Flickr Widget

Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Post-construction saga: Trading one mess for another

I'm all moved in, and I almost have my new modernist nest decorated. The cedar overhang/porch cover will be built in the next few days, as soon as a special order of lumber comes in. Countertops will be installed on Friday, which will allow me to get the kitchen and bathroom in order. Right now, they're in an unbelievable state of disarray.

However, both rooms are downright tidy compared with our driveway, which is covered with all manner of detritus from the big move. What you see below is the last of it. My SIL is on his way home from Dallas (where he has been looking at possible new locations for the store) so we can take one last trailerload of boxes and trash to the solid waste drop-off, better known in these parts as "the dump."


Pile of leftover construction material

Overflowing trash bins

The last of many boxes...but I do have an orange door!
This was the spot where most of the construction trash was piled,
so the grass is gone,and the dirt is packed rock hard.
Landscaping will start soon.


Three or four previous loads made a pretty good dent in the trash we generated, along with numerous trips to the curb with some pretty fantastic non-trash items that we simply didn't have room for. You know you're exhausted from a move...in this case, two household moves simultaneously...when you don't have the wherewithal to list things on Craigslist and just keep saying to each other, "Put it on the curb."

I imagine we made quite a few "curb thrifters" happy this past week, since here are a few of the things they were able to pick up, absolutely gratis:

  • a Carter Brothers scoop chair
  • a pair of mid-century nightstands
  • a Joe Colombo Boby art cart
  • a ton of practically new Crate and Barrel throw pillows (color change!)
  • a very large triple eyeball floor lamp (In our state of fatigue, rewiring it just seemed too daunting.)
  • several sets of new and vintage glassware, including about 32 pieces of green Anchor Hocking Soreno
  • an easel and wooden artbox full of oil paints and brushes
  • numerous framed prints, including some really nice lithographs
  • a Drexel Profile dining chair
  • two chairs, a chaise and a table from a Woodard wrought iron patio set (I kept two chairs and some stacking tables.)

We had simply reached that numbed-out delirium that comes when you've carried so many boxes that your feet and back don't even hurt anymore, because your brain is too tired to process the messages from your screaming muscles and nerve endings. That's when stuff starts going to the curb.

After a little rest, there are a couple of pieces I could kick myself for throwing away, but I really didn't have room for them, and I'm sure several people whose mid-century blogs I haven't found yet are posting as we speak about the unbelievable curb treasures they scored. It feels nice to make somebody happy!

I promise to quit teasing soon...um, as soon as there aren't empty fast food bags, mops and various cleaning products and dirty laundry sitting around. Till then, here are a few snippets of what's happening inside.


Over the sofa

Beside the front door

Another corner of the living room

A peek at the bedroom

The first arrangement of the built-ins...before any editing has been done

38 comments:

  1. How I wish I'd been around your place on trash collection day! Can't wait to see the results.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. People kept coming up to the door and saying, "Is the stuff on the curb really free? Even the _____?" I guess they thought we were crazy for giving away some of those things.

      Delete
  2. Tease me more! I think I already love it!
    ....most likely readers waiting to ponce on your curb side retail outlet! I'd been there or sure, nudging Kylie, MMMC and Brismod out of the way!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The first morning after putting a ton at the curb the night before, we got a good laugh, because all kinds of junk had been taken, but every single piece of mid-century furniture and accessories had been left behind...like the scoop chair and the Boby cart and a few more things that were a lot more valuable than what they took. Then all of a sudden, the mid-century lovers must have heard through the grapevine that their kind of loot was free for the taking, and they must have circled the block for days, because from then on, the minute we put out more vintage goodies, they were grabbed in less than 5 minutes.

      Delete
  3. Hilarious! If I lived near you, that would be me blogging about how I picked up all this midcentury goodness from the street. You must be exhausted! Enjoy your new nest! xx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. We foolishly thought this was going to be an easy move. Famous last words! It was hellish...but it's just about over, and we're all settling in. The boys are elated to have more room to play, and we're all enjoying our privacy. :)

      Delete
  4. I would have swiped the triple eyeball lamp.
    Just based on those teaser shots, I'm already liking your new apartment. The built-in is looking really good!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The floor lamp had some sort of wiring problem and wouldn't always turn off at the switch, and I was willing to deal with that, but when one of the eyeballs wouldn't turn on, I got disgusted and tossed it. I'm sure someone was elated, because no doubt it was an easy fix...but when you're that tired, nothing seems easy. :)

      I'm going to get my daughter out to help me move things around in the room divider. A second set of eyes always helps. I want it to look full but not busy.

      Delete
  5. I am loving the pictures, but stop teasing now! Want to see! Looks incredible :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The teasing is almost over. Just a bit more construction and some landscaping, and it will be time for real pictures.

      Delete
  6. Numbed out delirium...haha! I know exactly what you mean. Poor you.
    It's almost over!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, it really is almost over. I think I still have three kitchen drawers to empty, and all my things will be moved out of the main house and into my new place. Yay!

      Delete
  7. So dying to see the new place, but also a teeny sick about the curb treasures!!! What a gift!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I hope whoever found them enjoys them very much. Whether they realize it or not, they helped us by taking them.

      Delete
  8. Orange front door looks wonderful Dana, a good hint of what's to come inside.
    That stuff you left out on the kerb would cause a riot around these parts. Pippa mentions nudging - more like blood shed!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I almost had some people ready to riot when I gave away a refrigerator that was only 2 years old. However, someone had just given it to me for an extra fridge for the workshop a few months ago, so I decided to pay it forward when the workshop was converted to my house. Why sell something that was a gift to you?

      Delete
  9. I need to camp out at your curbside STAT! And then maybe I could peek through your windows and see what is happening in the Nest. Can't wait to see more pictures. I don't mind if there's a little construction debris! That's keeping it real! Cheers - CT

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. My SIL just loaded all the boxes and junk into his trailer, and it was heavenly to walk out and see NOTHING in front of my little nest. I'm guessing that the construction of the porch overhang will take place Friday or Monday. Then I promise that I'll get the pictures made right away.

      Delete
  10. Can't wait to see it! I definitely would have been one of those circling the block! :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It is so close to being completed...countertops, sinks, the porch overhang and some plants, and I'll be good to go. Most importantly, a new internet provider tomorrow, which I hope will solve the problems I've had the past few weeks of losing service every day or two.

      Delete
  11. That's enough teasing. Just give us the grand tour already!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I've made you wait this long. You know I'm going to get it right before I show you. Yes, I'm a hopeless perfectionist! :)

      Delete
  12. WowEE! I'M envious! And LANDSCAPING! The most landscaping I've been able to do was a protective border line of pink flamingos around "the pit" to keep party guests from falling in during the Drive-In Movie! Your new home looks wonderful.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. haha...Landscaping will probably be some big potted plants and a lot of mulch! Loving the flamingos around "the pit"!

      Delete
  13. DAAANAAAAA! If I was in Texas I would have sold all that stuff for you. Moving is such a pain. I know what you mean. When we did our bathrooms which also meant shutting down 2 bedrooms, I carted several truckloads of stuff to Goodwill. No energy for CL. Then we packed the rest up into the garage. When unpacking came, I wasn't in the mood or didn't' love it or whatever. So much of it still sits in the garage. BOO!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. We didn't even have the energy to go to Goodwill. We just left it in the yard for people to sort through. There's a stack to go to the attic, but nobody has mustered the energy to go up the stairs. :)

      Delete
  14. Can't wait to see more pics! I so wish I could have gone through your stuff, but I do know what you mean. Moving is just so much work! Looking amazing so far!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Moving is a lot like childbirth. You forget how painful it is till you're right in the middle of it again!

      Delete
  15. oh wow, looking fantastic. The West German pieces on the shelves look amaaazing. Love the prints on the wall too. Our curbs here in this area of Adelaide are much the same....put something out and its gone in 10 minutes - people just appear from nowwhere...a great way of recycling stuff. Our local council has its major once a year pickup in a month or so, but usually by the time they get here there is nothing left to pick up except really really broken stuff :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I've bought a few new West German pieces, and I got a great little Giovanni de Simone bottle too.

      Delete
  16. Oh goodness, curb thrifting heaven!! Everything in those teasers looks amazing, Dana!! The shelves with all your treasures look nothing less than magical... I can't wait!!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm having a great time decorating. This is the fun part!

      Delete
  17. how nice of you to give all that stuff away....its funny when people don't believe you when its free....we put our old couch out on the roadside with free written on it...the same car drove past about 10 times...and then he came to the door to make sure he was reading the sign right...he was so chuffed and greatful that we gave him cushions and a rug as well.
    man I cant wait to take the tour thru that orange door!....the wine is chilled! x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. We thought it was funny that they kept coming to the door to ask if they could really take it...but after one look at how haggard and drag-ass we were, I'm sure they realized we couldn't have put up much of a fight even if we hadn't wanted them to take it.

      Delete
  18. Best sidewalk sale EVER!!!! Sometimes you just have to let things go so you can move on. I had to laugh Dana... because around our house "the dump" is like a social outing -- a fun place to go --. Ah... Texas! (so funny)

    You are quite the tease, lady. I can't wait to see more pictures but I totally understand wanting to get everything just so. I have that issue too. I can't take a picture until the laundry is put away and the bed is made, etc. Okay, okay... I'll be more patient! So happy for you! Those kitchen counters will be the icing on the cake. YAY!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I thought I'd better clarify that "dump" thing for our friends in other parts of the world. I wasn't sure that was a universal term. ;)

      I know I'm a hopeless perfectionist, but I hate to get this far with the project and start posting pictures of it without the porch overhang or without countertops...and, yes, even with a few stray boxes. Also, I know that I don't have the right camera lens to take good pictures of rooms that small, so I'm going to pay someone to take them, and I'm not going to do that till everything is finished.

      Delete
  19. For any of you who just read a couple of comments that looked like they were from me but were under another name...that WAS me, but I forgot to sign in under my own name on my daughter and SIL's computer. This big house/little house thing is going to take some getting used to. :)

    ReplyDelete
  20. It looks great! (not the garbage, but the peeks you are teasing us with) Looking forward to a full post!

    ReplyDelete