As some of you may remember, I was a Marie Kondo groupie long before she became Netflix-famous. I read her books, I tidied with gusto, and I even traveled to New York to meet her in person. I documented much of my journey and I am happy to report that Kondo's advice has, overall, stuck. Clothes (at least mine) are folded and filed. All things (at least all of my things) have a designated space. I have never been a huge lover of stuff. Clutter brings me down and organizing is my therapy, so even I was surprised to find my claustrophobic self at a jam-packed estate sale last week and three warehouse sales this weekend.
Seeing the things at the estate sale brought a mix of emotions. I wondered if these items had brought the owner true happiness? Or was this the result of aging or illness or loneliness? It doesn’t matter and I will never know. What I do know is that I was there with my client Elizabeth and my colleague Amy and we all found items for ourselves that truly delighted us. More importantly, we scored ahhh-mazing architectural pieces for Elizabeth’s coming-soon modern farmhouse renovation.
If you find yourself at a tag sale or even strolling the aisles at HomeGoods, remember to pause. Is the item you are considering truly worth it or are you caught up in the frenzy? Are you immediately smitten (as I was with my tissue box holder) or do you know, in your heart, you’ve stumbled upon a true gem (Elizabeth’s gorgeous doors?) The answer is there if you really listen. In the meantime, take a good look at some of my favorite finds:
The little pyrex glass containers are so much better than their 'new and improved' plastic counterparts. They are perfect for boring leftovers or a fairly decent amount of M&Ms.
This little green bowl was too cute to pass up - it has a new home on our bar.
The doors! Joanna Gaines has nothing on us – except the fame, fortune and unbelievably good hair.
These doors are slated for Elizabeth's chic but classic house currently in the works.
I found this little guy for a friend who had coveted a Crate and Barrel container
from a previous client home - he's cute but a little salty.
Seriously? I died for this. THE TISSUES LOOK LIKE SMOKE!
Are you kidding me? And because this is a house and I am The Neighbor's House .... I mean.
We found many more things at this sale; look for photos of those in a later post. In the meantime, think before you buy and then buy with gusto if you've found something you love. You won't regret it.
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