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One Man's Junk...

August 17, 2014

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One Man's Junk Is Another Man's Treasure

Growing up one of my mom's favorite sayings was, "One man's junk, is another man's treasure."  Every single time I wanted to throw something away, she would say, "No! We can sell it or donate it to someone...remember, just because we are done with it, doesn't mean that someone else won't find value in it."

I've held on to that thought over the years. It actually made it very difficult for me to toss a few stained tablecloths a couple of weeks ago, but I finally overcame and freed myself of them.

Well, not more than a day later, I received a text, from a girlfriend, asking if said tablecloths had been picked up by the sanitation workers yet.

If not, she was hosting a party for her daughter's birthday and would love to use them. She had already purchased purple overlays, so the stains would be camouflaged and they would really dress up the tables.

The cloths were actually still in my garage, in a bag, neat and tidy. I gave them to my friend and she used them at her absolutely fabulous party ~ the dessert table alone was post worthy!

There was so much food, so artfully displayed that the stains on the cloths were not detectable. At all.

No one would've ever guessed that those white tablecloths were less than perfect and with one hundred people milling around dropping food and making new stains, it was probably best that they weren't!

So thanks to my little blog, those old cloths were pulled from the trash and recycled one more time. I have no idea if my friend kept them or tossed them, but I am glad to know that for at least one day, they became treasure again!

Do you have a favorite trash to treasure piece?


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  1. Boy, you just never know what will appeal to someone else. So glad that turned out well for both of you.

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    1. So funny, isn't it Carol? They say that life is all about timing! If I had tossed them a week earlier or later, they really would've ended up in the landfill!

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  2. Great story, I do understand, I have a hard time with getting rid of things, I do take a ton to goodwill though.

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    1. So funny, Marty, you just never know what will strike a chord with people! :)

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  3. So glad that your tablecloths were utilized for such a happy occasion. I picture them, packed and waiting their fate, in the garage, only to be picked up by loving hands, who depended on them. Lovely story of second chances. Thanks for sharing, Kim!

    Poppy

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    1. Poppy, you have a true talent, creating magic with your words! Only you could romanticize my tablecloths in such a way! Love it!! You need to write a novel my friend!! :)

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  4. Hi Kim,

    So glad that your friend was able to use the tablecloths - one mans junk is another mans treasure, is so true.
    Also loved your nails in the previous post - what fun and thanks for sharing.
    Have a lovely week
    hugs
    Carolyn

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    1. Thanks Carolyn! My girlfriend told me that she plans on making pillow shams out of them now. How great...and I still love my nails! I am sporting a Jamberry French manicure now! Thanks for commenting! :)

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  5. I have a teddy bear that I have had since i was three years old. His arms have been re-seen on several times, and he is battered and scruffy, and I could never part with him.

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    1. Constance, I have a tiger that fits that bill, too. My kids have him now and I love that!

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  6. Hi Kim, so glad that your friend was able to use the tablecloths for her party! Wow that must of made you feel good! Take care and enjoy the week.
    Julie

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    1. It made me feel really good, Julie...both for the tablecloths and to know someone was reading my post!! ;)

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  7. How great those tablecloths had another life! I love finding treasures like that! xo Jen

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    1. Me too, Jen! It made me feel better about tossing them! :)

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  8. I'm glad those tablecloths got a party out of the deal, Kim. :) I don't have a favorite trash to treasure story, but I do have a rather ironic one. A couple of years ago when we lived in Colorado I bought 2 quilted pillow shams at a thrift store for 50 cents each. I had absolutely no use for them, but they were in great shape, and I thought they were just so pretty and well made that I figured I'd find some way to use them. For awhile I used one as a table topper. Fast forward to recent history; we now live in Oregon. We just started attending a home Bible study, and a couple of weeks ago Candy (the wife) asked me if I'd like a tour of their home. Well, when we got to the master bedroom I stared in unbelief at their bed. For there was the quilt that matched my shams! Candy had found the bedspread on sale at Penneys, but there were not shams. Well, of course I went home and dug out the shams from a packing box and gifted them to her. She's thrilled to have matching shams, and now I know why I was supposed to buy those crazy shams that I "absolutely had no use for". Don't you love it? xxx ~ Nancy

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    1. That is a crazy story, Nancy and yes, I do love it!! That is really amazing!! I love those kind of coincidences! I think it's even extra special that you met through a Bible study! :) xxoo

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  9. It is so tough for me to purge and toss and I am well overdo to get it done. My challenge has been that as soon as I toss something I think of a use for it. Happy to hear that your tablecloths found a new home.

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    1. I feel the exact same way, Sandra, so hard for me to let go of anything. I was happy to hear someone could use them....and apparently plans to cut them up and make pillow shams and table runners out of the non-stained parts!! :)

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  10. LOL ! What a perfect example of that old saying! :)

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    1. You're right, Deb! My mom would be so proud! :)

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  11. LoL, isn't that the way it goes everytime. I can hold on to things for a while but after a year if I don't use it then I do sell it or ask around if someone what's it. Then I don't ever feel bad that I got rid of something.

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    1. My husband has the same rule, Vanessa...one year...use it or lose it! :)

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  12. That's wonderful! I love stories like that! I prefer it used too for the same reason. :)

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    1. Hi Su! Thanks so much for the comment. It was a really funny story. You never know what people are going to be into!! ;)

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