I believe in second-hand goods. There is a certain magic in owning something that has had a useful life before becoming mine. There’s a moment when I see something useful and beautiful on a thrift store shelf. I can picture exactly how it will fit into my life and I know it will be coming home with me on a new adventure. Also, because those paintings, and pants, and plates have already served their purpose once with someone else, they do more than just entice me with their history, they help me keep a few extra nickels in my purse.

My love for second-hand treasures started at an early age going garage sale shopping with my mother and brothers. The sales I found most exciting back then were the ones that had infant clothing. Cabbage Patch Kid dolls were very popular, and newborn sized clothing fit them perfectly. A few quarters could buy my baby a whole new wardrobe, so while my mom was looking for shirts for my brothers, I waded through onesies hoping to find tiny dresses that would look nice with my doll’s brown yarn hair and bright blue eyes.

Lately, I’ve been on a quest to purchase vintage dinnerware. I’ve found three bowls and two plates, each with their own design and character. My favorite is a large stoneware platter with scalloped edges and a hand-painted floral design in the middle. I like to imagine that the plate has enjoyed the experience of a church pot-luck dinner, where it was topped with wobbly green jello slowly melting onto the crispy crust of the neighboring fried chicken.

One of my favorite things about old items is this nostalgia value they seem to adopt during their first life. A simple throw pillow can bring me back to my grandma’s living room, sitting on the couch and eating a bowl of red raspberries with milk and sugar, or listening to my grandma, dad, and uncles playing doubles cribbage. A polyester shirt can transport me to my 21yr old self, living on my own for the first time, trying to make friends in a new city, and meeting the man I eventually married. That platter I recently found? It reminds me of Thanksgiving dinners surrounded by family, and finally moving from the kid’s table to the adult table.

I find that shopping second-hand also makes me think “Do I need this?” more than shopping at regular retail stores, despite the low ticket prices. Knowing some of these paintings, and pants, and plates have been on this earth longer than I have helps me appreciate the wares that accompany me home. Buying something new is fun, but it can’t compete with buying second-hand.

(This is an edited version of my Personal Essay from this summer’s English class)