How to Stoop to New Heights With These Sidewalk Furniture Hunters
New York City curbs are awash in discarded furniture that can liven up your home or make you some money. We talked to some experts on how to find it.
A few weeks ago, Denise Gordon was walking near her Gramercy home when she spotted an antique chest of drawers on the curb. She didnt need it, but this dresser was too good to ignore solid wood, with clawed feet and dovetail joinery. It was also too heavy for Ms. Gordon, who is 68, to carry. So she did what any good sidewalk stooper would do: She offered two random men on the street $20 apiece to carry it back to her apartment. And, being New Yorkers, they did.
People dont know what theyre throwing away, said Ms. Gordon, who grew up on the Upper East Side and has been digging for discarded treasure since she paid 35 cents for a silk blouse at a thrift store when she was 13 years old. In my neighborhood, they dont know and they dont care.
New York City curbs are awash in furniture left behind by people who are moving, who died, or who are simply fickle. If you know where to look, and how to get the stuff home, its possible to furnish an entire apartment with someone elses junk. And if you dont know where to look, an entire ecosystem of expert scavengers has emerged on TikTok and Instagram, ready to help you scout out great finds.
A good sidewalk sleuth can spot a quality piece, knowing to check its heft and to look for features like tongue and groove joinery, before committing. They deftly enlist strangers and Uber drivers to help drag loot home, and often travel with screwdrivers, bungee cords and flashlights, in case they happen upon a gem.
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