They love finding things that are unique and have interesting backstories, and this is a trait they passed down to me, unlike my siblings. Daddy-daughter time was usually spent taking trips to the dump to see what goodies we could find. My mom and I spent our time together at thrift stores and estate sales finding the most incredible clothing, furniture, and decor. This was my everyday life growing up, and I loved it; I spent my time reupholstering chairs and sewing clothes, addicted to finding treasures that people were just throwing away. It always felt so useless, people throwing perfectly good stuff straight into a landfill, and grabbing just one good bench to put in our garden made me feel like I was doing something good for everyone.
It seems like a fairly practical hobby nowadays, saving money, learning skills, and helping the environment, but now I can’t stop. It’s almost hoarder-like on occasion, definitely a hyper fixation, and certainly taking up all my space. I have a conglomeration of stuff piled, well, everywhere. I tell myself, “you’ll want this later for when you have your own house,” but we all know how that goes. My parents have gotten so good at finding treasures that they made a business out of it; they have acquired a collection that attracts interior designers, builders, and even movie set designers.
I definitely had a phase of being embarrassed by my family’s hobby, but I appreciate it now more than ever. I have learned so much over the years, especially the value of so-called-trash, and I have realized that one man’s trash is usually my treasure.
This is so interesting & I loved reading this!! You said the collection attracts the attention of movie set designers? I'd love to know more about that! Also, I definitely relate to the thrift store and estate sale obsession; the things other people throw away can be so beautiful and I love pieces that come with a story, even if it's a mystery. Plus, this hobby is so sustainable!
ReplyDeleteThanks Callen! My mom will sell or rent out props to set designers! She has sold stuff to Stranger Things and has also rented stuff to Marvel and Starz. It's definitely a really cool aspect of her job!
DeleteI love your take on something that has become such a "trendy" hobby nowadays! That's so cool that your parents instilled this in you at such a young age. I'd love to hear about some of your tips for finding the best pieces, maybe it's just luck, but you clearly have a knack for it! As Callen said above, I would love to hear more about how your parents turned this into a business as well!
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed reading this as well, my family did something similar growing up and I was always embarrassed but now it feels more like treasure. Finding something odd and unique is always a special feeling. Also, its so cool that movie designers are attracted to your parents collection, I would also love to hear more about that!
ReplyDeleteNatalie, I think your classmates are fans of this post! And it's a great story! There's a gift to finding discarded things one can use or make new again, and it's cool your parents found a way to profit from that. Very cool too that they passed their love of old things along to you too!
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