29 September 2026
This October Kiwis will be challenged to buy nothing new all month – for Buy Nothing New Month.
For some, it will be difficult, but not for Harbour Hospice shops’ regular customer Sarah Gliddon. Second-hand shopping comes second nature to her and has shaped her whole life, from her look to her family home and business.
“I'm one of those people who, if I'm near a hospice shop, I'll go in,” she says. “There's so much more variety in shopping second-hand. And it's so much fun. It's like a treasure hunt. Some days you don't find anything. Other days you’ll find 10 things that you take home. I really like the excitement of it. And it’s better for the planet.”
Sarah grew up in America and didn’t embrace op shopping until she moved to New Zealand five years ago. “After my husband and I had kids and I stopped working I started looking for a hobby. Op shopping gave me enjoyment and a sense of self.”
When she started, she shopped for clothes. “But it’s gradually turned into homeware and furniture too. There’s so much great stuff you can get for great deals.”
Sarah has developed an eclectic style. “I love mixing vintage with modern and a lot of times I’ll wear something really vintage that I’ve thrifted with a modern makeup style or hairstyle or shoe.
“And if you come to my house, half the things in it are second-hand. I love turning something rusted and chipped into a magical cool new thing.”
Sarah’s love of thrifting has even provided an income for her. “With op shopping you’ll sometimes find something amazing but it's not your size. That led me to taking sewing lessons so I could adjust things to fit me.”
From there Sarah zeroed in on her passion for vintage nightwear and created her online business, @slumbersweetly, which specialises in upcycled vintage nightwear.
“It sounds silly, but second-hand shopping has shaped my whole life and made me into the woman I am today.” Join Sarah this Buy Nothing New Month! Every time you donate or spend in a Harbour Hospice shop you help to fund specialist palliative care for families in your community.
Here’s where to find our shops: https://harbourhospice.org.nz/shop-with-us/.
