Comments for Honey, let's go shopping at the dump!

Honey, let's go shopping at the dump!

2009-11-18T23:34:35Z

One thing I truly never thought I would hear myself say with such unrestrained enthusiasm was, "Honey, let's go shopping at the dump!"

But that's only because I never knew a dump could be such a treasure trove. Filled with discarded tables, chairs, clothes, garden tools, skis, kitchen appliances, dishes and games. I simply never expected a place like "The Exchange" at the Orcas Island dump.

Okay, I know... enough about furniture already. But I had to show you the dump on Orcas Island. Aren't you glad?

Sunday we hopped the inter-island ferry and met LITTOF reader, Ron, at the Orcas Island dump where they have the coolest thing called "The Exchange." It's all about encouraging people to reuse instead of tossing it away. It's very 'one man's trash is another man's treasure' experience. Basically you look through the stuff and if you see something you like, you offer a price.

The trip to the dump ended up being quite fortuitous. We found a table suitable for the dining room. Finally. Only one hitch: it has a broken leg. We got it anyway. Figured it was an opportunity to prove our handiness. Ron graciously invited us to his house "up the mountain" to use his wood shop to fix the leg. He was so incredibly gracious and helpful. Thanks again, Ron! By the way, the view from Ron's house is simply, wow. Wow. Orcas is a sight to behold. So rugged and beautiful. We will definitely get back there to do some more exploring.

Now that we have a dining room table that will at least work for our early Thanksgiving this week, we're mostly done with the furniture hunt. We still need some sort of clothing storage and maybe a few more chairs. And a floor lamp. But this place is really starting to look and feel like home.

So, did you look at the pictures in the slideshow? What do you think?

Have you ever seen a dump like this?
What would you have taken home with you?
I think the baby chandelier deserves a name. Any suggestions?

Comment from bluepacifica on 2009-11-19

2009-11-19T20:35:19Z

Wow! That's some dump. We need something like that here. They've been discussing it.

Comment from Ted Seeber on 2009-11-19

2009-11-19T21:44:37Z

My parents used to have the remains of a dump like this on their farm. I think there's an old rusting Model T still in the creek- we used to mine it for glassware.

50 years ago, every small town in the Pacific Northwest had a place like this- now there are very few, but the ones that exist are doing good business. I even know of one near Salem, OR that gives you 1:1 credit by weight for participating in the "reusables" section: before you weigh in, you take off your load anything for the useable dumpsters, then you dump what's left, then you load up again with anything you can personally reuse, before weighing out and paying the tare.

Comment from Pam Weinert on 2009-11-20

2009-11-20T15:03:33Z

Oh Boy do I want to go to the exchange.I've never used this phrase but here it is it is a TREASURE TROVE!Loved that headboard..could use it for a bookshelf mounted on the wall.And all the games think of all the fun people had playing them. And the skis..what an ad for Rossingol.Those skis could be an interesting piece of art in some way. I love the Green-ness of it all.I'm going to love this place, I feel it in my bones.

Comment from Stephanie Walker on 2009-11-23

2009-11-23T21:09:53Z

Don't worry, Mom. We'll take you to the dump! We can even go to the one on Lopez Island too. That one is known to Lopez Islanders as "Neil's Mall."

And I wish we had a big ol pickup truck to haul more stuff. Because your idea to mount that headboard on a wall as a bookshelf is a brilliant idea!

Comment from Jason4Iowa on 2009-11-24

2009-11-25T03:18:22Z

Yes! the "dump" aka transfer station where we used to live in Connecticut has a "Swap Shack" where you can put the re-useable stuff... a good idea for any locale.

Comment from princessmax on 2009-11-25

2009-11-26T02:36:07Z

Thanks for the memories. I loved working there when I lived on the island. How much fun that Ron sent you to my blog in the comments on your earlier post.

I have definitely added you to my blog reader to learn more about oyur adventure.