“That’s a new surfboard,” said my friend. Her eyes gleamed. And so it was, leaning up against a jumble of kids’ toys and an old bedroom dresser. We were standing in the middle of someone else’s garage on a hot, summer’s day, looking through a garage sale. And the surfboard? Practically brand new. My friend all but danced home.
Why Green Stuff?
But why should you buy from thrift stores or garage sales? Simple – buying used items is green because they have already been worn and, chances are, that item didn’t travel very far to be sold; it either came from local homes or from the inside of the house hosting the garage sale. Plus, shopping used is less expensive then an item bought in a retail store.
Finding Garage Sales
How do you find South Florida garage sales? On some Saturdays, if you don’t mind exploring your area, you’ll probably see a few signs advertising garage sales. If you don’t want to waste gas (and who does?), check out some yard sale finder websites like this one or the ever-popular Craigslist. If you don’t mind doing the driving or the hauling, you can pick up whatever you need, from clothing to (as my lucky friend found) old surfboards.
Thrift or Secondhand Stores
Two of my favorite local secondhand stores are Out of the Closet and Second Edition Book Shop. Out of the Closet has several locations in South Florida, including one in Wilton Manors and one in Sunrise and all stores benefit the AIDS Healthcare Foundation. Most of the OftC stores also provide free and confidential HIV tests. At Out of the Closet, South Florida shoppers can find everything from picnic baskets, to bathing suits, to fun summer reads from their used book section.
Looking for a good read for the beach or for the long, hot summer days? Then check out Second Edition Book Shop for a gently used selection of books – everything from fiction to kids’ stuff.
Also great is Plato’s Closet for those looking for that perfect summer dress. While Plato’s Closet is a secondhand store, it specializes in designer-wear at 70% off, so you’ll save money on brand names. It has two new stores – among many other SoFL locations – in Miramar and Plantation .
South Florida has many green opportunities for the summer shopper.
