Unloading Day!

The day the container arrives from a shopping trip is pretty much like Christmas! It's so fun to see everything come off the container!  While on a trip, we load the container everyday.  Towards the end of each day, we gather the day's treasures and load the furniture, bubble wrap and box the more fragile or small pieces and pack it on the container.  So, the items bought earlier on the trip will generally be in the front of the container, and the last items bought will be at the back of the container, and the first to be unloaded.



Depending on where we are, I might be packing things in the middle of a cow pasture, or next to a beautiful New England stream - it's really quite pleasant to be outside and that's one thing I love about my job!  Of course, we have had those stormy days and hot muggy days that make packing a torturous night mare.  I keep an inventory everyday of the items bought, where I bought them, and how much I paid for them so I have a clear idea of what is on the container.   But the day we unload is the first time I see everything I bought at one time, in one pile!  The container ususally arrives by train about a week after we fly home. So I have a few days to analyze what I got, think about what I want to put into the store immediately, make room in our garage and trailer, etc. And before the container is unloaded, I always think, I wish I would have bought more stuff, and then when it's all off the container, I think, "Wow, I had fun.  I did buy alot of stuff!!!" 

Sometimes, I even forget what some things look like that I bought early on the trip!  The last time, one of the last things off was a big white cupboard, and I asked one of our co-container friends if it was her cupboard, and she said "No, it's yours!" My goal is always to come home with no money and lots of stuff, so it always feels good to see that pile of treasures! The container is trucked to a private street on the side of our house and we unload it quickly so the truck can be on it's merry way. Then the hard work begins - unpacking boxes, cleaning everything, waxing, spraying, etc.  As I write this, I have spent the last two days in my driveway cleaning antiques - such a glamorous job!

My trailer is now loaded with clean, fresh antiques for the Remnants of the Past show this weekend, June 2nd and 3rd.  And, my garage is full of clean antiques for our 13th Birthday Open House on June 23rd!  And I have a load in my truck to take to the store today!!! 



Our Empty Container when all the Hard Work as Done!

xo ~ Peggy