Category Archive

thrifting

Great pictures and good karma: 8 awesome tips for buying and selling on Craigslist

I am trying to do a little redecorating, and, since I have no budget for furniture, I have been making great use out of Craigslist. My plan is to use the money that I earn from the things I sell to purchase some used furniture that will fit my current décor and lifestyle. I’ve picked up quite a few tips over my years using Craigslist. Here are some of my best…

The ultimate treasure hunt: My 5 secrets for thrift store shopping

Going shopping at the thrift store is like the ultimate treasure hunt. I buy most of my clothing, furniture, and home décor items used from second hand stores. Not only does it save me a ton of money but it’s great for the environment as it reduces waste. Here are my best tips for thrift store shopping…

The 5 secrets to my awesome Craigslist-fu

I have found so many deals before on Craigslist. My future husband and I have bought downhill skis, our big-ass TV, and furniture off the site, and paid WAY less than we would at any store. I find the best deals on Craigslist. Because of Craigslist’s bad/weird reputation, my friends are always curious and a bit amazed at how I find these things. So I am going to let you in on some of the secrets to my Craigslist-Fu…

Spread out one bouquet of flowers in five thrifted vases

I picked up a bouquet or two from the grocery store, five vases (varied from $.99 to $1.99), and voilà: happy window times!

What to do with a box full of kitschy swizzle sticks?

I bought a bucket full of these vintage cocktail stirrers at a flea market, “swizzle sticks,” the guy called them. I want to do something with them… but I’m not sure what. I’m a pretty good DIY-er when it comes to figuring out how to make or do something, but what to use these for has me totally stumped. Do you have any ideas?

The House of Yes: almost nothing cost more than $150

A couple years ago, I had to disassemble my adorable apartment, passing along my furniture to my students and packing everything else into my car. But before I began the process of getting rid of my worldly possessions, I thought my little flat deserved a bit of a photo shoot.

98% of what you see here is second hand. And with the exception of electronics, nothing cost more than $150!

Auction house odds and ends — emphasis on the odd!

Come in!

I’ve been curating my household of oddities, antiques, and collectibles — largely from my job at an auction house in San Francisco, and also fed by my love of local sales and thrifting. I think my finds add a charm to my home that was otherwise missing.

This is my house, where I keep all my Things and make my art.

How to get what you want from Freecycle: etiquette and getting started

I love Freecycle. This means that I always recommend it to anyone looking for new furniture. However, my friends often try it out then turn around a few weeks later saying either they couldn’t work out how to use it, they got fed up with how many emails they got, or they kept missing out on the good stuff, because it would go too quickly. Sound familiar? Never fear. I am here to help.