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The Cyberspouse: March, 2006
Frugal Furnishings
It happens at least once in every Foreign Service career: the posting to Washington , DC. News of this career development is met with joy, trepidation, or both! While the Washington area has much to offer, it can also be one of the most expensive cities in which many Foreign Service families will ever live. But, take heart, the Cyberspouse has found that there are as many ways to save money as to spend it in this town!
Some people prefer to live closer in to the city, and are willing to sacrifice square footage in order to do so. Others are willing to commute further in order to have more living space. Whatever your choice, unless you are independently wealthy, it is likely that mortgage or rent payments will take a substantial bite out of your income, leaving limited funds with which to furnish your new home.
But I have furniture, you say! I distinctly remember sending it to storage ten or fifteen years ago! The Cyberspouse is here to tell you to be prepared for a slight reality check when your storage contents are unpacked. Did you really have those utility shelves in your living room? Why on earth did you store that stained carpet? And, oh my, where did this battered sofa come from? Newlywed furniture can be a scary sight when it emerges from hibernation. Then there are the kids you acquired somewhere along the way, who need beds, dressers, bookcases, and so on. Never mind the ethnoplunder that has to go somewhere--preferably not on the utility shelves!
Relax. You have just arrived in one of the best markets for second-hand furniture in the world.
Starting at the top end of the market, you can shop antique stores, flea markets , and consignment shops such as Upscale Resale. Many antiques and near-antiques cost less than new furniture and are made to a higher standard as well. The Cyberspouse bought her massive china cabinet (big enough to store five Foreign Service tours' worth of china and glassware) at a consignment shop for less than half the price that a similar piece would cost new. It is beautiful, unique, and practically bombproof-definitely an "investment piece" at a great price.
Working downward in price, be sure and check out Craig's List, eBay 's local listings (under Search Options you can limit your search to within a certain radius of your ZIP code), the local or community newspaper classified sections, and thrift stores.
When shopping for used furniture, look for well-constructed items made of solid wood with dovetailed drawers, nails instead of staples, solid metal hardware, and sturdy legs. If a piece is missing a drawer pull or knob, just find something to match at the hardware store, or buy a whole new set of hardware. Furniture should sit solidly without wiggling or tipping, and drawers and doors should open and close smoothly. Remember, an ugly or damaged finish is just a finish, and can easily be removed and replaced (a small orbital sander is very helpful.) Painting and distressing furniture is even quicker, and can look very up-to-date-right out of the Pottery Barn catalog, as a matter of fact.
The Cyberspouse furnished much of her new house from Craig's List and the Salvation Army. Some examples: the Cyberhusband stores his clothes in a large, solid 1950s maple dresser that turned out to be very attractive once it was stripped and re-varnished. Total cost: about $110 including supplies. The Cyberson's room is furnished with a sturdy Cargo dresser and bookcase that were purchased for $80 and required just a quick sanding and coat of tung oil to look like new. In the case of the Cyberdaughter's furniture-1960s ultrafeminine off-white wood with gold trim and ceramic drawer pulls at about $50 per piece-we simply gave it all a good cleaning and called it "shabby chic!"
The Cyberson sands his new dresser outside the family's temporary quarters.
Moving downward even further in price, Washington-area yard sales are not to be missed. They are often community events in which people sell items at rock-bottom prices just to get them out from underfoot. The Cyberspouse has found everything from $5 Ikea dressers to a drafting table and desk chair for her cartoonist son's room ($10 for the pair) to a $4 quilt and sham set for her guest bed. Check the Washington Post and Craig's List for yard sale listings, and stick with the wealthier areas of town for the really good stuff. And get started early-prime yard-saling time is between 8 and 10 AM for the best selection (however, if you show up around noon you may be given leftover items for free!)
Finally, be sure and sign up for Freecycle , an email list on which people literally give away everything up to and including the kitchen sink. One man's trash can truly be another man's treasure. The Cyberspouse herself has given away several very serviceable pieces of furniture that just had no place in her new home. While her own takings have mostly been limited to smaller items, she has seen large quantities of furniture change hands on her local group. Baby and child items seem to be offered the most frequently, followed by bookshelves, entertainment centers and beds. (News flash: as this article went to press, the Cyberspouse acquired a Cargo desk for her son's room from a freecycler!)
The quality of the goods does vary; however you would be surprised some of the high-value items that are posted. Here's how it works: go to the Freecycle main site and look up the group closest to your home. Join that group, and start watching for items that you can use to be offered via email. (Tip: due to volume, it's helpful to direct all Freecycle emails to a separate folder in your email program.) It is also acceptable to join the next-closest group as a backup. When you see something you want, write the person offering it a nice note, using complete sentences and punctuation. Etiquette is very much appreciated by Freecyclers. Be very specific about why you want the item and when you can pick it up. Pick up the item promptly, and send a quick email thank-you afterwards. And, of course, Freecycle your own extra stuff to someone else when you can!
Thrift stores, yard sales and Freecycle are also great places to find smaller items for your home. The Cyberspouse has acquired everything from soap dispensers to bed linens and "designer" throw pillows for pennies on the dollar, or for free. Storage items such as CD holders, and plastic tubs can be easily and cheaply acquired as well. The Cyberspouse is also a self-confessed basket freak and is always on the lookout for attractive baskets, to be used for storing magazines, craft supplies, cosmetics, etc.
If you must buy new, check out Ikea for some of the best values in inexpensive furniture that is packed flat and assembled at home. Don't forget to check out the "as-is" section at furniture retailers as well. The Cyberspouse picked up a very good bargain on a floor model leather sofa this way. Never be afraid to ask for a discount on any piece of furniture-you never know when the salesperson might be in the mood to haggle, especially if you are buying more than one item. And then there's always the unfinished furniture store. If you have the time and the space to varnish or paint your own furniture, you can save a bundle on solid oak, maple and pine pieces, many of which are made to order in North Carolina. The Cyberspouse acquired a couple of large oak bookcases for her living room from Bare Woods , for less than half the cost of comparable finished pieces.
The Cyberspouse firmly believes that a Washington DC tour can be a great experience, despite the high cost of living. It really can be fun to live in your own place with your own furniture for a change. The trick is to adapt and take advantage of opportunities such as the booming market in second-hand merchandise. The Cyberspouse is always looking for ways to save money and will provide more information on living frugally in Washington, DC in future columns!
Resources:
Our own Thrift Shops and Consignment Stores page.
http://dc.about.com/od/shopping/a/Antiqueshopping.htm
About.com's guide to antiquing in the Washington DC area.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/style/shopping/thrift/front.htm
The Washington Post's online guide to area thrift and consignment stores. Search for stores in your area, or search by type of merchandise offered for sale.
http://upscaleresale.com/
The DC area's largest furniture consignment shop. Antiques and other used furniture and accessories.
http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/
Craig's List for Washington DC : free online classifieds. Search for furniture or area garage sales. There is also a section for items that are being given away for free.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-adv/merchandise/
The Washington Post Classified section lists merchandise for sale as well as yard and garage sales. Check for yard sale ads on both Friday and Saturday mornings.
http://connectionnewspapers.com/
Don't forget your community newspaper for additional classified ads and yard sale announcements.
http://www.ebay.com/
Online auction site has furniture items listed by Zip code for local pickup.
http://www.satruck.com/FindStore.asp
Enter your zip code to find the Salvation Army nearest you. (The Cyberspouse is fond of the Annandale and Herndon locations.)
http://www.freecycle.org/
Join your local group (find Virginia groups under Southeast and District of Columbia and Maryland groups under Northeast, for some reason.)
The Cyberspouse is contributed by Kelly Bembry Midura, website designer, freelance writer, stay-at-home parent, and veteran Foreign Service Spouse. She is currently working on a book about frugal living for families in the Washington, DC area. Click here to read more "Cyberspouse" columns. Email Kelly at kelly@aafsw.org.