleeves and gloves were covered.

 

[Mustard]

I got a pizza box today filled with plates.

The pizza box was covered in bird poo and therefore so was I. We were trying to limit entries so it was all a bit so I just took the box without realising and then when I put it down I realised my sleeves and gloves were covered.

you got this in a charity shop?

 

[Renegadedancer]

Blue Peter Annuals
Maeve Binchy books
Old people type nylon shopping bags
Glass coffee mugs that are a smoky colour

 

[Into_the_tunnel]

you got this in a charity shop?

No, I volunteer... I got handed it as a donation!

But your idea would have been

 

[Causewaygal]

Am I the only one who would never buy clothing from a charity shop? ... oddly I do donate plenty of stuff but I’d never buy anything second hand for myself

 

[Merpedy]

I volunteered in a charity shop a few years ago and it never smelt musty at all. The managers were incredibly picky about what went onto the shop floor (more so clothing wise) and it all had to be checked and steamed, anything with a mark or bobble would have to go to the ‘rag man’ pile.

Volunteered at a charity shop for a while and it was the same thing, though oddly enough they often kept stuff with stains on that they had no intention of trying to clean and some clothes that just don't sell at all
You always hear about how the big charity shops throw loads of stuff away but never had to deal with it personally

Book wise - Jeremy Clarkson's books. They had a whole shelf dedicated to them