Ikea, Eat Your Heart Out

I have been blessed with the good fortune of finding that which nobody else can find. Thrown out treasure! Southern California is very unique to me since I arrived several years ago. I have lived many places and I have to say Los Angeles is the best place I've seen to finding free stuff. Furniture, TV's, Computer monitors, Computers, appliances, various lamps, etc etc, there is a plethora of interesting and unique items out there that people place out to the curb. And I find it.

This "Curb Shopping" as I like to call it has granted me many many things! All you need is a good pair of walking shoes, a good eye for the absolutely awesome catch and the luck to be the first to see it. In my time wandering the streets of LA I have come across the most wonderful things. My whole apartment has been furnished this way. And its totally free! If you wanna go to Ikea and buy a bookcase and put it together yourself and have to pay $100 or more be my guest. But trust me there are treasures out there. They just need a little work to find. I find that the best way to go about this is to walk around your neighborhood. Have a folding dolly with you that you can easily carry your prize away!

The prime times to find items are the last days of the month and early in the 1st day of the months morning. People usually move in/out of apts these days and neighborhoods with high concentrations of apts have quick turnover rates especially near a community college or a University. Because of this frequency in moving there are always nice things that people set out curbside. Thats where I come in. Early morning is preferable because come 8am someone else is going to see that thing that you saw at 6am headed to work but didnt have time to stop and check it out. You must seize the opportunity. You don't know how many times I've walked by something and said I'll get it later or tomorrow, and when I returned it would be gone! But also remember the golden rule of curb shopping.

Low expectations. If you see a shag carpet that looks awesome, chances are when you unroll it someone who had bad chinese buffet took an emergency diarrhea session in it. True story. Don't believe that you'll find a flatscreen LCD TV that the only problem with it is that its constantly stuck on the french subtitle setting. Chances are you'll find a coat rack missing a leg. A nice chair needing some upholstery. Or a radiator electric heater with a broken handle. Don't limit yourself to the curb! Frees free I always say. Your local library might be getting rid of unwanted donated material. I got a whole Encyclopaedia Britanica set for free.

Ill be updating this blog everytime I find something new, Just to show you how easy it is and how fun it can be. And Hey! Free stuff!!!

Today I found on my way to work a beautiful set of lamps! Red mixed with green, minor scraches, small dent, and damage to the cord. But other thatn that they look like almost new!