I heart secondhand furniture

The last couple of days have been a home decor bonanza. Best of all, I didn't pay retail for any of it.

The bad news is that my husband and I found ourselves the proud owner of a solid cherry entertainment center, purchased at the Salvation Army for the low low price of $70. Why is this bad, you ask? Well, I didn't realize it was solid cherry until we had to move the thing. I thought it was pressboard/veneer. So my husband and I, by ourselves, had to wrestle a six-and-a-half-foot-tall, solid cherry entertainment center into a van, along an icy walk, into the house and up seven steps to the living room. I swear to God that thing weighed at least 700 pounds. It took us 40 minutes just to navigate the seven steps (with a complicated system of blankets and big books), and even then we gouged the steps and the living room floor (since fixed with wood polish). I thought my husband was going to have a stroke. I thought I was going to give myself a hernia. Fortunately, somehow, by the grace of God, we managed to get that thing inside and situated. And we're never moving it again. Next time we move, movers are tackling that thing.

Sore muscles aside, it is a very nice piece of furniture. A little cleaning, polishing, WD-40 on the hinges and tightening of the screws made it practically brand-new. Here it is:

I found lots of other furniture at that Salvation Army. In fact, I found all the rest of the furniture that we needed. A sofa for the fireplace room (which we'll put a slipcover on), a desk and dresser for the guest room, and a cute chair. Also for the fireplace room.

It all needed a good polish, but then, I paid less than $200 for everything.

I was so emboldened by my excellent Salvation Army experience, that I continued my shopping spree at Fiddleheads, the most excellent local furniture consignment shop. I picked up several non-furniture household goodies:

This great old picnic basket,

this big glass beverage dispenser (perfect for sangria at parties),

this big wooden bowl,

and (drum roll please) this Waterford crystal decanter.

I am now the proud owner of a real live Waterford decanter, for $50. Not bad, huh?

(I also got a full set of martini glasses.)

Now that the spending/decorating spree is over, I'm going to take a hot bath and soak my weary muscles.