I see opportunity everywhere, it is part of my strength, and it is what has created the lifestyle I now have. I see how things can be improved, upgraded, and I’m consistently turning opportunity into reward.
I was brought up to fix things. To repair items that were broken, and not to toss something away.
But in a minimalistic sort of way.
And it has served me well.
While our friends were off on weekend jaunts to Vegas and looking at condos, hubby and I dove into the dark side of Vancouver and bought our first home across the line in East Van.
The windows were so smoked over we could hardly get daylight into the house and the whole basement was unfinished. The yard was a mess and the home was a disaster, but we had a feeling about it.
Everyone else saw a mess, we saw a diamond just waiting to be uncovered.
We dug our nails into plaster and rebuilt this home from the inside out. New electrical, plumbing and an upcycled kitchen that we had pulled out of a friend’s house. We did what we could and what was within budget and made this 1900s’ house stable and lasting.
Every dollar we had went into improvements. Hubby and I bonded as we renovated late into the night after work, and as we lost part of a thumb and buckets of blood, sweat and tears into the foundation of that house.
We laughed and learned. I remember the night our main water line busted. Hubby out there in the pouring rain digging a ditch to the street as we guzzled cheap
“sparking wine.” We laughed and while we were strengthening this home, we built a solid foundation for our relationship.
When our first child came along, money was now being diverted to diapers and baby gear and our home became a little too snug. Two and a half years after purchasing, we sold it, for twice our purchase price.
We walked away with a down payment that would continue to provide us with opportunities.
We were both raised to know that hard work is valuable and the ability to improve something is a coveted skill. To this day we still buy to improve, upgrade and upcycle and we re-home or re-sell when we are done with items. We still see opportunity where others see waste.
Since moving to Salt Spring we have used this skill daily. Hitting garage sales, and scouring the Vancouver Island UsedEverywhere.com locations for overlooked, but amazing items that will add value to our lives. . . or be added to the garage sale pile this fall.
Not everyone knows how to flip an item, and not everyone can see the value in something someone else is tossing, but we all have a way to get the most value into our lives, at a smaller cost.
Check out your UsedEverywhere.com style today and see where you sit on the upcycling line. What is your BIG deal personality? Click below to ENTER and you can WIN $500 CASH or a Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 (and that would go a long way towards some upgrades!)
Take this fun UsedEverywhere.com quiz and you can WIN $500 CASH or a Samsung Galaxy Tab 3.
Which BIG deal personality did you get?
- The DIY Diva – ain’t nothing you can’t do with a $1 Mason jar
- The Hunter – all the deals will be yours. All of them
- The Flipper – you love the hunt, but you love the ROI even more
- The Savvy Spender – buy a little, sell a little, it’s all chill
- The Happy Hoarder – you don’t want it, you NEED it
Whatever your personality, you can feed your need on the UsedEverywhere.com sites! And, for all you happy hoarders, I will keep you posted when we hold our garage sale! We will have LOTS of things for you to fill your pockets with!