So you want to be a 'picker'?
Imagine the ultimate treasure hunt and you'll begin to understand the enourmous appeal of being a 'picker'. Day after day, at different sites across the country, tables and shelves are piled high with odds and ends of all descriptions: boxes of doorknobs, stuffed bear heads, tangles of Christmas lights, beautiful linens and fabrics and so much more. Heck, yesterday I even found a Magic 8 Ball. If you don't spot the prize among the pickings, someone else will.
The continued popularity of 'picking' seems to be due to recent home-design trends of recycling, reusing and reinventing objects that span centuries. Trendy reality TV series that follow professional pickers through the back bush in search of antique gems and game shows featuring flea market hunts for secondhand items that can be flipped for profit are certainly helping this craze.
But why such a craze? Why suddenly are we all SO interested in someone else's junk?
Simple. Few retail sources offer as wide an array of unique furniture and accessories for your home - representing all eras and interests - as flea markets, thrift stores and garage sales.
And besides - that deep urge to uncover unique items, especially at bargain prices, is exhilarating! Let's be honest....who hasn't gotten a glint in their eye when they spot a busy yard sale while driving home from the grocery store on a Saturday afternoon? Or even better - that lovely French Provincial coffee table someone was so silly to throw to the curb. Stop the car! Spotting a prize amongst a jumble of junk is almost like winning the jackpot in the lottery! Well, not exactly - but it's pretty darn close!
The most common question I get asked at reFIND is 'Where on earth do you find all this stuff?' Of course, I'm not going to disclose my exact sources, but I usually answer this very vaguely - EVERYWHERE!
From yard sales, thrift shops, country auctions to online buy & sell sites - people are ridding themselves of clutter left and right - and right into the hands of a new owner who will find just the right home for their re-found piece. Whatever the setting, any offering of formerly owned objects is likely to provide an exciting variety of pieces - bewildering to the beginner, exciting to the expert. Any attractive and functional object can be given a variety of new uses - it can be cleaned, sanded, refinished, restored and totally reinvented.
Unlike the orderly rows of branded products in a retail store, the chaos that's found in second-hand stores and flea markets is the appeal. Look to the sides, behind the counters, under the tables & shelves. Visualize how an item will look out of its current crowded and un-staged setting. Imagine an old cream can filled with sticks & pussy willows beside a wood burning fireplace in the den. Could a fresh coat of paint bring that dresser back to life? An open mind and a little imagination and you'll be able to see the possibilities in any given piece.
So think outside the 'big-box' stores and opt for a more budget-conscious and one-of-a-kind home decor style. Devote a Sunday afternoon to saunter through a bustling flea market or second-hand store (like reFIND Salvage ;) ) to find that unique item that will make your home a little less like everyone else's. Feel the sense of nostalgia that it imparts.
Perhaps you'll uncover a great 'find' of your own.
Cheers,
Mandy
