What is a monkeybox?

When I was a little girl, we had a pet monkey named Amanda. My Dad worked in the produce business, so each night he brought home that days culls in a big box - spotty cucumbers, pithy apples, limp celery, moldy oranges and the like. We called it a monkeybox. It was really just trash, but my Mom would take each piece of fruit and trim it, pare it and cut it up to make a beautiful fruit platter for Amanda. Even though it was deemed trash by one, it still had life left in it and was good for the purpose we needed it. That's how I live my life - thrifting, yard saling, looking for another's trash to be my treasure.

Tuesday, April 15, 2014

A New Old Cabinet

I had a few errands to run today and when I run errands I usually manage to squeeze a thrift store visit in there somehow.  It's not that difficult.  :)

On the way to the thrift, our low tire pressure light came on, so we stopped for some air.  While The Bean was airing up the tire, I decided to check Instagram because I AM ADDICTED.  I scrolled down a couple of posts and saw that Lara was posting photos from the thrift.  I texted if she was still there and she was - I texted her that I would be there in five minutes.  When I walked up to her, she was just sending a text to me that said, "HAHAHAHAHAHAHA" because she thought I was kidding!

She had posted a photo of this old hardware cabinet.

It had a wonderful old turquoise formica top on it, all those graduated cubbies and the nine drawers.  Well, make that eight drawers and one hole.  Lara loved it and debated it, but ended up leaving without it.  I went out to look at it some more and decided that I might buy it.  I looked it over and decided I NEEDED it, so I went in a paid for it.  It is huge, very heavy and has a ton of character.  Most of the drawers are divided into sections inside and have different hardware labels like "screws" and "fittings".  The cubby on the far left is only about six inches deep and the cubby on the right is about 18" deep.  

After I paid for it and made arrangements with The Breadman to pick it up in a couple of hours - I had HUGE, HUGE pangs of guilt for buying it.  Lara had left to feed the kids, but had come back in just as I was leaving.  As I drove down the road I thought, what if she came back for the cabinet and here I went and BOUGHT it out from under her.  Shoot, I finally get a friend and I BLOW IT.  I texted her and she SWEARS that she had passed on it.  She SWEARS that she is happy that I bought it.  Still, I feel a big guilty.  

Having said that.......
Don't you just love it?  It's all chippy and worn in just the right places for years and years of use.  It needs a good cleaning - but not TOO much of a cleaning.  I rearranged the drawers so that the empty spot is in the middle of the middle row, so it is all symmetrical.  I'm going to find either a basket or an old box to put in there so it will be useful too.  Won't it be great for USPS boxes, bubble wrap, packing supplies and craft supplies?  

Oh, I almost forgot - it was $20.00!  What a deal!

*Thank you and I am sorry Lara!*

**I even stole this photo from her Instagram!**

13 comments:

  1. It's an awesome cabinet despite the sneaky way you acquired it! Kidding!! Tons of uses for it but I do love your idea of using it to store packing supplies.

    Erica

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  2. PERFECT 'Wrap-n-Pack' Station!!!! <3

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  3. I am so glad you stole that! It is just the right amount of chippy and well loved.

    Can I tell you that the whole "one cubby is 6" long and the other is 18" long" is freaking me out though. Is there a secret storage compartment taking up the other 12" (18-6=12 I think)?

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  4. Love it and, YES, it would make a perfect packing and shipping station.

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  5. Now don't you feel bad one bit!!! That's what good friends do-she was probably really happy someone "good" got it ;-)
    Please remember to give the Breadman an extra credit point for the pickup :D

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  6. Ooooo! That's awesome! And the most important thing is that someone who will love and appreciate it bought it. :-)

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  7. I love it and for $20 what a deal! I'm sure she thought about you getting it when she passed!!! Good friends are like that!

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  8. What a good price and I would have snatched it up too. Glad she passed on it..you got lucky.

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  9. It is a great piece I am sure she would have let you know if she wanted it.
    Cathy

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  10. That really is awesome! Great idea to use it for a mailing/packaging center. Lara seems like a lovely person and I'm sure she's glad it went to someone who could appreciate it, and I'm sure there will be a time when you find something great but pass it up and she decides to buy it--no hard feelings!

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  11. Love it! Terrific price, too.

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  12. Now let me tell my side of the story: KIDDING! Actually, here is my side of the story: Shara didn't even indicate interest until I had said, three times, that I wasn't going to get it. And then I left. There aren't any more clear signals than that that someone isn't buying something! And yes, I am SO GLAD that you got it -- I needed someone I know to buy it. And you are the perfect person. PLUS you give me so many tips so often, I OWED it to you! So you just stop feeling bad RIGHT NOW!

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