So I drove back over there, just to look and see if it was worth bringing home... The chairs and bench were missing the cushions but they were sturdy and unique. Before I knew it I had everything all rigged up and I was driving everything back home (in one load)!
I pulled into our parking lot, beaming over my ingenuity... I tied the bench on the roof and through the windows using pants and shirts (and even shoes for extra grip) that were in the car waiting to be dropped off at Goodwill. Yes, I have no pride when it comes to this sort of thing (in fact, I kind of have fun with it). I drove home with my hand out the window, holding onto the bench. Luckily it was dark and only about .5 mile from home.
So we tried out the furniture and decided to keep the bench and post the chairs on craigslist... first I thought about posting them for $20 or 30... then I thought, why not $50... well, I ended up posting them for $100... and guess what- people actually called!
Long story short, we sold it all (including the bench) to a really nice guy and his wife for $150! This same sort of thing happened earlier this year when Jeff found a golf set out by the dumpster and ended up selling it for a pretty penny.
Now that you've read this do you think we're totally tacky (it's okay, we can still be friends) or do you get excited over this kind of thing too? It's not "dumpster diving"- it's "re-lifing". Just think, those chairs were headed to the landfill but instead someone is enjoying them and I have a new chunk of change in my pocket.
So, what have been your great "side of the road" finds?
You are awesome! I love you jimmy-rigging them to your car. Willis would have freaked that I might have scratched the car if I had done that. I've never been so lucky as to find anything on the side of the road, but now I sure want to!!!
ReplyDeleteHere's my question though: Why didn't you keep them if you needed outdoor furniture?
K Crew- We brought it all home planning on keeping whatever fit best (our porch is small) so we were going to keep the bench but the guy who came to buy the chairs loved them all so much because "they reminded him of his Aunt Mary's furniture where he spent every family reunion on the 4th of July for his whole life; and he had been looking for the same furniture for months" that we decided he could take the set and we'll find a different bench... like I said long story!
ReplyDeleteAnd, for future reference- tennis shoes work great to keep the furniture from scratching the roof of the car ;)
Amy-you're killing me!
ReplyDeleteI totally understand! Its a thrilling feeling! We once picked up a free old dresser out on the curb and totally reworked and now it is this cool modern expensive-looking piece of furniture in our room. I love it!
ReplyDeleteFabulous work Amy! I don't think we've sold anything we've found on the curb, but we have found a couple of cool things that we kept. It very fun to make something out of "nothing!"
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