Auntie Kate The Resale Expert

Guys, I tried, I really did.

I was contacted by Real Simple magazine re an article they wanted on buying and selling resale furniture online. (It’s on pages 87-90 in the August issue.)

I gave them ALL SORTS of reasons to look local, real-life, bricks-and-mortar first. But alas, I was left on the cutting-room floor*.

Not one to waste brain cells, I thought I’d share my reasons to shop real-life first, in case you could use them.

Kate’s Reasons Why You Should Shop In-Person, In Real Life, for Gently-used Furniture

• Well, the obvious first reason: ’cause you can see and smell it in real life. Computer monitors don’t show colors accurately and they haven’t perfected Smell-o-Vision yet. Who wants pumpkin when they thought it was coral?
• Touchy-feely is the way to go: Does the finish feel good? The upholstery feel sturdy? Is it weighty or flimsy? Cab you wiggle it to see if it wobbles? Can’t do that on a screen or monitor.
• Flip it over. Stained? Dust cover ripped or even non-existent? Is the little brass stud on the bottom missing… or replaced with a bottle cap?
• See it up next to other pieces that might inspire you. Resale furniture stores showcase goods in vignettes which might inspire you (or heck, you may like that armchair over there, better!)
• Have a shopping experience. I’ve known folks to make fast friends in resale shops, to decide to totally redo the den when they ere looking for a kitchen table to start, and to pick up the Best Ever Chicken with Sun-Dried Tomato Cream Sauce recipe. Not to mention, get bystander opinions, which I have always found helpful.
• Know who you’re dealing with. Have recourse if needed. Not dealing with strangers, who may be fly-by-night or even less than savory, online.
• Delivery? It’s cheaper to hire a local company, or even a guy with a pick-up, than shipping something from hundreds or thousands of miles away. Not to mention much more eco-friendly.
• The usual: Shop Local to keep your local economy going. Support your neighbors. Keep downtown alive.

For more resale furniture/ home decor ideas and suggestions, visit TGtbT.com.

* For digital natives, “The term cutting room floor is used in the film industry as a figure of speech referring to unused footage not included in the finished film. Outside of the film industry, it may refer to any creative work unused in the final product.” — Wikipedia

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