"Out with the old!" you shout while gleefully shovelling your dreary old wardrobe into a garbage bag, throwing it over the neighbours' fence and strutting off to the shops to fall in love with the newest pearls and gems. I get ya! Unfortunately so do many more who, with similar glee, dump about 235 million kilograms of clothing a year to make way for the latest season (and that's only the estimated number from tiny-winy Dutch wardrobes). Now I'm not saying you should anxiously hold on to every scrap material, but it wouldn't hurt being a bit more mindful before chucking everything out, buying everything new and repeat. So instead of waltzing into H&M, Zara or Primark, can I persuade you to sashay away into the wondrous world of already worn, danced in, slept in and died in clothes...

Benefits of second hand shopping

Ok. Yes there is a chance you end up wearing grandma's beloved coat. But with second hand shopping you win some, you loose some. You win a more environmental friendly coat, you lose... grandma. Or your instinctive disgust towards clothing that has touched the skin of total strangers. Instead you see opportunities: 'that coat wold look so cute with that skirt!' This transition from YUCK to LUCK takes some charity shopping experience and a strong will to shake off any thoughts starring the possible previous owner and all the weird sh*t they got up to. Repeat to self: not everyone lives in a damp basement collecting toenails, picking their nose and killing unsuspecting squirrels. Still there's an element of surprise to second hand shopping that an overly thought-out H&M catalogue just can't peer with. That one-in-a-million chance of stumbling upon the creme de la creme: a well-tailored Dior suit. Probably fake, possibly real. And that for the shadow of its original price! #Ibelieveinmiracles Basically: popping into a charity shop instead of a Primark will help to reduce fashion-waste, makes you more creative with clothing and doesn't break the bank while hunting for new pieces to pimp your wardrobe with. And, last but not least, with your buys you support a good cause (instead of underpaid labour). Grandma would've been so proud!

5 tips to get you charity shop ready

Walking into a charity shop can be quite daunting. They often look, smell and feel a bit dingy. But this is part of the fun! After facing all the doom and gloom of awful 2000-clothing, of suspicious stains and 'I don't even want to know what that is', your killer fashion instinct will finally kick in and turn that dodgy mustard-coloured blouse into a 1970s inspired master piece! To help you in this process, here are 5 tips so you can flaunt affordable environmental friendly fashion instead of crying against a clothing rack stuck to the velcro of a gabbers bomber jacket...

1. Be patient, open-minded and good humoured

There won't be a Dior suit, Chanel bag or Gucci Tee waiting for you every time you walk into a charity shop. Mostly you'll be greeted with an indescribable smell and very bad taste. This can be overwhelming to the 'the only chaos I know is the discount table at Zara' shopper. This isn't Zara. We aren't simple strollers walking down a clear-cut selection, we are scavenger hunters scooping through an unreliable system of donations and discards. It takes time and a stubborn inner smile to find the creme de la creme in a pile of pudding.

2. Always go charity shopping with a friend or a reliable family member

Not only for the company, the extra set of eyes or to dare you to try on that awful looking leopard-print blouse. You also need someone there to pull you through all the gross moments you will encounter. As said, charity shops aren't the most clean-cut environments. Although employees do their utmost best to deposit lost dentures, discovering a used handkerchief hidden in the pockets of a green velvet trouser when you casually put your hands in there to strike a pose is happen-able. Trust me, it happened to me twice. #truestory #boogieman

3. Shop around different areas

Because charity shops are driven on donations, the area it's located in actually dominates what's in store. And, more importantly, what's not in store. Generally the rules go like this: 1) big cities have more diverse people living in them so more diverse stuff on offer 2) rich areas have 'nicer' things donated to them but this is often reflected in the price AND nowadays anyone with an internet connection knows how to make some big bugs on grandma's good vintage before donating the rest and 3) people, places and products can surprise you. Don't write off certain areas just because there's no luxurious retirement home around the corner!

4. Know what you're looking for (but also don't)

Charity shops can be overwhelming with their seemingly unendless heaps, racks and piles. By constantly repeating to yourself 'cute corduroy skirt' you tune yourself to look through the chaos that's in front of you and search for that cute corduroy skirt. However when the only thing on your mind is that cute corduroy skirt, you're going to miss those perfect panther pants. Once again: you can't predict what's in store so you have to work with the things on offer. And sometimes, ya know, you'll find nothing. And that's fine too.

5. Be mindful before purchasing

Last but not least a more general practical note that actually goes up for shopping wherever: to prevent you from garbage-bagging your finds before the start of the next season, it's important to not only like the style of something or look at the price tag. Before buying you should feel the fabric (is this something I'm comfortable with rubbing against my skin?), look for stains (am I really able to wash this out?) and think about how you're going to wear it with other pieces from your wardrobe (and no, pieces you don't actually own but dream about do not count). This way your newest finds actually make a difference!

Are you a regular charity shopper? What's your best find so far? Let me know in the comments below!