Our home looks so different now. We have not done anything major since my last entry. No kitchen cabinets or built in wardrobe yet! Unfortunately. However, I have added quite a number of loose pieces that I totally adore.
Hubs and I drive along Jalan Semenyih pretty often. Every time we are down a certain stretch, my eyes land on a huge sign that reads, SECOND HAND SHOP. I kept telling myself to check it out one day but didn't actually take myself seriously because hubs is not really a second hand type of guy. However, one fine day while we were along this road and I suggested we try our luck at the run-down shack-of-a-store. He agreed.
To cut a long story short, we ended up bringing home a two-seater sofa for RM250. However, I must warn you that probably 85% of the stuff there is true junk. And at every visit I don't expect to find a treasure like our first but on most occassions I am lucky enough to find something like an antique mirror or a solid old cabinet, a rare and retro chair or a wonderfully upholstered, good-as-new armchair. I purchased a huge-ass gold-framed mirror for RM150. Sofas need cleaning or reupholstering. Wood products either need some shining or a little touch-up and repainting. Most items we have purchased from this place require some form of DIY but its well worth it considering the cost (including transporting).
For weeks after our visit purchase, I promoted this place to everyone I saw. Friends, relatives, friends of friends paid them a visit. Some, like hubs and myself just kept going back. There's just something real exciting about getting something real good for real cheap. A few purchases were absolutely uneccessary and not in my list but we just could not let a good deal go. Most items are from hotels so they are usually of good quality and make.
There are two other branches, one in Nilai another in Shah Alam. We were once at the Nilai one but were not too impressed. But before you go rushing off to look for these places, let me tell you, second hand shops in general are not rare. Just keep your eyes peeled the next time you are driving around a small town or industrial area. You are bound to find a second hand store or junk yard with hidden treasures.
