HOW TO... Buy second-hand

Shop pre-loved and be kind to the planet and your purse

Put alerts on your phone if you’re looking for something specific, and have a five-minute scroll at the start or end of each day to check out any new listings.

There are lots of brand new items, often unwanted gifts, selling at a fraction of the original cost, so take a look at anything tagged as brand-new-in-box (BNIB) or brand-new-with-tags (BNWT). Be clever with keywords to grab a real bargain.

For example, words that are regularly misspelled will be harder to find and so they will have fewer bids.

Look for items near your home that are easy to pick up, and if you have transport or you can hire a van, keep an eye out for anything tagged as ‘pick up only’, as often these go for a song because a lot of people want items that can be delivered.

Always check for imperfections and if necessary, ask for more photos. Make sure that you have exact measurements, particularly if you want a piece of furniture to fit a certain spot in a room.

If you are going to pick something up, take someone with you, or make sure that you share the full address and pick-up time and location with a friend or family member. Also, have a quick read of a seller’s reviews to spot any red flags.

‘I’m really pleased that we’ve created a happy family home’

‘If I could only keep one thing from my home, it would be the sculptures. I bought the lips and eyes from Etsy, but I always keep a look out for unique pieces at places like Homesense’

‘ This cabinet came from Facebook Marketplace and I’m still deciding what to do with it. I try not to rush a project as I know it will happen in time’