When I first moved into the Urban Cabin, I remember Big Papa walking out of the loo with a stunned look on his face. He’d just discovered ‘girlie stuff’ in his heretofore manly bathroom. Imagine the shock.

Today, I got a taste of that moment when I surveyed our living room which is now sporting a changing table, two tricycles, a stroller and a car seat. Our baby gadget quotient ramped up from zero to sixty in one weekend.  Each time I pass by, I catch my breath. What’s that stroller doing here? In our living room!

I can’t say the newcomers are a complete surprise since I scored these castoffs roadside via a posting on a neighborhood Yahoo group I joined about six months ago. ‘FREE PILE’ is how this posting read. I immediately grabbed my keys, jotted down the address and told Big Papa I was going for some goodies as I headed out the door.

The best part of the exchange was meeting Anne and Michelle, original owners of all these fantastic hand-me-downs. I told them how we were adopting and I was just beginning to gather up the many, many items we needed to get ready for parenthood. Anne shared with me that she’d been a bit skeptical that the posting would generate any takers. Yet, here I was, at their doorstep with the posting just hot off the press. If you leave it on the curb, they will come.

My history as a collector of other people’s pre-owned paraphernalia goes way back. Whether its consignment store clothing, Goodwill furniture or yard sale knick-knacks, I’m all about bargain shopping. Plus, it’s amazing how many freebies you can score if you keep your eyes open.

One of my favorite acquisitions was spotted on a trip to New York City. Big Papa and I were strolling in SoHo when my gaze landed on the pile on the corner across the street. A broken mirror and a few garments were tossed by the gutter. I bent down and picked up a royal blue wool coat. The label read ‘Peck & Peck, Fifth Avenue, New York.’ It was a perfect vintage 1960s knee-length coat, all buttons intact and not a rip to be found. And, it fit me to a ‘t.’ No matter that it was mid-summer and 85 degrees. That coat was coming home with me to Seattle. Big Papa cringed a bit, all the while knowing I’d found the ultimate souvenir.

Many of my close friends are also Sisters in Thrift. Our love of previously loved items is partly economical. Why pay full price? That said, I believe the bigger motivation is that we enjoy the thrill of the hunt and take pride on our choice finds.

These days lightly used or repurposed goods are all the rage in our ‘great to be green’ society. And, for those parting with their wares, it feels good to know that they’ll either garner a few bucks by selling them or do a good turn for a neighbor by passing them if it’s on the block for free.

My treasures don’t always come with a tale, but when they do, they hold a special place in my heart. “That was my grandma’s,” is what the gal told me at the yard sale earlier this month as I gently lifted up the bone necklace from the fifty cent pile. “My grandfather picked it up for her while he was serving overseas during World War II.”

This past Sunday, I gratefully thanked Anne and Michelle for the warm and welcoming chat along with all the cool kiddie collectibles that were on their way to a second happy home.  As I loaded my loot into the back of my car, Anne came running out with a Britax car seat. She told me that her son grew out of it more quickly than expected. She’d intended to sell it. Instead she wanted me to have it. I was truly touched.

The car seat was free. The story, priceless.