My nephew graduated from UCF, got married and accepted an entry level job, all in the last three weeks. Due to severely restricted finances (and other circumstances), he and his bride were married in a civil ceremony with only my sister and brother-in-law in attendance as witnesses. While moving back home was an option on paper, it was not practical. He and his bride's sole possession is a very experienced Honda Civic. She still has one more year to go in school and has a part time job, therefore she needs to be close enough to walk, ride a bike or take a bus. As a result, they found a reasonable apartment in a suitable location. Well, after first, last and security, they had virtually no money left for furniture.
Well, my brother-in-law and I get the smart-a$$ idea to get furniture from the free section of Craigslist. So this weekend, we made a serious effort to accomplish this task with up to seven people and 5 vehicles working in Operation Freebee. Orlando being a large metropolitan area, there was a huge selection. Now a lot was junk and where a phone number was provided, it became relatively easy to sort out the junk over the phone. From 7AM on Saturday to 7PM on Sunday we were able to completely able to furnish a two bedroom apartment for free! While virtually none of the furniture matched, we were able to collect astonishingly high quality pieces in very good condition. I think some of it is better than my stuff (which after 31 years of marriage is 90% hand-me-downs). The living room collection included what looked like a custom made wall unit, a sofa, loveseat, recliner, end tables and a couple of lamps. The dining room got a pecan wood table, six chairs and a buffet. There was a complete office suite for the one bedroom along with a second non-matching desk. Two sets of drawers and some night stands completed the bedroom (my nephew confiscated his old bed from home). We found two tvs, the second one was a nice 32" LCD, so the first will go back on Craigslist for free. My wife even found a complete set of dishes. So short of linens, flatware and pots and pans, the young couple was able to setup house for virtually nothing. They were very happy at the outcome. And as an added bonus, we were able to score four free tickets to the "Russell Athletic Bowl" from Craigslist. The game was terrible if you were a UM fan, but hey it was a night out after all that work.
I was surprised there was not more interest in some of the stuff, but I guess there is not much of a market for used furniture in this area. It was amazing what people were getting rid of. One man's junk is another's treasure. Anyhow, my nephew and his bride got a lesson in LBYM. But the reality is, they already understood it.
Well, my brother-in-law and I get the smart-a$$ idea to get furniture from the free section of Craigslist. So this weekend, we made a serious effort to accomplish this task with up to seven people and 5 vehicles working in Operation Freebee. Orlando being a large metropolitan area, there was a huge selection. Now a lot was junk and where a phone number was provided, it became relatively easy to sort out the junk over the phone. From 7AM on Saturday to 7PM on Sunday we were able to completely able to furnish a two bedroom apartment for free! While virtually none of the furniture matched, we were able to collect astonishingly high quality pieces in very good condition. I think some of it is better than my stuff (which after 31 years of marriage is 90% hand-me-downs). The living room collection included what looked like a custom made wall unit, a sofa, loveseat, recliner, end tables and a couple of lamps. The dining room got a pecan wood table, six chairs and a buffet. There was a complete office suite for the one bedroom along with a second non-matching desk. Two sets of drawers and some night stands completed the bedroom (my nephew confiscated his old bed from home). We found two tvs, the second one was a nice 32" LCD, so the first will go back on Craigslist for free. My wife even found a complete set of dishes. So short of linens, flatware and pots and pans, the young couple was able to setup house for virtually nothing. They were very happy at the outcome. And as an added bonus, we were able to score four free tickets to the "Russell Athletic Bowl" from Craigslist. The game was terrible if you were a UM fan, but hey it was a night out after all that work.
I was surprised there was not more interest in some of the stuff, but I guess there is not much of a market for used furniture in this area. It was amazing what people were getting rid of. One man's junk is another's treasure. Anyhow, my nephew and his bride got a lesson in LBYM. But the reality is, they already understood it.
