Craigslist Snob
I love Craigslist. LOVE Craigslist. If I ever meet Craig Newmark, in the flesh, I plan on giving him a big smooch on the top of his shiny, bald, programmer-geek head.
(p.s. Craig! I used to live near Morristown when you were in high school! I was four when you were eighteen, but, whatever. We still could have been friends!)
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Why do I love Craigslist?
Before Craigslist existed, I would spend hours trolling the alleys of Chicago looking for unwanted furniture. It's common knowledge that if you want to get rid of something, you can place it behind your garage in the alley and it will be gone before the end of the day. This may or may not include Christmas trees and dead gangsters. No questions asked.
Now, I spend hours on the internet looking for things that used to be put in alleys or in secondhand shops. Thanks to Craig Newmark, I can be the junkhound that I was born to be from the comfort of my desk chair with a glass of chardonnay in my hand. This is soooooooo much better than dragging an oak side table out of a dumpster at 7 am in the morning and trying to fit it into my car. While on the way to work. Wearing heels and a skirt. What can I say? I'm dedicated.
However, because of the enormous amount of stuff that flows through Chicago's Craigslist site, I have become a Craigslist snob. I didn't set out to be one. But, because of a lack of free time, I seem to have developed these, um, rules. Rules for what is worth my time and what is not. I wasn't really conscious of the fact that I had developed these rules until last night when I was trying to track down a new dining room table. I caught myself applying these rules to the Craigslist ads scrolling by on my monitor. Here are some of them:
- I do not want anything that is described as "sharp". Somehow, in my head, the word sharp is equal to the '80's and Miami VIce and chrome furniture. I blow right by anything advertised as "sharp".
- Anything advertised as "themed". As in "ceramic fished THEMED wastebasket." I don't know why. I am not a "themed" person.
- Anything without a photo.
- Anything combined with a hypen and the word "like". "Leather-like chair", "wood-like table". No.
- Anything combined with a hypen and the word "style". "Stickley-style wastebasket", "Bauhaus-style can opener". Um, what? Also, see "like".
- Anything from IKEA, ESPECIALLY if it is listed for more than $5. Because that is the most anyone should pay for something USED from IKEA.
- Anything with these words in the title of the post: swivel, futon, papasan, chenille, waterbed, lacquer, Sauder, mattress, contemporary, dinette, maroon, mirrored, microsuede, La-Z-Boy.
I don't know where these rules come from. Where DO they come from? I'm sure that a lacquer, Sauder futon with a chenille mattress cover and matching swivel papasan chair deserves a second chance at a new life, too.
I have a feeling that it has something to do with my generation. I grew up in the suburbs in the 1970's. I went to high school and college in the 1980's. Is there something in my past that I'm running from? Perhaps a wood-like, jungle-themed, contemporary dinette set? Or a maroon, microsuede La-Z-Boy?
I don't know the answer to that. These are just the things that keep me awake at night. Do we reject the decor of our parents for a reason? And covet the decor of our grandparents? Or great grandparents?
Will antique stores be filled with IKEA cast-offs someday?
What do you think?
(And, Craig. You can chime in at any time.)
p.p.s. If anyone finds a Shaker, primitive harvest table in a Chicago alley, call me. Me want.
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Comments
I am a Craig's List snob, too. There are a lot of words I run from, especially if mis-spelled: "amoir" without the "e" or "wodden" anything. "Whicker" doesn't get a second glance. I agree that lacquer furniture is so very over and I wouldn't even donate it to a thrift store.
My goal is to furnish my house with Craig's List finds, and I sell my old stuff I don't want to make room. Nothing like a fresh start on the cheap. And I walk on a cloud for a week after finding cool stuff, especially if underpriced. Nothing from Ikea, I've been finding handmade pieces that came out of farmhouses and stuff like that.
My rules are that I wouldn't buy anything upholstered (sofa, mattress, etc.) or a rug because, um, "ewww" but I have been looking for a shaker style ladderback armchair with a woven rush seat. Anyone have one of those??!
Posted by: Sooz | April 29, 2008 3:29 PM
I too have some pretty harsh CL rules.
If you are too lazy to post a pic, then I'm too lazy to open your post.
List a price. None of this BO crap. Decide what you want and ask for it.
No IKEA. Goes w/o saying. I won't even buy it new.
List your email address. It creeps me out to call someone I don't know right off - caller id and all.
Don't tell me that your unrestored vintage stove can be sold for $5,000...just cuz pristine, fully restored stoves are selling for a bajillion online in CA.
Lol...I clearly need to take a break from CL :-)
Posted by: stuccohouse | April 29, 2008 3:43 PM
OMG, I'm a Craigslist addict! I probably check it at least 3 times a day! But I wouldn't call your rules "snobby" by any means. I think rules are just part of the natural progression for an avid Craigslister. Otherwise we'd all end up like your home's former residents! :p
Posted by: mitzi | April 29, 2008 4:04 PM
I think we make these strict rules, because we CAN. There are so many great deals on Craiglist, why settle for anything less?
The only attribute you really need for successful craigslist shopping is patience.
Why pay $50 for a dog, if you can get it free?
Why pay $300 for 7 sheep, when someone is willing to give them away? But sometimes it takes time.
About the pics... who wants to drive for 45 minutes, just to find out that armoir looks like it came straight from the dumpster.
Of course, there is still a risk. The other day we drove 2.5 hours !!! to look at a car. It was false-advertised, so we waisted $60 and a whole day. I guess you can't always win
Posted by: Jessica | April 29, 2008 4:28 PM
UPSCALE. That's the word that makes me giggle...the minute you see "upscale" you know it's a total piece of crap.
Posted by: iloveupstate | April 29, 2008 4:43 PM
Hey, thanks, much appreciated!
Rubbing my head for luck, probably enough.
Craig
craig@craigslist.org
Posted by: Craig Newmark | April 29, 2008 5:43 PM
OMG, Craig commented! Anyhow, I always search with keywords to try and limit the dreck. "Quartersawn," "tiger oak," "sideboard," and/or "buffet," or "Room & Board" really helps narrow things down.
Posted by: Carol | April 29, 2008 5:59 PM
Jeanne, I'll send you over lip gloss. You may have some kissing to do...
Posted by: jenni | April 29, 2008 8:15 PM
Oh, hi Craig! If that really is you, just know that you are worshiped by former dumpster divers (or, as we prefer "salvaged goods conneseuirs") everywhere. And that CL is doing all sorts of good keeping perfectly good items out of landfills and, for that, we thank you.
I would happily rub your head for luck, but I think that actually should be rub your belly for luck, yes? Like Buddha? Should I shut up now? Yes, that is probably wise.
And. If this isn't Craig but my husband or my pal, Ken Jones, one of you will feel the wrath of my Fein MultiMaster.
Posted by: jm | April 29, 2008 8:25 PM
I, too, LOVE Craigslist. LOVE it. It's so much nicer to search people's dumpsters from the comfort of my own couch...
Posted by: Jennifer | April 29, 2008 9:13 PM
um...you just posted a map of our niehgborhood. how strange.
*has a 1:00 p.m. appt in morristown today*
Posted by: leah | April 30, 2008 8:58 AM
Leah--Small world!
Signed,
Proud graduate of Stony Brook Elementary Kindergarten Class of '72.
Posted by: jm | April 30, 2008 9:10 AM
oh girl, i am so a craigs list junkie (atlanta). i've sold and bought so many things on there it's ridiculous. i even sold a bunch of my grandmother-in-law's stuff on their last week...maybe i should open up my own shop or something. haha!
(by the way, your living room looks FANTASTIC. i am SO envious!)
natalie
Posted by: natalie | April 30, 2008 10:16 AM
Thought you might be interested in this article from the Globe and Mail (Toronto, Canada).."Craigs Crime Scene"
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080501.wlcraigscrooks01/BNStory/PersonalTech/
Craigslist is being used for more than just finding furniture these days...
Posted by: beverley | May 2, 2008 8:34 AM
So, I'm a bit new to Craigslist - although I've bought and sold things on it, I'm not a "serial looker" yet.
However, why do people not reduce their price from 8 gazillion when it doesn't sell for 2 months! :)
However, all you crazy Craigslist people...I'm looking for good midcentury finds, so if you're going to reject it (esp you victorian homeowners) shoot me an email! :)
Posted by: Mary-Frances Main | May 4, 2008 8:30 AM
I love, love Craigslist--I advertised free bushes to whoever wanted to come dig them out of my yard. A week later, 14 or so overgrown yew shrubs were gone, and I didn't have to lift a shovel!
Posted by: Joanne | May 6, 2008 2:01 AM
On the other hand, freecycle is good if you want to get rid of stuff. You just need to develop freecycle snob rules to recognize the people who aren't going to show up.
And even in my isolated rural area, stuff left out may disappear if you're lucky.
Posted by: trudy | May 6, 2008 7:09 AM
If you use Firefox, get the "Craigslist Image Preview" extension. It is an add-on for the browser. It loads all the pictures as thumbnails in the search results page so you don't have to open each post. When you hover over the thumbnail a full-size pic appears. Saves a lot of time!
Posted by: davidLBC | May 6, 2008 4:04 PM