Mindful Echo will happily dig through your trash pile in search of treasure.
Since living in Halifax I've experienced an interesting phenomenon: the curbside giveaway.
In addition to two annually-scheduled region-wide events, the citizens of Halifax proper - and to a lesser extent, the municipality at large - love to give things away. I'm not sure if it's because Halifax is a student-filled town, home to three universities and a college, or maybe it's just that Atlantic Canada is typically low to middle income families who appreciate the value of a dollar.
Sure, I had seen the occasional piece of furniture on someone's lawn with a "free" sign in the other cities in which I've lived, but never to this extent. Without exaggeration I can say that a sunny day in Halifax will guarantee a handful of curbside "free stuff" piles.
Don't get me wrong; sometimes it's total crap. But every now and then, there's a gem to be found. It's these gems that make the treasure hunting worthwhile.
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A friend who is moving out of town hooked me up with these goodies. I wouldn't recommend taking opened food from someone you don't know and trust though. |
In our current culture of convenience, it makes sense that we're content with regularly replacing crappy furniture and other items with new versions of the same. Since so few things are built to last, we've come to expect a short lifespan on most of our home investments.
What's so wrong about just tossing your old crap? Actually, a lot. The more municipal waste we create, the more environmental issues arise, including the destruction of animal habitats, groundwater pollution, and a number of other forms of air, soil, and water contamination.
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I found this free chest last weekend. I took it home, removed the lid, and now it's a planter-in-progress. |
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Planter-in-progress. Soil needed. :) |
Second is to be conscientious of your purchases. Does it have to be something bought new or could you make-do with second-hand? For me the incentive of vintage quality is my motivation, and finding items cheap or free just seals the deal.
Either way, think about how long that item will be of use to you before it just becomes another lump in a landfill.
6 comments:
i used to be all about getting furniture off the street. until i suffered bed bugs more times than i'd like. now i feel like buying used furniture, even from a shop, is ruined for me forever.
Amazing finds! Thrifting is also a great idea if you can't find things for free. My whole house and wardrobe are mostly either free or thrifted.
Wow, those are amazing finds! Here on the west coast the only free curb side items I see are couches I wouldn't let my cat sleep on. Then again, some municipalities nearby there are special "dumpster diving" days when people leave out their old crap for people to claim. Garage sales are a hot summer activity though, as well as swap meets.
Bedbugs have been a real problem in Halifax as well. I'm not sure I'd take anything fabric from the street, and the items I do take get a thorough wipe-down before coming into the house.
I am jealous of those finds too. Here Freecycle and Craig's List are both great ways to give away and find free stuff.
Wow you found a lot of good treasures, I have never tried this kind of treasure hunting.
-Christopher
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