Craigslist bed saga, part two.
This is part two of the bed story. Part one is here. It contains important plot elements like sawing the mattress and other modifications for making a full-size antique bed fit a queen-size mattress.
Normally I do not like roadtrips. (Or any sort of unnecessary-leaving-of-the-house.) But it was a Sunday shortly before Christmas and it was actually really nice to randomly cut life. Plus, for $300 and some driving, this was CLEARLY our bed.
I felt so strongly about it, that I was able to suspend my anxiety about traveling MANY hours to buy something off of Craigslist that I had not seen in person.
My experience with Craigslist is that about 50% of the time, you are going to be surprised. Not necessarily in a bad way. After all, I once responded to a Craigslist ad that contained no photo, no description, no anything… and ended up finding a kingdom, under a tarp, in an alley.
That was surprising.
But it is equally possible that your surprise will not be pleasant… Like the time I went to look at an antique bookcase and when the guy let me in, I was struck by the fact that he had not one, but NINE mounted deer heads in his living room.
I am not sure exactly where the line for how many dismembered-decapitated-corpse-pieces is normal to hang on your wall… But I am pretty sure nine crosses it. (Since I definitely wanted the bookcase, I acted like I thought it was totally fine.)
Essentially with Craigslist, YOU CAN NEVER TELL.
Anything is possible. Maybe the item is not as advertised. Maybe the person selling it does not even know they misrepresented it.
So with this bed, I had to be sure that he would take significantly less– $300. Not because I thought $600 was a bad price… but because I could not risk driving all that way to discover something horribly disappointing.
Even though I asked all the questions and had plenty of pictures to look at…this is Craigslist we are dealing with. People are unpredictable. Even when they don’t intend to be.
$300 was the price at which no matter what happened, I would be happy. If nothing else, I could cut the fancy part off of the bed and wear it as a necklace.
So how did I do? I would say about half and half.
When we got there, it was apparent that there were some things that had NOT been disclosed… However, YOU CAN SEE THE HEADBOARD. And it was even better than I hoped.
I did ask specifically if there was anything I would be surprised by; and whether the guy deliberately omitted these details or just didn’t notice, I really don’t know. There was a full break in one of the curved pieces of the footboard, a crack in the lower third of the headboard (not visible once the mattress is in), and some places where the veneer is alligatoring– which I expected to some extent.
There was nothing remotely shady about the guy selling it and I am inclined to believe his oversights were genuine. But any faith I had in my own ability to judge human nature was annihilated back when I wired money to a scammer, and then gave him extra for being such a good person… So I really can’t say for sure.
When I noticed the break in the base of the footboard, the guy said that if he had seen it, he would have repaired it. Which I believe because he started explaining to Paul how all he needed was some wood glue and clamps. He even offered to GIVE Paul clamps. (Which as previously discussed, is not necessary since our garage is essentially a clamp-silo.)
Anyway, I did not even care about any of these things. To me they were nonexistent in comparison to what we were getting. My only anxiety was that Paul would be irritated.
I whispered – Are you mad?
Paul said – it’s fine. You only buy broken things. This is exactly what I was expecting… The real question is – are you okay with this?
I said – are you kidding? I love it. I want to hug it right now.
*Sidebar: what is this place? It’s the guys garage/workshop/storage area. He had some other antique stuff. And a lot of junk. I did ask him if he was selling anything else and he said no, so I am not sure exactly what he does with all that stuff.
Now we get to the part involving rain.
We had known the headboard would not fit in the van and would need to be tied to the roof… A mode of transport that always makes me nervous because I am never tying something up there that is not a visual representation of my soul.
Usually it’s a short trip, and I can chant the magic spell – I hope it’s fine, I hope it’s fine, I hope it’s fine… But I had not factored in an entirely different weather pattern. And by the time we got there, it was raining.
Since there was no coming back tomorrow, we went and bought a large plastic tarp and a roll of tape. Did this seem sufficient? No it did not. Did I have a better idea? No I did not.
You probably know that feeling where you can SEE that this is not the best way to do something but are at a total loss for any other option, thus, you must embrace it.
I actually like getting to that point – if life could offer me only one option for everything, I would save so much time.
Now is the part of any project where I ask Paul two questions repeatedly:
1 –are you excited?
2–are you sure this is a good idea?
He has to say yes to both, otherwise there will be FAR MORE questions and no one wants that.
February 4, 2014 @ 11:40 am
I once trucked an antique iron bed frame from Lake Tahoe to Centerville Ohio on the roof of a 74′ Vega. In the past 40 years it has never served as anything more than a little used guest bed.
It now is used more frequently for a place to pile things…
However I love it and the memories associated with it with all my heart and have never regretted the move for a nano second.
“The heart wont love what the eyes can’t see” -But once you see it… watch out!
February 4, 2014 @ 11:43 am
Craigslist is my go-to place for antique furniture, well that and eBay and antique stores! I just got a beautiful antique oak drop-front desk via Craigslist on Saturday. It was definitely worth the 200 mile roundtrip drive to get it. Our bed is Louis XVI from France with the most beautiful carvings on the headboard and it accommodates a queens size mattress nicely. It is amazing wht you can can find on Craigslist in the middle of the night when you can’t sleep and decide to go “shopping.”
February 4, 2014 @ 11:48 am
You KILL me with your pursuits and passions: gilded, over-sized or aging objects; Paul; best friends – not necessarily in that order. Praying you find more on Craigslist, so you can write more! Plus, the comments and “commenters” above are just another bonus. This crowd is too funny!
Andrea
February 4, 2014 @ 12:12 pm
Well, I’m on pins and needles for the next episode! You left us with a real cliffhanger 😉
When I found my Craigslist holy grail – the many-tufted leather Chesterfield to end all Chesterfields – it involved a bidding war, a six hour round trip, and torrential rain from a hurricane. (http://www.thegatheredhome.com/2013/06/found-vintage-leather-chesterfield.html) There was a wide swath of wild windy downpour covering the Dallas Fort Worth area – we drove through it on the way there, and then chased it all the way home. Thank goodness it was moving fast enough that we never quite ended up in the thick of it again! There was some drizzle, but what can I say – my sofa has earned every inch of its patina. And obviously the “I hope it’s fine, I hope it’s fine” incantation known to all crazy all-weather Craigslisters worked 😉
February 4, 2014 @ 12:26 pm
We have gone on such far flung Craigslist adventures that we were actually compelled to buy t-shirts at our destination point as souvenirs to commemorate our trip. T-shirts and regional craft beer (Handsome Husband bait).
Disneyland Shmisneyland.
It’s also a good excuse to buy “car food”. We stop at a gas station on our way out and load up on cellophane wrapped, preservative-laden delicacies. It’s important, because the only thing that keeps us awake on the trip back are bathroom breaks and the crinkle of the potato chip bags. A necessary part of our survival.
We are usually too tired to unpack when we get home, so we wander out the next morning with our junk food hangovers and admire with awe the splendor the wonder that is Craigslist.
Did you see the ginormous gilded mirror I found for free on Craigslist a few weeks back? I may even get a t-shirt to commemorate that, even though it was only 20 minutes away!
So, are you going to sleep in your bed or use it as a shrine?
Don’t make us wait too long!
I hear the call of the open road. A side table in St. Louis beckons to me…
xo
Andie
February 4, 2014 @ 7:03 pm
I didn’t see the mirror! Post a picture! Your post was very entertaining.
February 5, 2014 @ 8:59 am
Andie is the only person I would ceed my throne of craigslist-domination to. She puts me to shame.
http://divinetheatre.blogspot.com/2014/01/try-to-quit-you.html
February 6, 2014 @ 9:15 pm
Looks like Victoria already gave you the link! I will be creating an entire post around the mirror soon…as well as a national holiday.
xo
Andie
February 5, 2014 @ 9:00 am
You and I NEED to start a T-shirt line.
February 6, 2014 @ 9:16 pm
Craigslist Whisperer…
That’s my idea. You?
I’m in!
xo
Andie
February 4, 2014 @ 1:51 pm
Where have you been all my life? Am new to your blog and so happy!
Fancy Girl, you crack me up.
Your fans and commenters are hilariously nutty too. (In the best way possible!) More please!!!
February 4, 2014 @ 2:05 pm
I am in love with Paul!!!!
February 4, 2014 @ 2:10 pm
Yes! A necklace! What more needs to be said?
February 4, 2014 @ 2:17 pm
I love it. Reminds me of my days of curbside shopping. Before craigslist, people just sat things out by the curb for trash pick-up. (Or had yard sales.) I was usually alone, and mastered, quite well, the art of lift, scoot, slide, repeat, to get whatever treasure it was, up onto the bed of my truck. Onto, because lots of times, things didn’t fit IN the bed of the truck! I carried tarps, rope and bungee cords for just that purpose. I have the top of a handmade china cabinet that the previous owners attached antique doors to the front. I have the GIANT glass door hutch-type top to another china cabinet, (more primitive American, I guess.) Put the former top on a vintage 50s dresser…it looks and works great! Still looking for the right “bottom” for the latter. I found an epic carved wood and upholstery headboard, numerous dining tables, most of which I have given to family. Last great find was, albeit a reproduction, a fabulous Victorian 3-ringed back HUGE sofa. Needs a small wood repair to the carved wood scallop, and reupholstering. Found a period piece two tiered dresser, the previously mentioned vintage dresser, a giant nightstand, two wing back Queen Anne chairs, two barrel type slipper chairs, 4 curvy metal “ice cream” style vanity stools, and so much more I can’t even think straight! I would be content to get a job at a thrift store, just so I had the privilege of sorting through everything!
February 4, 2014 @ 2:36 pm
I cannot wait for part 3!!!! I have a bed that is remarkably similar to that one (It also has a huge vanity w/full length mirror attached) and I also want to make it fit a queen size bed! Mine has a tall footboard so I had to put an extra mattress on top to let my feet hang over otherwise it is too short and I had to sleep in it diagonally. Strangely it is too wide for a full mattress so I think it will fit a queen that way, but I need to make it longer.
Love love love LOVE your blog!
February 4, 2014 @ 5:07 pm
I seriously LOL’d at “sleeping diagonally” to accommodate your bed.
I have soooo been there.
Andie
February 4, 2014 @ 7:01 pm
Sleep diagonally?! Now that, my dear, is dedication.
February 4, 2014 @ 3:41 pm
I never doubted that you would own that bed!!
February 4, 2014 @ 3:55 pm
Your writing is exquisite and your honesty is refreshing.
Your husband is a saint and I am glad that I am not him because I am not a saint. Well, my girls say I am so maybe I am.
Thankfully Craigs List was not around when we first married. Thus our love of auctions.
Brian
February 4, 2014 @ 4:41 pm
You so need a larger van 🙂 I can hear Paul saying, “Shhhhhh, no we don’t, no we don’t.”
February 4, 2014 @ 6:40 pm
Paul needs to find a shiny new truck parked outside next Christmas! We actually moved 3 complete rooms of furnitue from IN to GA in a mini van & small Nissan pickup, with a nearly new mattress & box spring tied on top of the van. We looked like the Beverly Hillbillies, but it wasn’t worth $600+ to rent a truck to move our son’s $400 worth of possessions. It was like solving a large scale Rubik’s Cube, with me directing the moves–take this out, put this there, stack this on top . . . Fun times–what memories are made of! 😉
February 4, 2014 @ 6:59 pm
Oh Victoria, you need to road trip to Wisconsin! I was just at an auction selling the items from a closed antique store, and all the fancy Victorian beds and dressers sold really low. People just don’t appreciate FANCY like they used to! Thanks for your wonderful blog, my husband and I always get a good laugh out of it…because we have definitely been there, done that!
February 4, 2014 @ 9:00 pm
I see I’m not the only crazy one (okay, your readers are bunches more crazy than me). But I did buy a mahogany corner cabinet in near perfect condition for $100 at an auction in southern Oregon. Did I mention we live in Seattle? Eight hours away? But we were with another couple and we were planning on getting a U haul together for all their auction items. Except they didn’t buy ANYTHING! Lucky for us we had a convertible. Lucky for us it was summer. Lucky for us it was sunny (when we started). We turned the corner cabinet upside down and backwards and started for home. It didn’t start raining until we crossed the border into Washington State. And rained all the rest of the way home. Lucky for us, at freeway speeds, the rain was blown off as fast as it fell. Until we exited the freeway.
But it was a really good deal. And I also bought two fabulous vintage quilts (just a little coated with 40 years of dust).
February 4, 2014 @ 9:26 pm
My husband is 20 yrs older than me, conservative, not very tolerant of my…crazy. I have to do crazy on the low down, but sometimes he gets sucked in. So jealous of your enabling husband. I do have a dear friend that will tolerate about anything with me and life while doing it. God love her. Love your stuff. Deb
February 4, 2014 @ 10:40 pm
You have really found a treasure. It looks a lot like the antique beds that you see in Natchez, MS and southen Louisiana plantation homes. It looks like it was made in the manner of Prudent Mallard, with it’s crest centering a cabachon (goose-egg-looking-thing). Can’t wait to see the final pictures.
Deborah
February 5, 2014 @ 8:48 am
Thank you for that name! Googling it returned some really extraordinary furniture.
February 4, 2014 @ 11:59 pm
I knew it! I knew that you would make it yours! What a great adventure and risk-taking good spirit you have. Now show us your bed in your real room! I can’t wait!!!
February 5, 2014 @ 2:30 am
part three! i’m dying to see!
February 5, 2014 @ 9:45 am
“You only buy broken things”- this is me too. Why do I love broken things so much?! I told my husband that likes only new things that I’ll never live in a new house.