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Wish I could find more deals like that!
One night we needed a bigger table because ours was too small. So we took the door off one of our closets and used it as the table. Thankfully it didn't shatter since it was basically a giant mirror.
right
as it turns out the fabric pilled horribly. within a few months it looked like it was several years old. less than 2 years later, the relationship is over, the house has been sold, and so has the couch.
now my roommate and i have a really cute thrifted couch that we do our best to take care of, but if it gets stained or something--oh well.
Now I have nicer store bought stuff in my home.
It was pretty played out. It was in bad shape. It sucked.
Then we got cats. I won't say that I gave them a cat treat every time they dug their claws into that piece of furniture, but I didn't exactly correct them either.
So this abomination just got worse.
Then we had a baby. Still, I lived with it. Ripped, uncomfortable, worn, with questionable discoloration...it stayed. We are under the pressure of two professional degrees worth of student loans, so I thought our money was better spent on something else.
Finally, we had to move. After nights of heart to heart conversations about this couch, he agreed to sell it on Craigslist. For $200. No takers. $100. No takers. $50. No takers. $20. No takers. Freecycle. No takers. On the day before we moved, a guy contacted us off of Freecycle. That afternoon, two students pulled up in an old van with its doors tied together with twine and removed that couch from our lives.
Its been 5 months since that day, and it still makes me smile to walk into my house and *not* see that piece of furniture.
Unfortunately, while we have a lovely bedframe, the assembly materials were shipped in cardboard bags taped to the inside of the box. We were lucky enough to find one of the bags but didn't realize there was another before we'd thrown the box away. So it's waiting for a run to the furniture store.
We ended up leaving it overnight. When we returned the next morning it was soggy, sagging in the middle, and full of fleas! (I'm hoping they weren't there before, but like I said, it was a friend's couch!).
Needless to say we walked right on by it and never looked back. Wow, I haven't thought of that in a few years! :D
link
People will always take crap put out on the curb.
living in a house with 4 twenty somethings and a dog, the furniture is no longer antique.
i bet they would have a stroke if they saw when one of the chairs break and then hit the curb on trash day.
one man's treasure. . .
The furniture I had was a collection of mismatched family hand-me-down stuff, mostly from my grandparents’ basement, some of which I'm still using. I didn’t have any money to buy new stuff so I made due with what I had (Aside: I was able to finish a 5-year university program with only $6000 in student loans which were paid off within a year). I’m not proud so when I walked down the street and saw a perfectly good set of shelves on the curb waiting to go to the dump, I grabbed them and didn’t look back!
This sort of relates to furniture. My wife and I go for the timeless, "antique" look generally, so we have a lot of wood furniture. Unfortunately, we've been collecting it over the years so there is really no unified theme or even color.
This became somewhat of a problem when we wanted to put in a hardwood floor--how in the world would anything match? We decided to go with a beautiful solid wood, natural brazilian walnut. The color variation and grain pattern is amazingly varied, from black to orange to brown to yellow and red, from stripes to knots. It is the coolest thing I have ever seen.
We bought it at a decent discount from ifloor.com, way cheaper than we could have gotten at a local flooring retailer. Free shipping, no sales tax :)
Shameless plug, I know, but they have made me a raving fan of their business.
Having said all this, it would be awesome to have a "modern" touch to our living room or office! So pick me!
My two sons share a large open space, which I've divided into "pods" for them, using wire shelving, curtains, etc., and they love it too.
The furniture you show would be perfect for us and our new lifestyle!
This omni chair would be a nice addition for lounging in while watching football on Sundays, although my wife might not like it in her new fancy family room. :)
Mom says she was so embarrased and baffled and to my attachment to the couch. I cried for days and refused to sit on the new couch for a couple of weeks.
When I was in college (8 yrs. ago) I lived with 6 roomates in a big house near campus. The owner of the house sold the property to the business next door and the house was torn down after our lease expired, but before that happened, the owner let us take any piece of furniture we wanted (nothing valuable so no antiques).
I took a small table which I now use as a nightstand and I added a small hidden shelf just underneath the table to hide small valuables in case anyone broke in my house. You wouldn't even know it was there unless you got down on the floor to look. Well, someone did break in my house last week and practically ransacked the place. But the hidden shelf did it's job. I reached under there and everything I'd hidden was still there.
An embarrassing/entertaining story about furniture: my grandmother had the most beautiful modern danish furniture that my grandfather had lovingly assembled from kits in the 1950s (the original ikea?). It survived decades of abuse by my father and his four siblings, and a few more decades at the mercy of energetic grandchildren. Until one day, when visiting my grandmother, I (quite gently) sat down on one of the sofas, and the whole thing collapsed, leaving me on the floor blushing and trying to be invisible. I swear, I am not a whale, I am an ordinary human - but after that, I always sat on the floor at grandma's house.
I'd feel bad about taking that chair if my tuition hadn't been $16,000 a year :) And it was a really comfy chair - and it was old, so there ya go :)
I moved to AZ from NJ with whatever fit in my car. Needless to say, no furniture. I came out expecting to replace furniture through yard sales, not knowing that there are no yard sales in August in Phoenix - it's too dang hot. I ended up with a lot of new crappy stuff. Some has been replaced, some not.
My husband was one of seven kids. His parents were quite thrifty. His dad brought home a turquoise vinyl couch from the school where he worked one day in the early 80s - it had been in the teachers' lounge and they were getting rid of it. At some point, his mom had it recovered. Currently, it's in our family room with a nice blanket over it, as the recovering is ugly and dirty. Comfy, though.
His grandparents had nice walnut bedroom furniture. When his grandmother started to go crazy, she sawed the mirror off of the dresser. I have the dresser (sans mirror).
Finally, in our family room (with the ancient ugly couch), we had a reclining chair. Being home through cancer treatments, I sat in it frequently. I sat in it one afternoon and it literally just fell apart. On one income (until I can go back to work), we decided not to replace it. The bean bag chair would be a comfy replacement.
I'm too cheap to buy another couch especially since I will probably be moving within the year.
My best furniture story is a desk I got from in front of a Frat house right around graduation. I dragged that incredibly heavy and battered but sturdy 6 ft long desk through three moves before finally giving up and selling it for $50 to a young couple who couldn't lift it by themselves. I had to knock on the neighbor's door and get him to help us take it down the stairs. I have no idea how they got it out of the truck when they got home. In a way, I sort of miss it (though it would never have fit up the stairs into my current home office).
I no longer have that mattress and couch, I bought new ones, but I still have one dresser that came from the street and is my favourite.
We have been together now since 1991 and all those years my lovely wife has appreciated my expertise in acquiring a necessary seat in front of the TV without the usual expense.
Our first set we got a cloth covered simple set from a yard sale for $50.00 a fine piece of furniture back when we smoked, let the dogs in the house, and were young enough to still have drunken stupid parties at the house this furniture was one she didn't have to worry about losing or devaluing in any way.
Three years later we acquired left over furniture from her parents for free and resold our furniture at a yard sale for $75.00. A $25.00 profit that's what I'm talking about.
In sales you are fortunate enough to meet a lot of people, and come across a lot of people. 4 years ago was one of those times, late at night in a families home helping them with a purchase they showed me a mountain of New but slightly defective leather furniture in his backyard. The beautifull brown leather was only slightly worn on all the arms, this being the defect, the color was not holding well in the leather so all this was junk.
For $200.00 I picked up a leather couch, recliner and love seat and we've been gracing the furniture ever since with our potatoe esque hiney's. Perfect furniture for a family with kids and dogs. To this day not one stain on this furniture and I bet I could still sell it at my next yard sale for at least what I paid for it.
Meanwhile the saving we've taken on the furniture has gone to more important endeavors. Disneyland passes for Kari and Jacob, sailing and other things for me. You can save it or have more fun with it.
If I win, please send the blonde along with the red lounge chair :-)
It was their living room set and had been for like 15 years. They had put an add in the paper (it was 1996) saying that it was for sale for the weekend and anyone interested had to pick it up before 5 PM on Sunday. I had rented a U-haul to move all my other stuff so I went over with the truck and offered them the $50 on the spot. They had been asking $75, but just wanted it gone, so they accepted and I took the couch and love seat to my new apartment.
The best part is that I still have them. After I bought my house, I put them in the family room. They do need to be replaced since the springs are all worn out, but the fabric is still in great shape. Unfortunately I think my wife is going to make me buy something new before the end of the year.
They were/are super heavy duty white oak frames with a laminated particleboard table surface. A 2x3' end table weighed 30 pounds.
I also scored a couple of old brown oak stools with fold-up tops.
I think I paid $200 for all of it, in great condition.
I still have all of this funiture, even 12 years later.
These free furnitures are still in excellent condition. And on top of that, they are either black or white, so it's easy for me to coordinate. Lucky me!
Thanks for all the great posts...it's a great way to pass the time and learn how to be more cheap...I mean, live more cheaply. Frugally. Whatever.
-Brian
CJ
Angryman was put in storage. Ironically, about 3 months ago, the storage unit angryman was staying at was burned to the ground. 25 units gone with all of their respective contents. There was,however, 1 survivor: You guessed it - Angry man. The wooden recliner had barely a whiff of char on it. It sat there suspiciously as if IT had caused the fire.
We'll never know.
Since my furnishings were all scrounged, when I moved cross-country (via Amtrak!) three years later I was able to leave it all behind without a twinge of regret!
Now, nearly 15 years later, I do have furniture I've paid a bit of money for, but nothing that I can't leave behind if my restless urge hits again.
Our first apartment was furnished (thankfully) so we just purchased an end table and a desk from Walmart.
I think the modern bean bag would be a nice touch. Plus I have nothing but the bed to sit on at present.
Thanks!
It should be noted that I am more of an engineer than an interior designer.
Recently, my wife decided that she was less than pleased with having dressers that "looked like they should be in a 10-year old's room with pictures of unicorns on the walls" and repainted them to look a bit more... sensible.
I admit that the glitter paint was a bit much, but I maintain that the star pulls looked pretty cool.
We threw that sofa away about a year later.
I blogged yoru contest in my Wednesday Edition of Contests Galore
Love the blog! Thanks for all the financial tips!
Most of our furniture has been from garage sales and assorted hand-me-downs. My favorite story is that we once got a cabinet on the side of a road that was actually part of the set we owned!
For my first post-college apartment, I wanted to get furniture that would make the best use of the space I had (one bedroom, since the rest of the house was furnished by my roommate) while being innovative and keeping the spending low (so I could pocket as much of my job's relocation allowance as I could). I knew I would be spending a lot of time in front of my laptop, but I wouldn't need much desk space and I also wanted to sit on something comfortable. SO a standard desk and chair were out. I bought a Norwegian leather reclining chair with ottoman at a discount since it was a floor model and I was buying a few other things from that store. I bought a little table that is only big enough for a laptop and that is designed to be pulled over next to a chair and over your lap. I bought a storage ottoman with the top that flips over to be a flat lid, and I am using it as a nightstand. Instead of dressers I bought the nicer-looking fabric closet sweater organizers and a few other easy to move minimalist storage items, all from Bed Bath and Beyond (with a 20% off coupon for each). My only splurge was on the Tempurpedic bed; I figured if I was spending 33% of my day in bed, it may as well be a good experience.
gotta love college furniture! :)
Good luck to everyone!
Jennifer :)
Thanks for this chance
I am such a fan of beanbags and they make them so much cooler than they used to! I would love to win!
Actually, I was researching this item because my 15 month old daughter loves to lay on me and snuggle when I'm on the floor. My husband has been deployed most of her life and I love to cuddle with her and play around. This would be alot more comfy than the old quilt we use now.
Thanks for the chance.
So I came home one night and saw my neighbors sitting it on an immediately recognizable chair from one of the college lounges. I was like "is that from ..." and they were like "yes it is, somebody had it out on the side walk". They had taken it because they didn't have a lawn chair. I happened to have plenty and arranged a trade.
So there I was accepting stolen goods, but in my mind the University did the same thing when they cashed my check for that Music Appreciation class I had to take. I'm sure the University, the law, and my priest might see it differently but I haven't lost any sleep over it yet. Especially after my sister recovered it in a lovely, flashy red upholstery.
I hope an ill-gotten gain does not preclude one from the contest. :-)
I'm 33 years old and we still have hand me down furniture in 85% of our house. The kids even use my old stuff from when I was young. I like to say we are a recycling family.
We're slowly being more grownup about our furniture. I still have some stuff that I found on the street from my first apartment, but much of what's in the house I actually paid money for! As we progress with our remodel I'm sure there will be some things that I just NEED to have for the new spaces and some of the old stuff will be passed on.
3 years later I was able to purchase my second piece, the much coveted (by me) Noguchi coffee table.
I pick out furniture for others to purchase all the time. It saves me from wanting to redo my house every 3 months. My brother-in-law and wife, who would really appreciate this type of chair are just starting out and can't afford it. My design services are their wedding present.
If I won, I would be so happy to visit the Omni Chair at their new house.
here's my furniture story -
my mom gave us a sofa and rocker when we got our first house. i really liked it and it was comfortable. then a few years later we got a new sofa and loveseat so mom's sofa and chair went downstairs to the basement for the kids to use when they had company over. it was really great until one fateful weekend. our daughter was a girl scout and we had an overnight camping venture. we had a dog and i set up a nice area for him downstairs with plenty of food and water and toys and blankies and we had him leashed to a pole so he wouldn't tear up the basement. i asked my best friend to stop by a few times a day (we were only going to be away for a day and a half) to let him out and get some fresh air. well, when we got home we opened the basement door and up comes our dog. we were so happy to see him we forgot he was supposed to be leashed and then out of nowhere he began heaving like he was going to throw up. before we knew it, he threw up all over the place. we rushed him outside and when i started to clean it up i noticed it was greenish. i went downstairs to get some rags when i saw the carnage. the dog was left loose (because my friend thought it was inhumane to leave him tied up - mind you he had a 15 foot lead) and he ate - i mean literally ate the sofa cushions, pillows, and all kinds of other stuff. sadly both the sofa, chair and the dog had to go in the same day. (he had eaten other things in the past but my sofa and chair were the last straw)...
I got it at Christmas, and I can still remember walking into the living room at my grandparent's house and there were 8 boxes, each one holding a different bean bag for each of 8 kids/grandkids. I still don't know where they found the paper to wrap all those boxes, but I had that chair for about 20 years...wish I still had it.
My 1st apartment was furnished almost exculsively from a variety of thrift stores or throwaways, with a bit of Target thrown in.
Not all that much has changed...even though it's 10 years later (and two kids) now it's Ikea and Thriftstores...and a giant lay-z-boy that was a castoff..... :)
I had a 7 ft couch that was an ugly green that weighed a ton to move around. It was given to me by a friend and it had belonged to their grama and had been stored for ages. They also gave me a winged back orange chair. Nice combination huh! Thank goodness for throws!
I bought a nice old coffee table with a drawer at a garage sale. Bought a rattan swag/swinging lamp with dark tan colors. Had an old trunk that I draped a square tablecloth on and set my TV on. I purchased a small stereo cabinet made of pine for my stereo and LP's and 8 tracks. I'm trying to blink that image out of my head now.. LOL
That looks fun to lounge on...
Thanks for the giveaway :)
This chair looks like it'll withstand the vigors of travel - so, count me in! Thanks,
~ abookworm
So we do. It is a little beat up but it works and I like it.
I wrote about your contest here: link
The more, the merrier! I hope that gets me a double entry. ^^
Do you ship worldwide?
So by complete chance, the first weekend in my new place was also the weekend my city allowed people to throw out large items without paying for them. So because of this I was able to get a recliner (that lasted a month), a dining room table, suitcase, and a desk chair all for free. "Trash to treasure" is a great way to get furniture. I'm hoping to add this Omni to my sparse quarters.
Okay - first furniture story -
When we moved into our first apartment, we had nothing. My Dad's ex-wife (not my mom) happened to live close to our new apartment and offered us her old dining room table and chairs. She eventually gave us her washer and dryer. Needless to say, we have a great relationship with my Dad's first wife - even going over for Thanksgiving some years. Just proves that people can bond over furnishings.
By the time we were done - they had all taken pity - and coordinated their efforts. We were furnished..... :)
I love my family!!!
This was awesome. I could bounce and do flips and cartwheels and all kinds of sweet jumps and moves with my bed on the floor!
One day I decided to do a dive-leap into bed. I overshot a little bit and ended up smashing a nice foot sized hole into my brand new bedroom wall.
Needless to say I ended up with about a foot sized mark on my bum courtesy of my parents! I also learned everything about putty...(to fix the whole). Never would have happened if I had had a real bed. Or watched less teenage mutant ninja turtles
What we got was a 20-year-old sofa that looked like it was covered in orange and brown burlap. The reason it was up for grabs was because it belonged to our friend's uncle, who had recently died. He actually had died while sitting on that sofa. As soon as it was brought into our house, our cat at the time went nuts and started clawing it all over the place, even though she had never done that sort of thing before. It made me wonder if she smelled some dead-ness or something.
Looking back this doesn't make much sense, but we drove my truck down to the store deciding then and there not to return with out some sort of couch. We found this horribly tacky 70's couch, just perfect for a hipsters first bachelor pad.
The hilarious thing about the entire goodwill furniture sale experience was the free knickknacks that they were "giving away" with every purchase. I can proudly say that for the last few months, our living room features one 70's retro couch, and a porcelain pig dressed in a confederate civil war uniform and proudly saluting.
His name is Officer Porkins. Beyond that, don't ask.
Thanks!
One of the weirdest pieces was the breakfast table. It was a painted door with PVC legs. Now THAT's fine college living! :-) We still have most of his stuff but that had to go.
Thanks!
We stand around in the evening eating ice cream from the container with our two spoons (the rest are in storage and the bowl is in the sink).
On the bright side we miss the stuff, but we've got more "space" than before...
As this is a personal finance blog, I just found $0.61 between the cushions of my couch. How do I record this? Unrealized funds?
I also refused to pay $1,000 for a bed frame, so our box-spring sits directly on the floor! but atleast i splurged on the mattress ;-0
That was over 5 years ago, I still have it and it has affectionately received the title of 'The Butt Eater', from me, my now husband and my son. It sinks so low lol but its so comfy.