Decorating + FB Marketplace is the actual worst

4.07.2019

*No affiliate links are used in this post. However, I did get a free product in exchange for a review.

A month or so ago, a very sweet blog reader emailed me about collaborating to share about her new Etsy shop. Ashley and her husband own the shop together and sell, as their shop title states, "rustic and industrial home design" items. I told her that decorating stresses me out and also that her shop might be too cute for me, but I am loving our new blanket ladder in our front room! 

We've lived in our house nearly 4 years now, and I love the space in our front room; I don't, however, love the furniture configuration, and the wall decorations were nice for a while, but I'm ready to mix it up. I was worried at first about the kids trying to climb the ladder, but so far so good. Please cross all fingers and toes for me it stays that way, thank you!

--> Use the code AMANDA10 for 10% off Ashley's shop until the end of June! Seriously, go check out their cute shop. Ashley is super sweet to work with!

It took a bit for me to convince Jordan that our oversized chair needed to go. It's so comfy and good quality has been well loved ever since I moved to Oklahoma, but I'm over it. (It has ceased to bring me joy, you might say.)

Well, I'm here to tell you that Facebook marketplace is the actual worst. I've never used it before, but what's the deal with people being flaky? I've had at least 3 people not just show interest but actually talk to me about coming to get it, and I was literally texting someone last weekend about them coming to pick it up. She was all excited about getting it and how it would be great in their room, and then she just never came and never said anything about it. I don't understand. Is this normal? I don't message someone about something unless I'm basically certain I want to buy it, but maybe that's not how much people operate.

*I'm so sorry the lighting is so awful in these next ones. This weekend has been super busy, and I only got around to taking these at night! This is why I'm not a famous blogger (yes, that's the only reason. ha).

Finally I decided to at least move it out of the main area, and it's now sitting by our front door. Our neighbor came over to borrow something this weekend, and I was super embarrassed when I could only open the door halfway because we have a random giant chair sitting in the entry. I realize it's not actually a big deal, and I'm sure he thought nothing about it, but I'm just saying I have a complex about this chair now, yet I feel emotionally invested in getting some money for it rather than putting it on the curb for anyone to take. And by some money I mean less than $60! I'm not trying to sell it for hundreds.

Anyway, back to my blanket ladder (I think if you had a nice, big bathroom you could use it for towels probably too!) For now, I have the setup that's in the first photo in this post. Now I'll show you the bookcase in the opposite corner, which is from IKEA, and we bought it from my brother in his moving sale. 

My parents have the rest of the shelve hooks, so for now the bottom shelf is propped up by 2 rubber blocks from the kid's block bin (#classy). I have the world's tiniest lamp, which I had on an end table in this room and it looked ridiculous. The bubble wrap the ladder came with is stuffed onto the top shelf because the kids have been enjoying making a "runway" of bubble wrap and racing down it to make all the pops go off.

Please send me shelf decoration ideas! I see all these super cute bookshelves decorated so hip and fun, but when I go to the store I panic and come home with either nothing or more crafting supplies. Why do I overthink all of life? Send decorating help and also wine.


I'll leave you with one  more reminder to head over to Ashley's Etsy shop and check out her cute home design items. Use AMANDA10 to get 10% off if you see something you like! In the meantime, I'll be waiting on my recent order from Persnickety Prints to come in. I ordered a few things that might look good on the wall (key word might), and then I also (more importantly?) got more photos printed for my scrapbooks, because scrapbooking is so much more fun than doing actual chores after the kids go to bed. This is why if you come over, my house is a mess, but I can distract you with scrapbooks the entire time you're here so you don't spend a lot of time looking around.
Ashley H said...

Scrapbooks for the win!

FB Marketplace is the actual devil. I have sold a few things on there - ceiling fan, sofa, refrigerator. I always have 125 people message me, about 4 that plan to come get it, and 0 that actually do. It's so damn annoying it's almost not worth it.

As for decorating shelves, I like framed photos and little knick knacks that I love for some reason or another. Sometimes a cute bottle of sand from a special beach vacation or a few shells we collected on our honeymoon. Maybe a small aloe plant or something similar. I like minimal decorating because it just collects dust or the dogs knock it over so everything has to mean something or have a function for me.

Brittni said...

I’m afraid I have no advice on decorating, but yes Facebook marketplace is the worst! People are so flaky. My favorite excuse is always the family emergency one. I’m seriously not going to be mad if someone is no longer interested, I’d rather they just come out and say it instead of making something up or disappearing off the face of the earth. And SURPRISE, I did not realize you scrapbooked! I’ve been following for at least two years and somehow missed that (my bad). Scrapbooking is the best!! Seriously, best hobby ever :)

Rach said...

Yes! What is it with people being so flaky on Facebook Marketplace? I have only bought a couple of things from there, but if I contact you about it then it's because I am seriously interested and have questions. If I say I'm coming to get it, then I definitely will show up. So I was definitely surprised by the number of people who were total no shows when I first started selling on Facebook Marketplace this year. However! With that said, I stuck it out and ended up selling nearly everything I had listed over a period of a few weeks. So here's to hoping that your couch sells SOON!

I have a friend who has an amazing eye for decorating so any time I'm stuck on decorating something in my home, I always have her come over and help me out. Is there anyone at your church who is good at stuff like that? Sometimes having fresh eyes makes all the difference!

Unknown said...

I'm not on facebook BUT I have been looking for a chair and a half.
Email me at marybeth@progman.us if you still want to sale it

Sarah said...

yes facebook marketplace can be awful! i don't get how people can be so flaky. my sister sells a bunch of stuff there and has had people steal diapers off her porch. i've also had weird pick up situations too. the weirdest was this lady i bought a tricycle from last summer. she lived in a condo that faced a common area not the street so first i had to park in her carport to access her backyard. she was supposed to leave the back gate unlocked for me and leave an envelope in a plant for my money. but the gate was tricky and i absolutely could NOT open it. i'm sure i looked like a thief as a bunch of cars drove past with me trying in vain to open the gate. plus i had my son with me. there was also a security camera filming me doing all this. i tried calling/messaging but no reply. turns out she wasn't home so i had to come back the next day. she supposedly unlocked the gate 10 min before i arrived and it still wouldn't work so i went around to the front (walking through a random person's yard) and had to talk to her. she was so awkward, it was very obvious she wanted to sell things without actually seeing anyone. plus when i got the trike home, the pedal fell off. #theworst

Amanda Bumgarner said...

I am dying at this story!!!! LOLOLOL. What on earth, people? I had NO IDEA FB marketplace was this ridiculous.

Terra Heck said...

I just checked out the Etsy site. Lots of pretty stuff. I really like the mail organizer. FB Marketplace is usually a joke. I've successfully bought/sold some stuff on there but it's more of a hassle than anything.

Cece @Mahogany Drive said...

Love the blanket ladder! I've had really good luck selling things on FB market place. People go crazy over furniture there. If the price is right (basically low enough) someone come get it. I do a first come first served type of thing. If someone texts but can't come pick it up until next week, I move onto the next! Good luck. It sure feels better getting some money rather than nothing for stuff like that.

Betsy said...

I was supposed to buy something off CL once and I called the lady to say I was 10 minutes away - we'd agreed on a date and time for pickup - and she said "oh, my husband just sold it to someone else!" I was so mad.

FWIW, I don't think you have to style a bookcase. You can just stuff it full of books :)

・ DESIGNED BY ECLAIR DESIGNS