A good weekend task

I'm very pleased with myself today. For a long time I've been watching craigslist for furniture for my apartment. Actually, I have very specific ideas about what I want and have most things picked out from various stores (Ikea, Sears, etc.). Really, I've been watching craigslist for that "perfect and unique" piece (whatever it may be). This week I found something I was looking for - a tall bookcase.

For the last 5 years or so I've been making do with a small bookcaseI bought from The Bay when first moved into my bachelor apartment. This bookcase served its purpose, but over the years I've accumulated more books than it can hold. Lately I've been doubling up two rows of books on the shelves or books stashed in every available space. You can tell from this photo.

Then on Thursday I noticed a posting on craigslist for the same bookcase I had on my wishlist from Ikea. For less than half the price!! So I contacted the seller, made the arrangements, and picked up the bookcase with the help of a very dear friend. My original plan was to fork over the cash and take a taxi-van from the seller's location to my location. This would've cost $20 + the fare of about $15. Fortunately, however, the seller had disassembled the bookcase, which made it smaller and easier to carry, and possible for us to transport via streetcar. Opting for the cheaper option, we took the streetcar most of the way. Have I mentioned how dear my friend is?? She went along with it, even though it meant carrying 7 ft pieces onto the streetcar, riding a ways, trying to get them off the streetcar in a small window of time, then waltzing down the street with them. I carried the shelves.












Re-assembling the bookcase turned out to be fairly easy. I didn't even need the instructions (though I was surprised to find out the seller had kept them!). It was as simple as fitting the pieces back together again. There are a few nicks and scratches, but for half-the-price, I can live with them. And, it's to be expected with softwood. They add character.
Once it was assembled, it didn't take me long to load my books on. I now have lots of room to add to my little library! Not to mention the space it adds. It's a much more efficient use of the space to have a tall bookcase. And it now evens out my livingspace with the bookcase on the south side of the room and my Alve Ikea desk on the north side. I'm so very pleased!