So, from a previous post, you may have guessed that I'm looking for a wardrobe. I've always loved them ~ something about storage pieces (bowls, canisters, cupboards, boxes, etc.) ...
Anyway ... When we moved into this house in Germany, there were plenty of "shranks" - a type of wardrobe. Functional, but not very pretty ... The base provides one per child and two per adult, since there are NO closets in German homes. (Closets are considered another room, since there is a door - and Germans are taxed on there homes by the number of rooms in the home. So, it's not real smart to put in a closet and be charged for it ...) The series of previous American renters also let serval wardrobes. These two lovely pieces we were using in Spencer's room. Look familiar? Yep, the put together kind you can get from Walmart (or the BX) - cheap, and not real practical ...
Well ... a lady from church, who has lived here in Germany for something like 15 years, told a group of us about these stores called Troc. I looked them up on the internet (they have an EXTREMELY slow website, reminescent of dial-up)... and they had some great pieces at good prices. All items are second-hand. So, think of a HUGE garage sale or Flea Market, in a store ... never know what you will find. I convinced some friends of mine to go check out the two Troc stores in Luxembourg (about 45 min. away). I found a wardrobe I liked and bought it. I borrowed a friend's truck and went back the next day with another friend to pick up my wardrobe and a couple pieces she wanted. European wardrobes are "knock-down"s ... they come comepletly apart, and are only held together with 4 interesting looking screws ....
I should have taken pictures before they took the wardrobe apart ... or at least watched what they were doing ...
Hmm.... no instructions manual here ...
I don't think hubby will be thrilled to try and figure this out ... So ... I carried ALL the wood upstairs ... hmm ... now what? I put the bottom down, added the back panels and the two sides, put the screw per each side in... then I had to wait about 20 minutes for my big strong high school son to get home from school. He helped me put the top on. Then we had to position 3 doors and lift the top to add the doors in place. Then we added the screw to the top of each side ... Ta DAH!!
I got the big shelves in before Darren got home from work (who knew the shelves would be tricker than the whole rest of the wardrobe?!). I had to sand the shelves for the narrow section and make some adjustments... but by bed time, we had it all done and filled up, and Spencer's room put back together!! I'm very impressed with myself!!
Well ... a lady from church, who has lived here in Germany for something like 15 years, told a group of us about these stores called Troc. I looked them up on the internet (they have an EXTREMELY slow website, reminescent of dial-up)... and they had some great pieces at good prices. All items are second-hand. So, think of a HUGE garage sale or Flea Market, in a store ... never know what you will find. I convinced some friends of mine to go check out the two Troc stores in Luxembourg (about 45 min. away). I found a wardrobe I liked and bought it. I borrowed a friend's truck and went back the next day with another friend to pick up my wardrobe and a couple pieces she wanted. European wardrobes are "knock-down"s ... they come comepletly apart, and are only held together with 4 interesting looking screws ....
I should have taken pictures before they took the wardrobe apart ... or at least watched what they were doing ...
Hmm.... no instructions manual here ...
I don't think hubby will be thrilled to try and figure this out ... So ... I carried ALL the wood upstairs ... hmm ... now what? I put the bottom down, added the back panels and the two sides, put the screw per each side in... then I had to wait about 20 minutes for my big strong high school son to get home from school. He helped me put the top on. Then we had to position 3 doors and lift the top to add the doors in place. Then we added the screw to the top of each side ... Ta DAH!!
I got the big shelves in before Darren got home from work (who knew the shelves would be tricker than the whole rest of the wardrobe?!). I had to sand the shelves for the narrow section and make some adjustments... but by bed time, we had it all done and filled up, and Spencer's room put back together!! I'm very impressed with myself!!
