Charity Shopping - bargains galore for 2021!

Pollycat

I have a lot of stuff to donate but will hold off as I think they may be inundated at first and I don't want to waste time packing things up to be told 'sorry, we have too much at the moment'.

ilovetea

Many shops are only taking pre-booked donations so the don't get overwhelmed. Space to sort items is very limited in some shops.  I start back  at work at my local shop on Monday. Can't wait  :-) 
    ilovetea  xx

ruthber

As a CS volunteer please do not donate any Christmas related stock ATM as it is quite likely to end up in a bin. Our shop threw away lots of unsold decorations last week as we were getting ready to reopen soon. There is simply no space to keep them till next Christmas. 

Lucy5781

I can't wait. Our local hospice one has posted on facebook stating they're recieving donations aagin as of this week though store is opening next week obviously. Scope re-stocking last week. Kids back into nursery on Monday so I'll be heading into town then lol

Miró

Also can't wait....it will seem like a little bit of normality back!  Have spent very little during lockdown so feel I have a little money to burn in my charity shop purse!  Looking forward to hearing about everyone's bargains!

goldfinches

Walked past again this afternoon on my way to click and collect at the library and saw more interesting china and other things have appeared on the shelves, clearly the chazza fairies are hard at work behind the scenes.
Like you @Miró I have some money hoarded anent the time we are welcomed back to bargain hunting again and I have really missed seeing everyone's finds and commenting on my own. 
The librarian told me that the library is hoping to reopen the same day so that's next Monday fully booked in my diary.

D123456789

Hello all, I am a seasoned fleabayer where I buy most of my stuff ... I regularly drop bags off to charity shops ( or more recently arrange pick ups) but I’ve never really looked around one! Any tips? Is it just the case of having lots of time to look through everything? 

goldfinches

D123456789 said:

Hello all, I am a seasoned fleabayer where I buy most of my stuff ... I regularly drop bags off to charity shops ( or more recently arrange pick ups) but I’ve never really looked around one! Any tips? Is it just the case of having lots of time to look through everything? 

Hello @D123456789, I think it is mostly having the time to look and getting very clear in your own mind about your threshold price for anything you like the look of. The other thing I have to do is to be very firm about not buying something that is a very good price but won't be good value for me because it won't be worn/used/read etc. and will just clutter the place up. 
You sound as though you're good at decluttering so this might come naturally to you anyway whereas I find it very hard to resist a good cookery book even though I already have far too many at home already and when I find myself thinking that I want to purchase a different edition of the same book I know I've gone too far.
I certainly think it worth visiting all the shops you can regularly as they tend to be better at some categories of goods and have different populations of donors too and depending on the sort of things you are interested in buying you'll prefer some shops to others once you've seen what they're like.
Also there are some items that once you've seen them on the shelf/rail in every chazza you enter you'll never buy new again e.g. mugs/glasses/jeans.

D123456789

Ah Thankyou @goldfinches I find it hard to resist bargains but I am good at 1 in 1 out. I slacked off with my minimalism since having a baby so I am working on the decluttering still . I do think a lot of my fleabay purchases are 2nd hand clothes plus postage but they are good at marketing and so alert you to you might like this which saves on time! I do wonder if out of town charity shops  / different areas might offer different choices - I guess I will just need to find the time to look!

goldfinches

@D123456789 it might be worth you saying where you are and asking if someone on here can give you the lowdown on that area and the type of things you would be wanting just to give you a bit of a head start.
I definitely find that different areas offer different choices even within one fairly small town so it is worth making an effort to look around whenever you visit somewhere new if you can. Interestingly in my town the most expensive suburb is not the best place for every type of bargain but I've done well there for books, china, sports equipment and baking accessories but definitely not clothes. In fact I'd go so far as to say that I wouldn't be seen dead in that suburbs sartorial choices so there you are.