This week I visited the op shops at Mayfield, on Maitland Road. There is a Salvos, with its own little car park, just before the post office. It no longer has a large bin for donations out the front. It has some large pieces of furniture as well as the usual books, clothes and household items. After going there, park in the side road next to the video store, and there is a Vinnies, and across the road from the video store next to the second hand bookshop, there is a Lifeline, and more a upmarket place that has costumes and retro clothes.
If my friend Ali is reading this stop looking, for your daughter's birthday present is included in these pictures. :-)
My first find was a large white tablecloth with a subtle pattern. You can never have too many. This was from Salvos, which had a variety of interesting linens, as well as some cute tea cosies. There was a lovely brown owl one, and I had to remind myself firmly that I don't drink tea and have no use for it. :-)
A brand-new dress with the original shop tags still on, for a little friend of my son's.
This is all for my friend's little girl for her 2nd birthday. I think she'll like carrying around the little handbag and wearing the bracelet.
My 3 year old son was highly unimpressed at visiting the op shops today. He is tall enough to stretch his feet to the floor and push himself around while strapped into his stroller. When I finally got sick of the screaming and let him out, he ran around hiding in clothes racks and pulling clothes off their hangers. It was certainly an opportunity for developing some patience!
How do keep your kids occupied while op shopping?
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2 comments:
Hi Bek!
I find it quite difficult to op-shop with my kids - but we still manage to do it together every now and then. They enjoy checking out whatever books and toys the shop might have (which usually keeps them occupied for maybe five minutes. Enough time for me to do a quick scout anyway). Sometimes they're even allowed to take something home from the shop - on quite a few occasions, op-shop keepers have just given things away to them. The lure of a possible prize is good for getting them to agree to come in the first place. And then I try not to go too long so that they leave with a positive experience for next time! :)
Every week, after the preschool drop off, I take Matilda for a milkshake and op-shop. As you know, kids love their routines, and so Matilda has grown to love this so much that she even requests it as something we do together in other parts of the week. We'll see how long it lasts though!! It is hard with kids, I agree!
I usually bribe mine with sultanas and fruit, if they really won't stay in the stroller then I grab a toy for each of them and get them to sit and play whilst I look around, with varying degrees of success, some visits are the stuff of nightmares!
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