Reasons Why I Need Etsy & I'm Not A Hoarder Part II
Many of you might have noticed (or might not have) but I now have a link to my Etsy store on my blog. My longtime best friend & I have joined into this crazy venture together. You can visit her blog from the link that I posted. She is the other sweetgirl, Sweetgirlcrafting. Swing by & visit her, she just started blogging and would love a visit. We have known each other since grade school & have always loved doing "artsy" things together. I remember signing up for many park district art classes together. Now you can find us visiting resale stores & flea markets together. Our hubbies may think that we are crazy with all of the "junk" we drag home or all the garbage picking & dumpster diving that we do but eventually they will understand. Or they will just stay out of our way unless we need some "man power". ;)
We eventually hope to be a vendor at our local flea market here in Illinois. It's a great one to go to. It's called the Kane County Flea Market & I love it! Until then we need to start selling some stuff so we've decided to give Etsy a try. I've bought things on Etsy but selling is new to me. I figure that it can't be too different from Ebay. I won't speak for my partner in crime but I am out of space. I have nowhere to put anything. Nowhere at all. Our basement is finished so what little storage space we have is spoken for. As a result my office is crammed full of my supplies, my dining room corner has boxes of stuff & my garage..........let's just say it's packed! If I didn't drive a VW bug, I would have a serious problem! As it is now the car is squeezed between furniture that I'm working on & other pieces that I haven't started yet. Just to get into my car I have to maneuver my behind into the tiniest spot & then carefully open the door, all the while trying not to damage anything. This is not a pretty picture. After seeing me perform this nearly impossible feat of dexterity the kids have learned to wait until I pull out before they try to get in.....they have no choice :). Throwing away garbage is a trick too. I either have to do the "squeeze" all over again or pull out the car to get to the garbage cans. As a result there is usually bag or two of garbage sitting by the door that need to be put into the cans. I'd move the garbage cans but to where? Thinking about it now I realize that my family & I are a classy bunch! Ugh.
I guess I could stop making things......but I can't. That's not going to happen, it's too much fun! I have told my hubby that I will try to stop picking up furniture. I was sticking to this until my mother-in-law called the other day....."hey my neighbor is throwing out some stuff"......you can guess what happened next!
So I thought I'd share with you guys a quick peek into my garage. I think you'll understand why I need to get rid of stuff...I can't end up on the Hoarders show......:0
Here is what I have stashed in my garage right now:
one cabinet
two matching end tables
a vintage full size headboard, footboard, frame & rails
a vintage dresser with matching mirror
two old windows
an old steel pail
two wood chairs
two upholstered chairs
a couple of shutters
a stool
an old wood ladder (can't see it in this picture, but it's there)
an old clock
and many, many miscellaneous items....
All of this is just on my side of the garage. The other side has a refrigerator & my hubby's motorcycle. As long as that is safe he has been ok with me stuffing the other side but I think my days may be numbered. Hopefully he won't read this post- then he'll realize exactly how much stuff I've jammed in there! For now he parks the family truckster in the driveway but it would be nice to get it into the garage...someday.
The garage is just my "before" stuff! Yikes!
Looking at this now I'm thinking that I've got some work to do & that maybe I should look for a local store to sell some of my stuff.....dont'cha think?
I can't believe that I'm posting this.......I have no shame.
We eventually hope to be a vendor at our local flea market here in Illinois. It's a great one to go to. It's called the Kane County Flea Market & I love it! Until then we need to start selling some stuff so we've decided to give Etsy a try. I've bought things on Etsy but selling is new to me. I figure that it can't be too different from Ebay. I won't speak for my partner in crime but I am out of space. I have nowhere to put anything. Nowhere at all. Our basement is finished so what little storage space we have is spoken for. As a result my office is crammed full of my supplies, my dining room corner has boxes of stuff & my garage..........let's just say it's packed! If I didn't drive a VW bug, I would have a serious problem! As it is now the car is squeezed between furniture that I'm working on & other pieces that I haven't started yet. Just to get into my car I have to maneuver my behind into the tiniest spot & then carefully open the door, all the while trying not to damage anything. This is not a pretty picture. After seeing me perform this nearly impossible feat of dexterity the kids have learned to wait until I pull out before they try to get in.....they have no choice :). Throwing away garbage is a trick too. I either have to do the "squeeze" all over again or pull out the car to get to the garbage cans. As a result there is usually bag or two of garbage sitting by the door that need to be put into the cans. I'd move the garbage cans but to where? Thinking about it now I realize that my family & I are a classy bunch! Ugh.
I guess I could stop making things......but I can't. That's not going to happen, it's too much fun! I have told my hubby that I will try to stop picking up furniture. I was sticking to this until my mother-in-law called the other day....."hey my neighbor is throwing out some stuff"......you can guess what happened next!
 |
| Can you see where I spray paint stuff? |
 |
| It takes some top-notch driving skills to squeeze my car into here.... |
Here is what I have stashed in my garage right now:
one cabinet
two matching end tables
a vintage full size headboard, footboard, frame & rails
a vintage dresser with matching mirror
two old windows
an old steel pail
two wood chairs
two upholstered chairs
a couple of shutters
a stool
an old wood ladder (can't see it in this picture, but it's there)
an old clock
and many, many miscellaneous items....
All of this is just on my side of the garage. The other side has a refrigerator & my hubby's motorcycle. As long as that is safe he has been ok with me stuffing the other side but I think my days may be numbered. Hopefully he won't read this post- then he'll realize exactly how much stuff I've jammed in there! For now he parks the family truckster in the driveway but it would be nice to get it into the garage...someday.
The garage is just my "before" stuff! Yikes!
Looking at this now I'm thinking that I've got some work to do & that maybe I should look for a local store to sell some of my stuff.....dont'cha think?
I can't believe that I'm posting this.......I have no shame.
Hey I think most thrifters are going to have an overflow of stuff. I have things waiting to be put on etsy, things that are in boxes waiting to be purchased on etsy, things to clean, things to redo. It all adds up. I want to try to sell some larger items on etsy, but haven't figured out how to ship those items yet. good luck with your etsy shop.
ReplyDeleteKaren G
Same scenario here - packed garage, stuff in the works, wanting (needing) to sell some stuff to make room, picking more stuff up anyway! Good luck with your shop - going to check it out and SweetGirlCrafting too. -Jill
ReplyDeleteYou know you're not alone, right? we're all right there with you!
ReplyDelete:)
That dresser looks a LOT like Mammaw's dresser, don't you think?
Good luck, don't let your stuff "weigh" ya down.
gail