A blog of our home improvements, suburban gardening, and overall attempts to organize our space on a very tight budget! Add in a sprinkle of newlyweds, a dash of family, and cup of crazy and out comes our life - Freshly baked from us to you!
As I am knee deep in a mess of a project (a tutorial on improvising for fools and what NOT to do coming up tomorrow) I thought I would get a quick Tip of The Day post in.
So - for today's TOTD to be a stalker please take note. Do not, I repeat, DO NOT find some cute guy or gal and follow them home. DO NOT go on Facebook and look up your old boyfriends/girlfriends/enemies and see what they are up to or where they are going just to casually drop in. The only place you should be stalking right now and at every moment you are near a computer is Craigslist Free section. I know I talk about this a lot but when you decide to design/furnish a house on a tight budget it is muyimportante.
Here are my tips for snagging a fabulous Freebie!
Open an extra window to keep Craigslists Free section open at all times.
Check in periodically - if you are a psycho like me that means every 5 minutes when I am working at my computer.
If you see something that suits your fancy email them RIGHT AWAY! Don't hesitate, don't think about it, don't take time to measure the area you want the item...and don't get up to pee! Just email them!!
Make sure to put your phone number, the date/time you can pick it up unless they already specified (the sooner the better), and you name. Make sure they know you are serious!
Now stalk your inbox for a response. In the meantime you may now take this opportunity to measure and go pee if necessary!
When they respond let them know that yes you are still interested or no you just realized it won't work for you. No worries - they probably had a tone of other people who emailed them. Move on and let the next round of stalking begin.
This week I picked up my stinky old chair (You can read that post here) and 500 glassine envelopes. I have no idea what I plan to do with these envelopes but my new obsession with the Free section has turned me into a bit of a hoarder. Here is what is going on in the Free section as we speak:
Hello SoHo - nice chair!
SoHo again - who couldn't use one of these for storage or a loft room divider?
Ok - so you want to ditch the mattress but this is an Ikea bedframe! FREE!!
Raleigh? De clutter and organize your place!
BONSAI!!! Mr. Miyagi needs to help these babies out in LA!
Nice little table and chairs! Pretty sure the wine doesn't come with them...great marketing though!
Old rustic Table Top in LA - Nice
Good ole Chicago - Lots of Pianos today...
So there you have it - some good finds, some useful finds, and a couple of BONSAI!!!
Now open a new window and start searching! The end and the beginning of the month are great times because people are moving and need to get rid of stuff or they have moved and can't fit everything in the new place. If you are an absolute freebie nut this is also a good time to take a drive down you local alleyways. I have seen many a good piece of furniture (and even taken a few) in the Chi town alleys. Hello! Almost-New Tar-jay folding bookshelf. Oh - "is that you?" Perfectly Perfect piano bench. It's not for everyone but what the heck - its free! Oh - and I don't suggest going into actual dumpsters...now that is just plain wrong.
Drop me a line and let me know what goodies you have found.
I'm off to take some disappointing after shots of my gone wrong project. I'll post it up tomorrow though I am dreading the thought of it.
