There is just something special about doing a deed for someone and not taking a payment for it!
My parents are in the process of selling their home they have lived in for over 15 years. It was the home all of us kids grew up in and for some of the kids it was the only house they ever grew up. As the oldest child, I felt a responsibility to this home to get it in shape in order to get it on the market and get it sold.
There were some minor repairs/enhancements that needed to be done, so I took it upon myself to coordinate getting these done. Some of the repairs included:
- Replacing of electrical switches
- Patching of some small holes
- Pressure washing the house, driveway and pool area
- Painting of some walls
Since my parents have already moved out and taken all of the stuff they wanted with them, the remaining items needed to be sold or disposed of. We held two separate garage sales that were both decently successful and even with one trip from a local ministry thrift store to pick up a truckload of items there were still some items leftover.
There were a few items that I put on Craigslist for free that needed to be picked up. The items Iisted on Craigslist included:
- A Goalrilla Basketball Goal that needed a few parts
- A couch that needed a throw cover
Basketball Goal
This basketball goal was originally $1200. It is one of the premier goals on the market and we only ever put up one goal. The lay pole, rim, and backboard were all included, but there were a few nuts and bolts that needed to be ordered. The basketball goal was taken within a few minutes and picked up the same day. They brought a trailer to help haul it away and we were done with that. I was glad this went to a family who was going to use it in their community.
Couch
Unlike the basketball goal, the couch took much longer to give away. There were a few people the first few days who texted me asking for the couch, but there always seemed to be an excuse as to why they couldn't pick it up. One guy was persistent that he really wanted the couch, but was having difficulty coordinating the pick up of the couch. Someone realistically needed a truck or a trailer to pick it up. After about a week of going back and forth with this guy, he finally said that he would pay to get the couch to him. I told him I would bring it to him that day so that I would be done with the couch once and for all.
Unfortunately for me, I could not find anyone who had a truck or trailer that I could pay to take the couch to him. So I went into thinking mode. I had a pack of ratchet tie downs that I could use to secure it, but there was no way this couch would fit on my car, or at least so I thought. With my girlfriend out of town and the family busy with other activities I took matters into my own hands. Although not extremely heavy, the couch was longer than me and somewhat bulky.
First I threw the cushions in the car, but grabbed them back I put my thinking cap on and grabbed them so I could use them to create some leverage. There was a spare chair in the garage which I placed near my car and piled the chair cushions on top of the chair. I was able to lift up the couch enough in order to put one end on the chair and cushion rig I created. Once I got it onto the chair, I was able to lift the other side up and push the couch onto the top of my car.
After I got the couch on top of my car I used the ratchet straps to tie down the couch so it did not move in my transit to its final destination. I did not realize how far away the house was from where I was located. It was nearly a 30 minute trek across town. While driving the car I did not get the car above 45 mph because I got nervous from the vibration of the car from the couch and the straps.
I eventually made it to the destination and the guy was waiting outside. When I pulled up, I saw his jaw drop and then bust out laughing! Once I got the car parked I took off the ratchet straps and we took the couch inside. After getting them all setup they asked how much they owed me for delivering the couch to them. I told them not to worry about it and the grin on their faces and appreciation they showed was worth more than a small sum of money.
