Silicone sealant, $3.99

The maxim treat others as you would like to be treated has applications right across a person's life,  including their approach to op shops. I am wary of what I donate to op shops because I don't want to be burdening a charity with the cost of disposing of unsaleable goods. And yet, I buy a lot of things from op shops that could easily be classified as rubbish, such as half-empty tubes of silicone sealant. So I feel justified in donating the antennas off my now-redundant wireless modem to my local op shop. Those little black sticks may well pose a mystery to the ladies unpacking my box; but then, that's what they have a "What is it?" shelf for.   

Fire tools, $20

I’ve been on the lookout for fire tools for over two years, ever since I moved to a house with a wood-burner as its main source of heat. I saw plenty of sets in antique shops for $50 or more, and plenty of sets in op shops for $20 or more, but I held out. I made do with some metal kitchen tongs, thinking a true bargain was just around the corner. Well, I feel I’ve turned that corner now, and there still aren’t any sets to be had for less than $20. But at least this op shop special appears to be old and brassy. And who knows? Maybe old and brassy is what I was actually holding out for.  

Wing nut, 50 cents

Buying in bulk is generally thought to be the eco-friendly and cost-effective way to shop. This is true of things like sugar and flour, but what about hardware? Some types of fasteners only come in little plastic packets of at least four. Manufacturers sell more fasteners that way, and you feel you’re getting better value for money. But if you only need one, you’re paying for three you don’t need. Even if you do need another one down the track, will you remember you have it and be able to find it? If you’re merely replacing the nut on your kitchen scales or reattaching a single cabinet handle, markets with trash and treasure are the way to go. Not only are there lots of old tools, there are lots of old nuts. And no, I don’t mean the stallholders.

Hand-cranked torch, $1

My mother wasn’t too happy when I told her I was moving to the Macedon Ranges Shire. She could understand that my boyfriend and I needed to live closer to his new workplace, but she didn’t see why we had to go semi-rural. Why not move only as far as Bulla? “Why Bulla?” I wanted to know. “There are still street lights in Bulla,” was her reply. True enough, but what the country lacks in street lights it makes up for in trees, hills and stars. I do, however, need a torch now if I want to check the mailbox after dark.