Green Furnishing My New Pad
By Jenn (TinyChoices.com) | November 9, 2011
I’m about to move into a new apartment, and while it comes partially furnished there are things I’m going to need to buy to make it my cozy home.
At the top of the list are the items needed for basic survival- such as, a coffee pot! -and a mattress to replace the thin piece of cardboard which the landlord called my “bed.” Other nice-to-haves are decorative, less essential items: hanging lanterns, floor rugs, and pillows for the sofa.
And as I’m thinking about how to acquire these items, of course my thoughts turn first to buying as much as I can second-hand, which for me is way preferable than going shopping in a retail store which I try to avoid at all costs- because buying new is more expensive and less green than buying pre-loved items, and because shopping gives me hives.
So I’m scouring the local listings for garage sales in my ‘hood, which happen every weekend are are (as to be expected) hit or miss. I’ve found some amazing things at amazing prices in the past, and other times I’m incredulous that people can actually put such pure junk out for sale, and mean it. But after scores like two wool blankets for $5 and a DVD player for $10, I’m a believer!
Now, even I have limits with the “buying used” thing — while I’m all about clothing swaps and scouting out used goods, I’m thinking specifically about my desire to switch out that sad mattress with a real one, and am deeply unsure about buying a used mattress. Firstly, you can’t clean a mattress, and secondly, who knows what may be living deep inside it which I’m then inviting into my home? It doesn’t seem like a benign item to buy second-hand, if one doesn’t know the personal habits of the original owner.
So I guess I have limits to my green decisions, and I’m wondering if you do, too- are you so hardcore green that there’s nothing you wouldn’t buy used, or do you have an internal cut-off valve, too?
[Image by Steve via Creative Commons]
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my mattress i had for years came from Catholic Charities, and i tried not to think bad things about the mattress, so when i moved, i knew i HAD to buy a new bed, the old springs were shot, also, and i am so happy i made that move, it was important to me, actually slept on the floor for a couple of weeks before the bed came, much to my landlady’s horror!!!
i used to be all about used furniture and would get chairs and tables off the street and from thrift stores etc. but now that i am in an apartment with bed bugs, i eye all used things with suspicion. i definitely wouldn’t trust a used mattress like a would have in the past.
Don’t worry about getting a new mattress. Buy yourself the best one you can and plan on using it for it’s entire life. Getting a new one and keeping it, is better than getting a used one and worring about it and then getting rid of it in a short period of time because it now really worn out. Some things are really personal and need to be new or at least from someone you know so that you have its history.
I also used to be a big time furniture scavenger but am too worried about bed bugs these days. I don’t think I would consider a used mattress.
Buy the mattress new. Spend as much time as possible on it to maximize the return on the materials used!
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