I have loved "
preloved" furniture. Fascination for the whole concept of extending life of mundane things has kept me more greener than I could be. Buying used and second hand extends life of furniture and helps keeping it alive. Coming from a culture where furniture is passed down through generations and even cars live as long as 20 years in a single home, I used to be utterly amused to find perfectly workable furniture and goods near the
garbage bin (read - in the US). It was very normal to get
some decent and usable stuff back home to my apartment while I was a penny-saving-struggling student. I should admit, I do like to extend life of things if they work for me. One such thing in my house is a
faux plant which was to be gutted and I picked it up. It provided my drab balcony with a fresh appeal through the frozen winter and moved onto some one else's house as the kitchen garden took over my balcony :). I feel happy to have saved a small amount of plastic from becoming landfill. I am not sure how long we can hold it out, but I am sure this will help for a while at least!
Craigslist is the sole shopping center for me in the US. sounds familiar?...yes i am among those hooked
cragislist shoppers. For me it is more than hunting for a bargain. I get motivated seeing the amount of sales happening on the site. It keeps me from
wanting more "stuff". How?...
hmm simple....I see the amount of things/stuff people want to get rid off and I assure my happiness in being a minimalist. More than anything, I like to love furniture pieces which have been cared for by another person but they
don't have space for it in their lives. Provided it can fit into mine :). Th cane set in my living room, my
ikea dining table , bed side tables, study table and the chair and recently, an
Ikea Poang chair and footstool live with me in my apartment.
I miss not having things passed down from a grandparent, or some antique kitchen stuff my grandmother. :(.. Seems like
craigslist gives me a chance to just look at things people leave for their
grandchildren. Weird right! but it takes a few strands of
EQ to understand my sentiment!
Hail
Craigslist!