Reducing is crucial to an earth-friendly lifestyle. Luckily, secondhand shopping is a fun, fulfilling way to put this concept into action. We harnessed the expertise of four local professionals so you can make the most of your thrifting adventures. Discover unique items and delight in the beauty of enduring craftsmanship.
So Many Reasons to Shop
“Buying secondhand items can be a much more affordable way to get necessary items and also add a unique flair to your living space,” explains Aimee Hafer, marketing & special events manager at Habitat for Humanity of Berks County in Temple. Habitat for Humanity operates ReStore Berks where customers can explore diverse, ever-changing secondhand furniture and décor.
Seeking out previously loved finds also benefits the environment. “By reusing and upcycling items, they stay out of the landfills and reduce waste,” notes Jennifer Bingaman, owner of Junk to Jazz in Shillington. “It’s a chance to find unique, high-quality items that tell a story, help the planet and support local businesses. It offers endless possibilities for creativity and personal expression in decorating your home.”
Then there’s the thrill of discovering rare items. “Last spring, someone donated a mid-century modern-style buffet from a famous designer. It was selling online for over $3,000! Of course, we sold it for far less than that,” Hafer recalls. ReStore is also an excellent resource for collectors seeking a specific category. “We have had a surprising amount of vintage Corningware donated, to the delight of some of our customers,” she adds.
Even if an item isn’t rare, it possesses an added depth. “Preloved décor carries a sense of history, charm and character that mass-produced items lack,” explains Bingaman. “Each piece has a story to tell, which can add warmth to your space.”
When she’s examining an item to add to her shop’s inventory, Theresa Kane, owner of Theresa’s Farmhouse Finds in Reading, lets her imagination guide her. “You can sit at a desk that's past its prime, with a slightly scratched surface, and love it. Every scar and scrape is part of its story and evidence of a long, rich life,” Kane remarks. “You just wonder, ‘Who else sat at this desk over the years? Did they write love letters or postcards to their friends and loved ones?’”
In terms of quality, secondhand items often make your dollar go further. “The biggest advantage to previously owned furniture is that most pieces are made much better than items you can purchase online or at discount furniture companies,” says Anita Tempesco, owner of AnitaTrinket in Fleetwood.
In addition, these items have already proven they’re made to last. “Most items I sell are 25 to 50 years old. If they lasted that long, my guess is they would last another 25 to 50 years,” notes Kane. “Items were meant to be passed down through generations. Most items had multi uses for them. They were meant to stand the test of time.”
Quality Control Tips
When you’re scoping out a potential purchase, Hafer offers some wise advice. “First, check for stability. While a wobbly leg or loose hardware might be a relatively easy fix, the overall frame of the item should be sturdy.” While moving heavy furniture can pose a challenge, it can signal a better option. “Weight is an indicator of good quality; solid wood will be heftier than veneer,” she adds.
Bingaman recommends taking care to select furniture that hasn’t been impacted by water or smoke damage. “Pieces that are constructed from hardwoods like oak, maple and walnut are great candidates for upcycling,” she says. In addition to these hardwoods, Kane recommends mahogany.
Next, look at a piece and study how it’s built. “If the item has drawers, pull them out to see if they’re functional and how they’re jointed — dovetail joints are often a great sign of good quality on an older item,” advises Hafer. Dovetail joints interlock like puzzle pieces, helping two pieces of wood stay securely interlocked. Tempesco and Kane agree, and they also suggest taking a look for clues to the brand or maker of the piece. “I research a lot of items that come in through Google and antique sites,” Kane notes. “I love the pieces that say when they were made and sometimes who made them.”
Bingaman is also a fan of dovetails, and she also prefers doweled, screwed and mortise and tenon joinery when choosing securely constructed furniture to feature at her shop. Mortise and tenon joinery is a precision technique used for millennia. It involves sliding an insert or “tenon” into an opening or “mortise” to achieve a long-lasting fit.
Refresh and Reimagine
Another cool thing about secondhand pieces is that you can indulge your inner artist. “Refurbishing furniture with paint and stain gives you so many options in updating your piece,” explains Tempesco. Bingaman notes that it only takes a few coats to see a piece of furniture change dramatically. “You can go bold with a bright color, use neutrals for a more subtle update or even try chalk paint for a distressed, shabby-chic look,” she suggests. “If you're feeling adventurous, consider painting fun patterns or accents like stripes, geometric shapes or decorative stenciling.”
To celebrate the wood grain, Bingaman likes to choose stain. “Refinishing the piece with a new stain can revitalize the color and texture. You can go darker or lighter, depending on the desired effect,” she says.
After painting or staining, other thoughtful details have a big impact. “Replacing hardware with updated versions really gives the furniture new life,” notes Tempesco. Breathtaking examples of these revitalized pieces are available for sale at AnitaTrinket, like a vintage secretary painted black with shining gold hardware or a beautifully carved buffet in a dove gray hue. In some cases, however, Tempesco recommends preserving some of the piece’s original attributes. “Current trends have been leaning towards keeping quality drawer pulls and handles, especially in mid-century modern,” she explains.
Beyond different hardware, Bingaman has an additional suggestion. “Legs (or even adding legs) can drastically transform the piece.” At Junk to Jazz, a cabinet with glass doors gets a boost from hairpin legs. Sleek and minimalist, these metal legs are a popular component of mid-century modern design. Bingaman also teams up with customers to guide the refinishing process. “Our shop has several talented furniture upcyclers that accept custom orders to bring your visions to life,” she explains.
Small touches like furniture polish can also have a big impact, notes Kane. “Add beeswax to doors and drawers to make them open better.” She also suggests, “You can add a bit of whimsy by adding pretty flowered paper to the insides of the drawers.” Sometimes, however, no additional work is needed. “A lot of people just love the older pieces the way they are. They love the history of the piece.”
Even if being crafty isn’t your jam, there are still plenty of ways to get creative. “In addition to reupholstering, refinishing or painting an item, simply repurposing an item can give it new life,” observes Hafer. She notes that ReStore shoppers are adept at thinking outside the box. “We’ve seen secretary desks used as bars, bookcases and curio cabinets. Some customers have turned an old hutch into a coffee bar. We’ve also had a few customers purchase vintage dressers to turn them into bathroom vanities.” Beyond these examples, Hafer recommends looking online at resources like Pinterest to get the ideas flowing.
When you’re incorporating these pieces into your home’s existing décor, Kane has plenty of helpful suggestions. She creates eye-catching displays at Theresa’s Farmhouse Finds to help inspire her customers. “I just love taking the old and mixing it with the new to make a whole new look,” she enthuses. “You can use an old vase or a pitcher, add some fresh flowers or faux flowers and bring that piece back to life. Place it on an old stack of books and voila! You have a pretty vignette.”
Enjoy Good Vibes
Secondhand shopping leads to good feelings all around. Tempesco loves using her skills to give items a new lease on life. “The whole process is fulfilling, from the artistic result to knowing that you saved it from a landfill and hopefully it will be treasured in a future generation,” she explains. “We strive to bring you new and exciting pieces at affordable prices. We also look at various current trends and duplicate styles from large companies. We are super excited to see these pieces in their new homes.”
Bingaman agrees. “There's something deeply gratifying about taking a piece that may seem outdated, worn or overlooked and seeing its hidden potential. The process of imagining what it could become — whether through a new paint job, reupholstery or hardware changes — is incredibly fulfilling,” she says. “If it’s a family piece I’m restoring, there’s a special joy in knowing I’m preserving it for future generations. It’s not just revitalizing an item — it’s ensuring that its legacy endures.”
Kane has a similar outlook. “I see beauty in these abandoned belongings,” she explains. “It’s going to be going to a new home to be loved for many years to come.”
Hafer gets joy from customers’ reactions. “It’s great helping people find something that they need at a price point that works for their budget. We also love to see the joy in our customers’ faces when they find a treasure that they love or the perfect piece that they’ve been searching for,” she notes. “Instead of being thrown away, these items can be loved and appreciated by their new owners and have many more years of use.”
Sources:
AnitaTrinket | 101 S. Richmond St., Fleetwood 484.332.7682 | anitatrinket.com
Junk To Jazz | 2308 Lancaster Pike, Shillington 610.775.3510 | Facebook: Junk to Jazz Shillington
Habitat for Humanity ReStore | 5370 Allentown Pike, Temple 610.921.1315 | restoreberks.org (donations also accepted: schedule free pickup via phone or restoreberks.org/donate)
Theresa’s Farmhouse Finds | 2802 Perkiomen Avenue, Reading 610.779.3982 | Facebook: SPGloveantiques
