Should we sell all our furniture?

[deestatham]

We're getting ready to move from Maryland to TV and have a question for the more seasoned Villagers: Did you sell all your furniture or did you move/store it? We're thinking of selling most of what we have and having a decorator furnish a new home for us. Don't think our stuff here in Maryland will look good in TV. And storing it would cost a lot if we decided to just sell it on the other end. Just wondering what most of you did. For the first year, we are renting a furnished home to see if we like TV. Any wisdom you can share is greatiy appreciated. Looking to be in TV by September if all goes well with selling our house.

[PR1234]

Sell, Sell, Sell.....don't bring any of it with you!

[Buckeye]

We sold just about everything.
We had an auctioneer haul everything to the auction house and sold everything, including one of our cars. Then we used the money to buy and color coordinate our Village home.
Everything we brought here fit into our intermediate size car.
We are so happy we did it this way and saved on moving expenses and trying to fit in early american furniture into a Florida themed home.

[Spinning3]

Definitely sell it. It is not worth the cost to ship and you will not get much for it on consignment.

[Happydaz]

We kept all our furniture. It is colonial, New England maple, cherry and oak. We had dark hickory wood floors installed to replace all the carpet and the white walls give great contrast. We also installed white plantation shutters. The house has the appearance of old Key West from the 1930's. You certainly may choose to get all new furniture and have a professional decorate your house. Our furniture had so many memories attached to it that we chose not to part with any of it. You will notice many homes look alike down here, inside and out, but you can do any style you choose. There is a high degree of conformity in The Villages, but we are a tolerant bunch so you can do whatever you want!

[rosygail]

Keep any sentimental pieces and sell everything else. We had a huge estate sale and got rid of everything. They even bought the food out of my cupboards!

I have seen too many houses down here crammed with big, dark furniture which doesn't look right in a bright Florida house! SELL IT!

[Barefoot]

Definitely sell it. It is not worth the cost to ship and you will not get much for it on consignment.

Another vote for SELL.
The Consignment Stores already have lots of furniture from northern states, and it usually doesn't sell quickly in Florida.

[Villager Joyce]

We brought the things we love and sold or donated the iffy stuff. We regret some things we left behind, but more "what we're we thinking" about the things we paid to move and then gave away.

[Sable99]

I haven't moved to our home in TV yet but I am interested in the replies you are getting.

I've actually have a list started! (Wishful thinking on my part!!) Right now, I'm planning on bringing a few pieces that I think will fit into our Iris: a beautiful curio cabinet that holds my precious momentoes, an entertainment center and Mom's bedroom suite. I'm thinking about moving these items in a POD. Everything else I will sell at an auction.

My problem is Mom has a lot of sentimental items from Dad that she doesn't want to give up!! And, we both are into genealogy and talk about paper!

My main problem is talking my 90 year old mother and 86 year old aunt into moving to TV! They are both fairly active and like TV -- they just don't want to leave home. Not even all of this white stuff (snow) we have on the ground changes their minds!

[billethkid]

SELL......we did not. And if we had to do it all over again we would have sold everything except our master bedroom set as it is very special.

Did I mention SELL!!!!

[chachacha]

if you love your stuff, keep it. otherwise, sell it and get new stuff...but i don't agree that good quality dark furniture does not fit into a florida home...i get sick of seeing palm tree fabrics etc which tell nothing about the real design taste of the owner. it is good to be different if you can do it with flair :)

[graciegirl]

We brought ours. We like it. Pictures on our page. We rented a home and stored a lot in the garage when our house was being built. We had already sold our snowbird house. We had the good stuff put in a POD and stored and it was expensive.

It all depends what you want. I love our stuff. It was too nice to pitch.

[PTennismom0202]

There isn't much storage in these houses. You can't keep much in the attic because it gets very hot. If you like antique furniture bring it because there isn't much good stuff available around here.

[gomoho]

I agree - keep what you love and don't worry about incorporating pieces you love into your Florida lifestyle. Unless you want everything to look like so many Florida homes all pastel and bland bring your stuff and show off your style.

[John_W]

We moved from Bel Air, Maryland in 2011 to a new courtyard villa. With going from a 2200 SF two story home to a 1200 SF villa, we figured we would buy most things new here. We kept the lanai furniture since we had purchased it new in 2008 when we enclosed our deck. We also kept our M/BR set since we had also bought it a couple of years earlier. All of the wall decorations and paintings we kept since they are expensive to replace.

We sold our home to the first couple to be shown our home, it was only on the market for 12 hours. We told the buyers about the furniture and what we wanted to keep and they bought the rest for $2,500. I had gotten some estimates and figured it would cost us $6,000 to move everything, plus we had too much. As it turned out, we had 72 boxes and the M/BR and lanai furniture moved by United Van Lines for $2700. Actually they were 3 weeks late in delivering the furniture to our new home in TV, so we filed a claim and got a refund check for $2,000 within 5 days. We had to pay the driver $2,700 upon delivery but like I said, the refund was very quick in coming.

We bought a guest BR set, a dinette, and 3 bar stools from Southern Lifetstyles in TV, that location is now a City Furniture. We bought a power love set and two recliners from Kane Furniture in Ocala, a desk from Staples, a Vizio 60" LED TV and a 42" Samsung TV from Sam's Club. That was about all we needed.

We had inside our house painted the day after we closed by Investment Painters, so when the movers arrived that would be out of the way. We got estimates from a couple of landscapers. Got a sun shade for the Lanai from RK Shades. Shopped for golf carts and put an order in for a new Yamaha. Had Tim 'The Toolman' handyman double shelf our master closet, put hand pulls on the kitchen cabinets, install attic steps in the garage, etc. The three weeks we were living here without any furniture and slept on an air mattress allowed us to get a lot of work out of the way.

[deestatham]

Everyone's comments have been SO helpful! Thanks so much. It all makes such good sense, especially from a monetary standpoint. This was the way were leaning and now I KNOW it is the right thing to do. Thanks to all of you.

[deestatham]

We moved from Bel Air, Maryland in 2011 to a new courtyard villa. With going from a 2200 SF two story home to a 1200 SF villa, we figured we would buy most things new here. We kept the lanai furniture since we had purchased it new in 2008 when we enclosed our deck. We also kept our M/BR set since we had also bought it a couple of years earlier. All of the wall decorations and paintings we kept since they are expensive to replace.

We sold our home to the first couple to be shown our home, it was only on the market for 12 hours. We told the buyers about the furniture and what we wanted to keep and they bought the rest for $2,500. I had gotten some estimates and figured it would cost us $6,000 to move everything, plus we had too much. As it turned out, we had 72 boxes and the M/BR and lanai furniture moved by United Van Lines for $2700. Actually they were 3 weeks late in delivering the furniture to our new home in TV, so we filed a claim and got a refund check for $2,000 within 5 days. We had to pay the driver $2,700 upon delivery but like I said, the refund was very quick in coming.

We bought a guest BR set, a dinette, and 3 bar stools from Southern Lifetstyles in TV, that location is now a City Furniture. We bought a power love set and two recliners from Kane Furniture in Ocala, a desk from Staples, a Vizio 60" LED TV and a 42" Samsung TV from Sam's Club. That was about all we needed.

We had inside our house painted the day after we closed by Investment Painters, so when the movers arrived that would be out of the way. We got estimates from a couple of landscapers. Got a sun shade for the Lanai from RK Shades. Shopped for golf carts and put an order in for a new Yamaha. Had Tim 'The Toolman' handyman double shelf our master closet, put hand pulls on the kitchen cabinets, install attic steps in the garage, etc. The three weeks we were living here without any furniture and slept on an air mattress allowed us to get a lot of work out of the way.
John:

You said you moved from Belair, Maryland - we are in Monkton, Maryland - just a short distance from Belair! Loved your reply. Really helped, especially coming from someone so close to home. Hope you are enjoying life in the TV. With any luck, we'll be there by Christmas. Sure hope our house sells quickly.

[jnieman]

Since you are renting for a year you really won't know if your old furniture will fit in your new home unfortunately. With the cost of moving the furniture and storing the furniture for a year I personally would sell it. There are plenty of furniture stores here as well as several furniture consignment shops where you can purchase more. Also TOTV has lots of classifieds with furniture for sale. I like the dark wood in our Florida home. I find it more comfortable than the Florida style furniture. I decorated in cremes, rusts and browns, but I also love looking at the Florida style furniture.

[kcrazorbackfan]

Sell, Sell, Sell.....don't bring any of it with you!

:agree: We got rid of 2 vehicle's and all furniture with the exception of a tv cabinet, our tv's and kitchen utensil's. We bought our home furnished and the furniture was perfect; we wouldn't have been happy with our furniture if we had brought it.

[John_W]

John:
You said you moved from Belair, Maryland - we are in Monkton, Maryland - just a short distance from Belair! Loved your reply. Really helped, especially coming from someone so close to home. Hope you are enjoying life in the TV. With any luck, we'll be there by Christmas. Sure hope our house sells quickly.

Being that you're from Monkton the one thing you'll miss most, besides crabs and crab cakes, will be Wegmans. We actually sold our home to the new Wegmans manager in Bel Air, we lived two blocks from the store. We watched Wegmans get built as well as the Route 24 overpass and then had to leave before we could shop there or use the new road. I also miss seeing the O's games on TV, however the Ravens we haven't missed a game since we have NFL Sunday Ticket with Directv. I think we'll go to Sarasota in March to see an Orioles spring training game.

[Shimpy]

I used to work with a guy that told me when a moving truck pulled into his neighborhood and started unloading he could tell by the furniture if they came from up north..........all dark drab colors.

[bagboy]

What we weren't going to use here in The Villages, we gave to the kids or sold it before moving. The used furniture market here isn't any better than where you are. What we did bring I rented a truck and drove it here myself and paid a couple of guys to unload it. Not everyone can or will want to do it that way. And as previously stated it is very expensive to pay a moving company. The money you make selling things up north, and save by not paying to a mover will go a long way towards furnishing your new home here. After years of working towards retirement, treat yourself to new furniture. You have earned it!!! Good Luck!

[graciegirl]

///

[deestatham]

Being that you're from Monkton the one thing you'll miss most, besides crabs and crab cakes, will be Wegmans. We actually sold our home to the new Wegmans manager in Bel Air, we lived two blocks from the store. We watched Wegmans get built as well as the Route 24 overpass and then had to leave before we could shop there or use the new road. I also miss seeing the O's games on TV, however the Ravens we haven't missed a game since we have NFL Sunday Ticket with Directv. I think we'll go to Sarasota in March to see an Orioles spring training game.
You just made by husband's day when you said you have Direct TV. This is major to him. Sports are his thing! And we have Direct TV here - he was worried that he wouldn't have it there. You were lucky to sell so fast. I hope we are that lucky. I have a real estate license (don't practice much anymore) and I know that if a house is priced correctly it WILL sell. Looking forward to the move but right now the stress is killing us! We've been in this house 34 years.

[applesoffh]

We got rid of almost everything and bought new when we moved. I brought down stuff I thought I would use and now, after 3 years here, say to myself "what was I thinking?" every week. I never use my "good" china - never, and as beautiful as it is, and for all its sentimental value, it has no resale value. We have found entertaining down here to be much less formal, so if you have "fancy" stuff - think twice.

[Bonanza]

Keep what you love and has meaning to you and sell, give to family, donate or whatever, the rest.
You will regret not keeping many of your things.

Your new home should be a reflection of YOU, and not of living in Florida.

[xcaligirl]

Wish we would've sold everything! We brought our bedroom set and our dinette set from California and there is not one piece that is not damaged by the movers. I vote for SELL!

[pbkmaine]

I like my furniture but brought too much and it cost a fortune to move. Bring only what you love and keep it to a minimum.

[ssmith]

... it will depend on each person. We did a little of both, brought and bought!!!

One thing to consider is if you will change your style or not. I wanted more of a Florida style (light and bright) so brought only what I thought would fit with that.

Many folks that I know brought all their house from up north and like their northern style down here.

Another consideration is that the cost of new furniture is very expensive too sooo keep that in mind. Moving is also expensive but we did our own pack and move kind of thing.

Also one should consider that the rooms generally are on the smallish side so keep in mind the scale (size) of your furniture. It might fit but be too large in scale to look like it fits in the room.

I put a king size bed in our guest room and it really is too large but I like that my son-in-law (a giant of a man) feels comfortable in it sooo you see it will depend on your needs.

[SALYBOW]

I wish I had. It costs more to move it than it does to replace it. Additionally, it is usually pretty "heavy" for Florida.

[redwitch]

I brought some of my smaller pieces that were important to me. I left behind some pieces that I truly loved but knew they wouldn't fit into the smaller homes here. I still miss my wall unit but no way would it have fit. My taste is very not "Floridian" (contemporary/oriental). Even though I've been unable to redecorate in my style, I don't regret leaving my furniture in California. It fit there. It wouldn't have fit here.

[jrandall]

Oh how I wished we had sold all of our furniture. Best thing to do.

[deestatham]

I just want to thank all of you for helping my husband and I make the decision to sell all our furniture. We really think it is the best move. See all of you in September if this house sells!

[Tiquer505]

We had a large sale back home in upstate NY then brought only those great antique furniture items we most loved. We bought WONDERFUL furniture here at estate/garage/consignment sales at very low prices. Wouldn't do it any other way. Many people bring their best and then need to sell their homes here for health or other reasons. So LOTS of great stuff available to buy.

[graciegirl]

I used to work with a guy that told me when a moving truck pulled into his neighborhood and started unloading he could tell by the furniture if they came from up north..........all dark drab colors.

Shimpy!

[yabbadu]

I agree with the SELLING formula. Sold on our own everything but our master BR and TV and two Camp Chairs.
Reduced Moving costs dramatically. Had to rent at first so it only took a small storage locker. Once we bought it was a piece of cake to have local movers (Village Movers) move little bit of furniture to new home.
Then let the shopping begin!

LOVE it HERE!

[Happinow]

Out take was that coming from upstate NY we had heavy, dark furniture to fit with where we lived. We knew that when we moved to sunny Florida we wanted to buy lighter furniture, both in color an design. We sold then entire contense of our home, except for a few large TV's we had, and we completely started over. It was the best choice for us. I have seen some homes decorated in dark, heavy furniture and I think it's just a matter of your style. If you plan on decorating the same way as where you currently live then get a moving truck and haul it here. But, it feels so good to start new. Best of luck to you.

[deestatham]

I agree. My husband and I are moving to TV in September and have decided to SELL EVERYTHING. We got a quote to move everything and decided we didn't want to spend all that money. We've had our furniture for 34 years and its time to start over. We're renting a furnished house for a year and will decide in that time what we want to do next. Its a GREAT feeling to start over at this age.

[rdhdleo]

if you love your stuff, keep it. otherwise, sell it and get new stuff...but i don't agree that good quality dark furniture does not fit into a florida home...i get sick of seeing palm tree fabrics etc which tell nothing about the real design taste of the owner. it is good to be different if you can do it with flair :)

Couldn't agree with you more! We brought most of our stuff because we liked it and didn't want to invest in newer furniture right away, it wasn't a priority. Our new bedroom set is white and has an open airy beach feel but the rest of our house has darker furniture, I was so over light oak and wanted a rich warm feel in my home, so the main room has a Italian Tuscan feel to it. Thats us and our taste being in Florida doesn't mean everything has to look "Floridian" do what pleases you and makes you happy and makes it "your" home not everyone else's.

[Abby10]

We're getting ready to move from Maryland to TV and have a question for the more seasoned Villagers: Did you sell all your furniture or did you move/store it? We're thinking of selling most of what we have and having a decorator furnish a new home for us. Don't think our stuff here in Maryland will look good in TV. And storing it would cost a lot if we decided to just sell it on the other end. Just wondering what most of you did. For the first year, we are renting a furnished home to see if we like TV. Any wisdom you can share is greatiy appreciated. Looking to be in TV by September if all goes well with selling our house.

I think it really depends on how much you like your stuff! In my case, I have had some of mine for so long that i'm getting tired of it. I don't have a strong sense of connection to it and none are family heirlooms. So when I get moved down there I am hoping to start fresh and probably go in a different direction, decorating-wise. But if you have inherited precious family pieces or really love what you have, it may be worth keeping. Like others have said, I have seen many different styles of decorating in TV homes and one is just as lovely as the next. Do what pleases you! But you may want to take into consideration as you said, the cost to store it (not to mention the cost to ship it) and then if you don't keep it, you will have to unload it and probably won't get much of a return for it in Florida. So I would take that monetary factor into account also. Good luck with your decision and the sale of your house!

[Abby10]

I just want to thank all of you for helping my husband and I make the decision to sell all our furniture. We really think it is the best move. See all of you in September if this house sells!

Oops......sorry. See what happens when you take shortcuts and don't read until the end of the thread. :o Well, one decision down and many more to come, but it's an exciting time. Best wishes to you and hope we'll be saying "Welcome to The Villages" real soon!!

[sesack1]

We sold most of our stuff before we move here and found out that we did not sell enough. Keeping your treasures is probably mandatory but large furniture is expensive to ship and our sustained mover damage which gave us a headache that we did not need. It is a tough decision but this is a different climate and you will need furniture and stuff that will fit your new home.

[kittygilchrist]

Yes

[BobandMary]

We followed your advice! We made an agreement last night to sell our home and all our furniture to a young couple with 2 kids. Settlement is July 31st. Wow! So excited! We'd love to rent a furnished, pet friendly home near 466 for August, September and October. We think that should give us enough time to buy a home. Our dog is 10 lbs, well trained and doesn't bark. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks!

[jnieman]

Congratulations! If possible you could check with the homeowners and see if they will rent to you weekly. That way you will be free to buy a home and not tied into a lease. Just a thought.

[BobandMary]

Thanks, Jnieman! Thank God for options

[tomwed]

I would live out of a couple of suit cases and live all over the villages in different size homes during the hot months when there are many homes available. You might spend a little more but I'll bet you will make a much more informed decision.

[Xcuse]

Definitely sell or give away. You won't want it once you get here.

[dbussone]

Sell. A lot of the northern items don't fit in down here. Bring sentimental items and wall art that you absolutely love. So many consignment stores with lovely like new items.
Have fun with a fresh start. Welcome.

If you have furniture you love from "The North" bring it and use it. This is our 3rd time in FL, we bought FL twice and it was ok. This time we kept much of our Yankee furniture and are happy. It's your decision do what you wish. You can always change your mind once you get here and try it.

[maryanna630]

This will be our fouteenth move, this time from Mexico to the villages.We have learned that less is more and times and tastes change. We sold our house totally turnkey and are moving all our belongins and two cats in our small Tiguan SUv; four boxes are being shipped. I have learned that a few photos and treasured items are enough; our family and memories live in our heart. It is quite a liberating feeling to move and start anew. I, for one, wish to have much less in terms of things and more in terms of experiences. Good luck to you. We are renting for three months while we look to buy...or not.

[dbussone]

This will be our fouteenth move, this time from Mexico to the villages.We have learned that less is more and times and tastes change. We sold our house totally turnkey and are moving all our belongins and two cats in our small Tiguan SUv; four boxes are being shipped. I have learned that a few photos and treasured items are enough; our family and memories live in our heart. It is quite a liberating feeling to move and start anew. I, for one, wish to have much less in terms of things and more in terms of experiences. Good luck to you. We are renting for three months while we look to buy...or not.


Our move to TV was our 13th. Bring the things that are important to you, furniture and otherwise. We gave to charity well more than 50% of a quite large home when we moved here. Kept several rooms of Yankee furniture that we moved around for years, and am pleased we did so.

[CFrance]

I kept the stuff we love. I love the stuff we bought. I sorely miss a couple of items that we knew just wouldn't fit.

[Barefoot]

I have learned that a few photos and treasured items are enough; our family and memories live in our heart. It is quite a liberating feeling to move and start anew. I wish to have much less in terms of things and more in terms of experiences.
I'm with you Maryanna. I say sell everything and start new.
Simplifying and streamlining life makes me feel carefree and light.
However, if you're a person that attaches sentimental memories to furniture, you'll probably want to bring some of it with you.
Just know that the Consignment Stores here have lots of furniture that people brought from up North!

[vette]

I think that's a smart move. Many Villagers wish they would have done that. Thankfully we listened and learned. We are only bring our DR set because it works here and it does have many of memories. Everything else we're buying local.

[CFrance]

I weeded the heavy stuff out. We kept everything we brought (two bedrooms and a living room's worth) except our dining room set. And that wasn't because it was too dark or heavy or unfit for FL. It was because we needed a bigger buffet and Canadel was no longer making the lovely green stain that we had on our table and chairs.

[Walker2468]

We brought some bedroom furniture and family items with sentimental value. The rest we purchased new. Be sure you know your room measurements when purchasing furniture. The Iris has a small hallway going to the third bedroom and you can only fit a small couch through the hall. The living area is not as big as you might think and we had to eliminate one end table to allow room to walk around. It is easy to get too much furniture. The local furniture stores are very helpful, and the process of mixing old and new was fun.

[dotti105]

Downsizing is HARD! But oh so very worth it!! We gave our kids what they would take, no one wants crystal, china, or sterling. We had lots of antiques that we moved from place to place over the years. Family items, which we kept mainly out of guilt.

We sold what we could, gave away what anyone would take and donated tons of clothing, decor items etc. Even got friends to take a 1950 era Brunswick snooker table after trying unsuccessfully to sell it.

We had a consignment shop take the big antiques that no one wanted. We got pennies on the dollar, but the weight of the world was lifted from my shoulders when that truck pulled out.

We moved everything in 1 8 x16 pod and I have been shopping ever since. We feel like newlyweds setting up our first home.

I can't express how happy we are that we did not bring more. This house is like none other we have ever owned, and downsizing from 5,000 sq ft was HARD! But oh so worth it. We can make this house fit our needs now and we love that!!

Also, the cost of moving a truck load of furniture is much more than what I have spent in decorating this home. We are in no hurry and want it to feel RIGHT!

Sell, Sell, Sell!!

[graciegirl]

We filled a Goodwill truck but still brought a lot. Our furniture is enjoying Florida. We decorated out first home here beachy and sold it furnished.

I like our stuff. Glad I brought it.

I anguished over this decision. But chose to bring our stuff.

It is a personal choice. I love to for lack of a better word, decorate. You can make almost anything current if you study decorating books....AND if that matters to you.

I wanted pretty...and comfortable with a dash of glitz.

I really enjoyed our white, beachy home in Hadley, but I am enjoying this one too. Sea Blue accent walls brings it a bit of tropical.

We need to get that decorating club started at my house.

Limit to 12? Take turns at each others homes hosting? Hostess decides the topic and we all bring articles and pictures to talk about it. Time for discussion of personal projects and perplexing delimmas? Talk about trends and choices and projects? Send me an email if you still wanna do that.

[CathyandSteveG]

My gosh....i have no less than 50 photo albums and scrapbooks....and they will come with me! and if DARK wood does not fit...why are houses sold with DARK cabinets and DARK hardwood flooring in TV?

I confess...much of our furniture is cherry....and while I will not be bringing much, (our bedroom set, dining room, living room which includes a piano)...I think it will look just fine in TV. Lighthouses and beachy things certainly coordinate with cherry wood. I will be decorating for my taste...and if it doesn't fit in and any of you see it....don't tell me..let me just be fat and happy.

I sent our kids an e mail that said...tell me what you want and if it is not going to Florida...it comes to your house. I think we are going to have an auction to sell the rest.

Rethinking about purchasing now instead of when the house sells so we can move a little at a time???? At least we don't have to move appliances...those are always a pain.

[graciegirl]

My gosh....i have no less than 50 photo albums and scrapbooks....and they will come with me! and if DARK wood does not fit...why are houses sold with DARK cabinets and DARK hardwood flooring in TV?

I confess...much of our furniture is cherry....and while I will not be bringing much, (our bedroom set, dining room, living room which includes a piano)...I think it will look just fine in TV. Lighthouses and beachy things certainly coordinate with cherry wood. I will be decorating for my taste...and if it doesn't fit in and any of you see it....don't tell me..let me just be fat and happy.

I sent our kids an e mail that said...tell me what you want and if it is not going to Florida...it comes to your house. I think we are going to have an auction to sell the rest.

Rethinking about purchasing now instead of when the house sells so we can move a little at a time???? At least we don't have to move appliances...those are always a pain.



I like your attitude.


I always tell people, If you don't like our "stuff", please lie. lol.

[CathyandSteveG]

This world would be mighty boring if we all had the same tastes and same opinions about everything.......that's what the spice of life is about. We learn from each other and embrace our differences!

Selling everything is probably a great idea...but I can't.....and I don't need to...so my dark wood is coming to TV....and I will even get some new things....and my new house will be a home full of love mixed with the excitement of a new beginning for us.

[CassieInVa]

Graciegirl, I tried to send you a private message but I'm not sure that it went through . It seemed to time out. Anyway I am still very interested in a decorating group and would be happy to work with you to get something organized. I think a few of us should meet for coffee and maybe figure out a plan. I like the idea of rotating through different houses. Let me know your thoughts. P.M. me and we can exchange phone and email if you like.

[graciegirl]

Graciegirl, I tried to send you a private message but I'm not sure that it went through . It seemed to time out. Anyway I am still very interested in a decorating group and would be happy to work with you to get something organized. I think a few of us should meet for coffee and maybe figure out a plan. I like the idea of rotating through different houses. Let me know your thoughts. P.M. me and we can exchange phone and email if you like.



Will do. Here is an idea. Those who want to gather to talk about décor, PM Cassie and she will keep the list. I will be glad to have the first meeting.


Please come Cathy, of Cathy and Steve, and Jeannie too. Can't remember who else wanted to come, but let's not get great big. Just a little bunch of us so we won't have to worry about having enough room. But those that responded or anyone else that likes to decorate their home and enjoy others efforts, PM Cassie.

[CathyandSteveG]

Gracie...if and when i get there i would love to join in! Thank you.

[CassieInVa]

Gracie, I haven't received any private messages from anyone other than you yet. I'm still interested and I think once we get started there would definitely be interest!

[graciegirl]

Gracie, I haven't received any private messages from anyone other than you yet. I'm still interested and I think once we get started there would definitely be interest!



Jbartle and I are meeting for lunch Thursday. She hasn't told me where yet.


I am so glad CassieInVa is in but she can't make the lunch this week. We would like to keep the group so small that we can meet in each other's homes.

Anyone want to come to lunch Thursday? Jeannie is going to tell us where she wants to eat.

[graciegirl]

Next Thusday we will meet for lunch at Crispers and anyone who wants to discuss forming a small decorator group is invited.


Twelve Thursday July 2nd at Crispers. We will be inside looking like people do who are thinking about a decorator group. I will be wearing short white hair and Helene and JBartle are coming so far. Just show up and we will figure something out about what we should do. This is for a small decorator club. That can meet in peoples homes and discuss trends and members projects.

My next project is doing something with an old tired three drawer chest.

[pbkmaine]

I'm in!

[njbchbum]

snipped
My next project is doing something with an old tired three drawer chest.


Repurposing? Lookie here:

repurpose three drawer chest - Bing Images (http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=repurpose+three+drawer+chest&qpvt=repurpose+three+drawer+chest&qpvt=repurpose+three+drawer+chest&FORM=IGRE)

[Laurie2]

Has anybody used chalk paint to give vintage furniture a new look?

If you Google "Annie Sloan Chalk Paint" you will find lots of information. Annie Sloan is the only brand I am aware of, but there are probably others.

My guess is there are those among us who probably used antiquing kits on our hand-me-down furniture way back in the 19??s. :shocked: -- I turned my maple bedroom set a rather putrid shade of avocado-ish/olive-ish green. (I thought it was beautiful. My mom did not.)

But my worst offense was turning a lovely mahogany sideboard yellow. (gasp) -- I later came to my senses and had it restored to its original finish. I still have it.

But enough about my younger days and back to chalk paint.....

I still like the look of painted furniture and chalk paint offers some creative possibilities.

Last spring when we went to the Leesburg Art Festival, we found a family-business, a little shop that had just opened. They carried Annie Sloan paint and were planning workshops. The name of the store is Pop Vintage. I have not been back there since, but I just now Googled them and saw they are on Facebook.

So anyway, just thought I would throw this information into the thread for those of you who are eyeing a piece of furniture that has good bones but needs a little lift, and you are thinking, "Hmmmmmm, how would you look if you were turquoise or white or yellow or whatever favorite color?"

[CassieInVa]

Ok, I'm in but Bargains and Treasures is scheduled to pick up some furniture that day that I'm consigning, so fingers crossed the timing works out. Looking forward to meeting everyone!

[Villageswimmer]

Please count me in! I'll be back in mid-September. It will be so nice to meet you folks.

[virgind]

If you like your current furniture and it makes you feel good why sell it.

[craftysandy2001]

Hello from New Jersey! If things go as planned, my husband and I will be in the Villages in 4/5 years and we can't wait to get there! Right now my decor is Primitive/Colonial. I think I may switch to Shabby Chic once we're in Florida. I'm big into painting and distressing furniture. Hopefully I can find some nice, old furniture in Florida to work my magic with! Sell what we have and start fresh!

[Mama C]

Sell it! Keep a few pieces that have sentimental value and sell the rest. New life, new surroundings! We paid $1800 to get our stuff here to sell in a garage sale for 25 cents (:
Good luck and hope you enjoy TV as much as most of us do!

[RickeyD]

Sell it! Keep a few pieces that have sentimental value and sell the rest. New life, new surroundings! We paid $1800 to get our stuff here to sell in a garage sale for 25 cents (:

Good luck and hope you enjoy TV as much as most of us do!


All we are bringing are my tools. They are useful and serve a definite purpose.

[CFrance]

All we are bringing are my tools. They are useful and serve a definite purpose.
And a chair doesn't?

[RickeyD]

And a chair doesn't?


Need tools to make the chair.

[jebartle]

There is no love loss for our furniture.... But, you may have a story with your individual pieces... Here is a thought, on your way down, stop at the Furniture Capital of the World, North Carolina furniture market (our former home). We sold our house furnished to the first couple. Went to market
and purchased furniture after we bought home (did a lot of measuring, especially windows (local made window treatments, all we had to do was
hang rods)...

One downside, brought many personal items that ended up in a huge pile in the middle of our new driveway, ole boy was ready for move to be OVER, so
we had it hauled away... to this day, if something is missing, I say, I bet it was in the pile, the ole boy says he will take that to his grave....giggle.:1rotfl:

Every home we have sold was sold furnished...Every home was unique in so many ways and we were so fortunate to live in NC and furnish accordingly.

My advice, enjoy your new beginning, either with or without your treasures. Welcome to Paradise.

[blue skies]

We're getting ready to move from Maryland to TV and have a question for the more seasoned Villagers: Did you sell all your furniture or did you move/store it? We're thinking of selling most of what we have and having a decorator furnish a new home for us. Don't think our stuff here in Maryland will look good in TV. And storing it would cost a lot if we decided to just sell it on the other end. Just wondering what most of you did. For the first year, we are renting a furnished home to see if we like TV. Any wisdom you can share is greatiy appreciated. Looking to be in TV by September if all goes well with selling our house.

Would HIGHLY RECOMMEND that you sell furniture that you have and not bring it here. I did, and deeply regret it. People here don't want to pay high prices for fine furniture and that furniture just won't look right in your home here, most likely. Then there is the issue of the cost of storing and moving it all. Now there is the issue of the movers denying all liability for damages that they caused to said furniture. One hint: if you do move it, take hundreds of pictures of all expensive pieces before you have a mover move it. If you unload into storage at TV, they will consider self-delivered and say that they cannot prove this damage happened since day of delivery and time of claim even if within timelimit. Take lots and lots of pics (with a friend and several cameras) on moving day, take pics of their moving men to rebut "self-delivery," and make sure (even if it is pitch black out when they finish) that you mark all damage on inventory sheet. If you need more time because you just wrote it down as you saw it and photographed it, then take it and make them stay overnight. Don't be bullied into signing inventory pages in the dark no matter how tired you are. Learn from my disaster! Also avoid Delaware Moving and Storage (Wheaton) because I consider them to be the worst movers EVER~! I had tremendous damage to my dining room set, my sofas, my desks, and many other items of fine furniture. Denied claim because of "self-storage," and inventory sheet signed in dark w flashlight didn't show the damage we noted.

[FosterMomma]

I'm interested in this too as we are moving from Ontario this Fall...

[jgm3279]

Have to agree...we sold most of our stuff, brought a few pieces of furniture. Bought all new for our bedrooms (3). I do think that it is a personal preference, depending on how attached you are to your furniture. It's a lot of work getting your pieces down here and into your new home.

[cmj1210]

Sell.

[2BNTV]

Dee:

I see you have decided to sell your furniture. A smart move.

I agree with the theme that one can bring items they love but it's soooooooooo much better to move with your toothbrush. Decluttering is a freeing experience.

One always has to decorate their home to make it theirs.

The stress of moving is definitely worth it!!!

Best wishes on your move and hopefully your home will sell, in a short period of time.

[manaboutown]

Probably yes. Give your favorite pieces to your children, siblings, cousins or friends. When one moves to Florida, Hawaii, the Southwest, the furniture, lighting, ambiance and so on are completely different. You will better enjoy your home home with furnishings befitting the area in which you reside.

[Xcuse]

I'm interested in this too as we are moving from Ontario this Fall...

Bring heirlooms you cannot give to family members and sell or give away everything else! You will be happy you did.

[Kazmi]

Glad I read this thread. We're having a house built (close on 9/11) and bought all new furniture because we're going to rent it out for awhile until we're ready to sell our home in MI and move to TV. We felt it was quite an expensive hit to have to buy furniture while we have a house full of furniture here that's not very old. Never thought about the cost of moving everything though. Maybe we'll get lucky and sell our MI house furnished!

[Challenger]

Bring heirlooms you cannot give to family members and sell or give away everything else! You will be happy you did.

Good advice- the thousands of dollars that we spent to move stuff, looking back. was a waste. You will most likely have a different style home and life pattern ( light and active)

[jessicarabitt]

We moved here with the minimum from back home....grill, TV, outdoor patio set, one bedroom set, pots and pans, and other large items....minimum was $1200...with United which were excellent.....it was cheaper to buy a new living room, dining room and one other bedroom set...the prices are so reasonable and the styles are different down here than where we lived. Happy we did it.