Miele Vacuum Cleaner Bags

When I was a kid vacuum cleaners were all equipped with the same simple square paper bags to collect the dust, and they came very cheaply. 

I had them up until the early Nineties, one from my grandmother and one from her sister in law, till they both gave up. Model above from 1976. Mine were even older.

Newer models with better dust filtering and other improvements came up, all fine with me but what just bugs me is why do they all have to have their own special bags, with kind of a cardboard or now even plastic keys to fit the thing in, and otherwise your machine just won't work! Every brand even has varieties. And on top they are expensive. I wonder why nobody has ever thought about negotiating a standard for this to prevent waste of unused bags from broken machines. Like they do currently about cables for phones and other e-gadgets. And has kind of existed forever for AV equipment already.

Bagless models are being developed and maybe improved of course, but as far as I know affordable ones are not ideal yet. Like the one I sold for trash.

For myself I'm currently good with my AEG that I got around 2006 from a neighbour who went to a home. It still has the cardboard 'keys', and I can cut them of and stick over to non-fitting bags. Plus I have a set from the thrift shop, a lucky find to last me long enough.

So long story short, when I found this set of in total 18 bags in March I had no need to keep them and listed, asked €7,50, got €8,50. Buyer paid €12 including shipping, would have cost him over €20,00 (best deal I found) buying new on line.

Just for fun I packed them in a crazy luxury bag...

For real, this simply had the size, shape and firmness I needed. After stapling it all up it didn't look so stylish anymore. And for me antoher one gone from the lot I also use for books.

RSI Original Starter Roller Skates

I found this pair of roller skates November last year neatly placed on the curb on my way to somewhere, obviously meant to be picked up.

With really everything in not totally new but really good condition I thought I could get at least get a third of new price (around €180) and listed them even below at €50. But I already saw lower priced comparables then. But it was for a first try.

As you never know, but no chance. A few days ago after non response the ad had expired and I gave it a second try at €20. This morning someone offered €15 and I gladly accepted.

Pricing quality products like this is trial and error. At the thrift shop we have a big shelf full of skeelers, roller skates, and ice skates that in general go for not much more than €5. The demand for second hand seems to be low, people who can afford it buy new. And for short use? I think I'm lucky with what I got and happily boxed them tonight. And another big box out of my house! 

Last Dress Dummy Sold

This morning I finally managed to sell my probably 100 year old dummy, that was in a corner of my room for so many years displaying a fake fur coat that I sold at kilo price last year. But things weren't sure.

Here she is in full 'glory'.

Unfortnunately, late last night, stupid me broke off the already fragile part of the tripod, knocking the doll over coming home holding laptop and more, while I had placed her in my tiny hallway thinking that would be handy. Not...

These three pictures highlight the damage, but also the special shape and age of the body. They don't make them like this anymore and a European 44 can hardly be this slim. Obviously the model is 'corsetted'.

Luckily buyer still wanted to have the body. She was sure to find an alternative stand or base. With discount of course, but she didn't play difficult and still payed more than I would have accepted.

My impression somehow was that the woman, with a Dutch name, but veiled moslem style, needed it for a one time occasion showing a special dress. I would have loved to give the antique piece a longer future, but if after this it will land in the trash so be it.

Two others. one  trashed, one sold, I'm down with one, the best of all, and all I need for the occasional sale of clothing.

Plastic Waste For Cash

This is real trash, plastic packaging. Milk packs of our own, accepted because of the plastic lining. Why collect and separate to cash it in for very little? In the past the only way to get rid of my own was the big grey bag. Then special containers came, not obliged but citizens were requested to drop the stuff there. No compensation. Being eco of course it did it. Just like for the glass jars and bottles that I've been used to since my earliest childhood. Then the city announced new machines in trash processing would do the job for the plastics and the containers disappeared. 

But not that long after the recycle shop opened and bringing the waste of my own plus what I find rewarded me in the beginning with €15 cents a kilo, now even 20.

The lot here is about 800 grams, good for about €17 cents. But I'll add another large bread bag full tomorrow afternoon or after tomorrow and will claim at least the 1 kilo at €20 cents or more. Is it worth the trouble for such petty cash? Definitely. I did the separating for nothing before. For dropping it off in the container I had to make a small detour on the way to groceries anyway. Now I make the detour to the recycle center instead, it only takes a couple of minutes extra for the administration to get my reward.

Plus sometimes I combine with other things like e-waste, flattened cans or textiles and shoes. Thus I have weekly additions of tiny amounts in my account that add up to once in a while help me through that one difficult day before the big pay comes. 

Official Heineken Crew Sweater

Yesterday I shipped the last of my Heineken beer textile finds of last autumn. It took a while, but I had a direct order with prompt payment from a small company that lets out party gadgets, though mainly inflatable, it's possible they had a special request.

Very happy, no bargaining just my price €20 straight into my account.

Designer Plant Watering Can

This sort of crazy crane shaped watering can was left in front of my door somewhere November last year. But this colour even makes it worse. On top it's huge, five liters is kind of overdone for indoor use. Still it is a designer product. It had 'Keira' somewhere on the bottom, found it on the internet around €35 but out of stock everywhere. Apparently not a success even in more attractive shades.

Today, after not even the maximum free listing period on Ebay I wanted the ugly thing out of my house and took it to the thrift shop. We currently have have an Easter/Spring themed promotion table with yellows and pinks, Hopefully someone in spring mood will fall for it. Or a lover of pink.

Retro Wrought Iron Pillar Candle Holders

I'm not a candle person. I used to love them for Christmas when I was a kid, but now I hate the smell and moreover the stench after blowing them off.

Otherwise I would have kept this pair of candlesticks for sure.

These detail pictures show the craftsmanship a bit better.

Found in front of my door early November last year, photographed and listed later that month. Well in time for the Holidays. Maybe it's the not so great picture with dark shadows but nobody showed any interest. Until Friday late at night, someone offered 8 out the €10 I asked. I was more than happy. Customer living about six streets away from me payed immediately on line and came for them today.

A 'colourful' person dressed in leather showed up and looked like someone totally fitting that neighbourhood, The Jordaan. Many arty people have replaced original habitants there but this guy looked like he was both.

Okay, last photo, also not too attractive on my floor but I added this for clarity in my ad. Don't you love that shape? It does make me think of early 1900 art but surely it's not from then.