sst-a's Profile

I agree with macgee. This is my third post on this topic - please bring back the old format and give me more than three picks a day from my region.

And please mix it up - way too much mid-century modern, way too many wasted picks of items that are very common and easy to find. I want to see the wild, wonderful, wonky, unique stuff.

Please tell us why Apartment Therapy changed the Scavenger column to this format. WHY? Why not give your readers what they are asking for, ie, the old Scavenger format.

I don't understand "the western addition." I'm in SF, so realistically, the only items I would buy would be in the SF Bay Area. You used to list 10 or 12 a day. Now with the "western adddition," you list 3 a day. How is this an improvement for your readers? I'd much rather have the SF edition with 10-12 items from the Bay Area. Please.

And yes please on keeping a mix of items. I also think that the Scavenger tilts way too heavily toward mcm.

Great tips.

My tip: use your senses.

If you are buying a bureau or armoire, smell the drawers or interior. I once bought a great old bureau only to discover that it had belonged to a smoker and all of the drawers reeked of smoke. I could not get rid of the smell, so I donated it back to the thrift store.

If you are buying glassware or china, rub your fingertip over the edges - sometimes you will find small chips with your fingertips that you did not see with your eyes.

Use your fingers to lightly tap items - the sound often will tell you what material it is made from. Bronze and brass have a deep ring to them, while pot metal has a tinny sound. Perfect pottery or glass should have a bell-like ring to it, while cracked pottery or glass makes a dull thud.

Happy hunting.