I live in a city that encapsulates other, small towns. It wasn't always that way, but the city has grown so much that it expanded out and around these other small communities until they became cities within a city. As such, they have their own government and policies. This particular town is close to my home, and I drive through it often to get from my house to any sort of shopping. This time of year, they have their annual trash pickup where it seems the citizens can throw literally anything out, and the city picks it up for free. It's nice to get rid of stuff that's really trash and hard to reuse (old mattresses, broken windows, toilets, etc.), and are difficult for many people to get to the landfill, but it's not always used for that sort of stuff.
And that's when I have an overwhelming feeling of disappointment mixed with a certain amount of anger for my fellow citizens. I'm not a yuppie person that recycles every piece of trash she can find, but I get really angry when people trash items that just aren't trash. I also have that overwhelming mom instinct that can hear certain things calling out to me to save them. What am I to do? Let them be picked up by a claw and thrown into a dumpster to be crushed? No. I can't do that. Not when it's something good. Not when it's something old. Not when it has history.
Hubs is ready to kill me, but I brought home a HEAVY wood paneled door (headboard, anyone?), an antique mirror (mirror was cracked, but the frame is ornate wood, and gorgeous- and don't you know how cute it'll be as a chalkboard?!), a vintage end table in perfect condition, and these two OLD (Victorian?) carved chairs on wooden casters that need one arm repaired with an easy fix, and a new seat, but they are STURDY!
(Sorry for the lack of (quality) pictures...unexpected finds mean cell phone pictures from the driveway, unfortunately!)
Seriously. Who throws this stuff away?! Who ruins history by trashing these pieces? There were so many other items that I couldn't possibly save (unless I wanted a divorce, and a guest appearance on Hoarders) but could only think of the numerous other people who would use them, even buy them... dressers, cabinets, a glass front hutch with one crack in the glass, French doors, shoe racks, end tables... had Habitat for Humanity been called, or a short trip to Goodwill been made, a post made to Freecycle or the free section of Craigslist. There are just so many other options to find new homes for things- for people who are without and need items, or for crazy people like me who just like to fix items up and give them a new life.
I'm glad to have been able to save what I did. After all that I made a planned trip to St. Louis and picked up some things from a great couple (who certainly must also agree that I'm crazy)...more to share on that later, but I'm so thrilled with what I have! And boy do I love my husband for putting up with me...
Our town had an annual day like this and everyone knew that people would come and take it before the trash. I put things out never intending for them to actually go in the trash should no one want them.
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