I attended my first auction yesterday. Being an advocate for second hand and buying old rather than new, this may come as a surprise. It was to me too if I’m honest. I may have been to a few when I was younger, but since knowing what I like and how I’d like to furnish our own home, I haven’t had the chance. That, and they always seem to be held on a weekday!

This one was an architectural salvage auction with mainly old farm bits and garden furniture. I still got the same buzz as when I park up to a car boot sale every Sunday. Seeing everything laid out with swarms of people poking, pointing and busy scribbling down notes on what they’d like to bid on.

I hadn’t really gone for anything in particular but joined my mum who was looking for various items for the garden. It’s always interesting to see what people buy and bid on though; and to witness how much people are willing to spend on something you hadn’t even noticed. It’s easy to get carried away too. Before you know it, you’ve bid more than you thought, or on items you hadn’t even considered bidding on before. You get caught up in the excitement and fast paced nature of it – very different to a car boot where there is rarely on the spot competition to contend with.

As I always say though, it’s good for inspiration. To see items that you may want to keep a look out for in the future or to get an idea for what other items go for. To realise there is so much variety to be had, rather than popping down to Notcutts and simply buying it new.

Most of all, I love that the interest for these events is still there. It gives me hope that buying second hand stands strong, that it’s still something people love doing – even on a rainy Saturday morning.

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