Thrift Store Junkie

The Historical Dahl House

Renting a house sight-unseen in a place you’ve never been, can be quite the adventure. Ideas were flying around in my head and out my mouth, about what to do in a house with six bedrooms and four baths. The six dogs could have private rooms but of course that would never come to be. Once when Zachary was spending the night and we were trying to squeeze our human bodies into a bed full of canines, I decided maybe sleeping on the couch was a better option. Zach’s reply was: "but Mema, they will just follow you," and of course he was right. Having said that it was obvious that we only needed one bedroom for the seven of us, or actually one bed would do no matter what the size.

So the question remained, what to do with the rest of the house? Before anything could actually be decided we needed to see the place and only then did the vision of a boarding house/hostel begin to unfold.  But first, mucho furnishings had to be acquired for 614 Fourth Avenue West in Hendersonville, North Carolina, if for no other reason than to stop the echoes surrounding us in this large empty space.

When you drive from Alaska to North Carolina in a van called Dora with six dogs there is little room to bring living essentials. Not only did we need a bed, but a glass, a fork, a chair, a blanket – all things imaginable to set up housekeeping in this place we would call home for awhile. And so the thrift shopping began slowly, building momentum from one deal to another, growing into a frantic pace of getting one thing, then another and another and still another. The first thing was our bed and then everything else followed: silverware, couches, glasses, chairs, more beds, plates, lamps, sheets, wine glasses, dressers, desks - you name it, we needed it for six bedrooms, OMG! Day after day collapsing into bed at night, totally exhausted from shopping. I quickly discovered what the expression "shop til you drop" really means. I described myself to a friend as the Spray Paint Queen and received an email back asking what that meant, exactly?

Spray Paint Queen: “a crazed blonde that frequents all thrift stores far and wide, making deals on items both needed and not so needed and spray painting them to her liking - sometimes changing the color more than once.”

Shopping has become a manic madness. For the past two days I have consciously MADE myself stay out of the stores, and it's killin' me. The house for the most part is now furnished complete with tenants leaving only the fun stuff to collect. The shopping has become so addictive that it’s hard to pass by any one of the thrift stores without just popping in and I never leave without buying something. So now that I have banned myself from the stores I have found deals on the street.

Red & Blue Wool Rug - FREE!

I am driving down 4^th Avenue West and notice a rolled up rug on the curb waiting to be picked up by the trash man – a flashback from living in Spanish Harlem at 116^th Street in NYC, where furnishing your place from the street is the norm - it's cheaper to put items in the trash than to move them to another apartment. We are such a disposal culture. Slamming on the brakes of Dora I load the rug in the back and bring it home. Imagine my surprise when I unroll it to find a wool, oriental blue/red rug covered with dog hair but other than that, in perfect shape. In a house with six dogs, what's a little dog hair anyhow? Certainly nothing a shampoo can't eliminate. I knew instantly that it was a fit because it is the exact color of the painted walls in the dining room area.  It now resides under the table looking lovely with only a few new dog hairs.

Later I'm driving down 3^rd Avenue West, the street directly behind our house and I notice a pickup for sale with a phone number. In the back bed is another rolled up rug so I call the number, tell the guy I am not interested in the truck but wonder what he is doing with the rug in the back. He said it was free as his Yorkie had peed on it. I ask if I could come get it - not a problem. Seriously, how much damage can a lap dog do anyhow? This rug is even bigger than the other but once I unroll it, well it looks like someone poured bleach in a few spots to remove pee stains. This one is not so good, so it has to go. But another oriental rug is in my future.

The Find of the Day - $45!

The next morning I fall off the wagon and once again find myself in the Salvation Army store. Cruising through the isles I stumble upon a rolled up rug with a 9x12 tag tied to a string. When I asked the price, the manager said she just got it in and would let it go for $45 without even looking at it. Well, that could be good or that could be bad - a definite risk.  A nearby shopper whispers to me if she had room for another rug she would jump on that deal. She continues her unintended sales pitch “this is the real thing, look at the tag. All wool and made in India. I know these rugs well, and this one sold for at least $1,200 new.” Enough said, I bought the rug. I hold my breath as I unroll my sight unseen purchase in the living room. It’s perfect, not even one dog hair but RockDog is working on that as he rolls around scratching his back on our new floor covering. The rug also came with a pad securing it nicely to the hardwood floors.  It was indeed the find of the day, with the help of the lady that urged me to buy it!

Serving Plates - $2 each!

So many deals to be had, so many stores to frequent, so much fun to imagine what things look like with a few coats of paint. Will the madness ever end? Or will I remain a Thrift Store Junkie forever? If so, I will need an even bigger house just to hold my treasures. Yikes!

Stay tuned for the unfolding cast of eclectic characters currently in residence at Milepost 49 Boarding House/Hostel.

Happy New Year from North Carolina!

Namasté