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Daily Mirror

National

Jade Culver & Charlie Duffield

Savvy mum decks out entire home with second hand furniture - saving more than £7,000

Facebook

A savvy mum of one has shared how she kitted out her whole entire home in second hand furniture.

Alix Shaw, 33, has only shopped for second hand items for as long as she can recall.

She has always gone to weekly car boot sales and rummaged through charity shops to identify items for her home and family.

Some of her purchases include a free bed for her two-year-old son Casper, two wardrobes for £30, a handmade table for £12 and a pink chair for £5.

The Dereham-based graphic designer from Norfolk estimates that she spent just £3,000 on second hand furniture for her home, saving over £7000.

Alix said: "I very rarely buy anything new and love how buying second hand items can offset my carbon footprint as well as giving new life to unwanted items.

"I love boot sales, so try to get to them as often as possible, I go most weekends when they are on over the summer season.

"When we moved into our three-bed home in 2019, it was always my plan to furnish it in second hand pieces so I was always on the lookout for anything I could find to add to it.

"I have picked up all sorts of items from charity shops and sales, and if they are not in the best of shape, I will always make sure to upcycle them to give them a new lease of life.

"I reckon I have spent around £3000 on second-hand furniture, looking at those items' new, I think it would have cost just over £10,000 which is crazy to think about."

Alix's finds also include a £50 king-size bed for her and partner Tobias Geddes, 33, hexagon floating shelves for £2 apiece, lamps for £2 and even a £5 rug.

She adds: "I've also managed to find a weather mobile for over Casper's bed for £2, we got an absolute bargain brand new bath and sink for £30 from FB Marketplace, and bedside tables for £5 each.

"I've also managed to snag quite a few freebies since moving house, like a toy chest I found on the side of the road, a pink storage stool from a friend, and a few gifts from my mother-in-law, Nicky, 57, like a white wicker storage chest, an armchair and a sofa from my parents.

"I love adding little decorations to my home as well, so I've got a few bits and bobs like fake flowers, a fruit bowl, art prints and books for less than £2 each.

"I also love planning ahead for the holiday seasons, so if I see anything my family or Casper might like, I store them as Christmas and birthday presents."

Alix also buys her clothes second hand, and rarely buys them new from the shops.

She said: "Obviously the only thing I tend to buy new is underwear, but I love giving 'vintage' and second-hand clothing another chance at life.

"Clothes are one of the main things I love to pick up at the boot sales, especially for Casper as he's just growing so fast, and new baby clothes are often really expensive.

"I can get him everything from t-shirts and dungarees for between 50 pence and £1.

"I get myself lots of playsuits, cardigans, and tops for between 50 pence and £2 as well, most of the time it's actually brand new and has never been worn.

"It feels great to buy second-hand because it means I'm not contributing to funding fast fashion industries like Shien.

"I'm making sure items don't go into landfill, and I'm leaving as little of a carbon footprint as possible."

PRICE BREAKDOWN EXAMPLES OF SECOND-HAND FURNITURE HOME

Entrance way (green wall)

Brown side unit: free from mother-in-law

Pink chair: £5 boot sale

Drinks cabinet: free from mother-in-law

Lampshade £1 boot sale

Flowers: £2 boot sale

Frames: various boot sales & charity shops £1-3

Casper's room

Bed: free Facebook marketplace