With the piles of plastic dinosaurs and Lego strewn all over our little house, there’s no denying the higher percentage of trash over treasure.
My wardrobe is overflowing with unworn clothes, some with still price tags on them, showing my penchant for spontaneous purchasing.
Not to mention my overindulgence in notebooks. I blame #Typo.
Lately, I’ve been on a mad hunt for a typewriter But as I googled and surfed through Gumtree, it was crazy seeing the price mark up on something “preloved” or “retro”.
Typewriters are apparently back and you can grab one for a whopping $300.
Er, no thank you.
Yet, my buying bug got the better of me. What was a blah Monday morning into a wonderland trip to the Recycling Centre in Sydney’s inner west.
I seriously had not seen so much junk over such vast space.
Towers of plastic bottles, boxes of buttons, endless shelves of old books and magazines.
Rummaging through the piles of dusty fax machines and word processors, I found her!
Meet Olivia.
I wonder if she helped create the manuscript of a famous crime novel.
Maybe a jilted lover bashed away a letter of heartbreak.
Or as I found in the leather case, a list to nut out mundane strata scheme issues.
Whatever.
Someone’s trash is another’s new baby. Or perfect prop (Watch this space!)
Do you shop for trash? What’s the oldest most preloved item you’ve ever bought?
Do you know its history?
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Hello Olivia!
I’m not into second hand. My husband is. He visits Trash n Treasure every Sunday. We just this minute (right now at 6.15am) had a discussion about the shite that is stored under our house and my need for him to cleanse.
Leanne @ Deep Fried Fruit recently posted..Day 2541 – How writers can help readers to feel less alone
I’m not much of a collector. I hate ‘things’ and clutter… though I seem to have more than my fair share.
Of course I had a typewriter back in the day. Well, I think it was purchased for my brother. Bizarrely he was not allowed to do typing at school – the teachers thought him too smart so my parents enrolled him in some sort of night school (back in the late 70s or early 80s) for a semester.
It means now – as a 52yr old engineer, he can touch-type like a pro!
Deborah recently posted..Problogger Event 2016: Five learnings
Hi Olivia! Great find, Grace. I love finding a bargain!
Emily recently posted..Top web reads of September
Well hello Olivia, aren’t you pretty!
I did a double take when I saw this, Grace. Growing up, we had a typewriter very similar to your Olivia. P.S. She was very reliable. I’m intrigued about how you’re going to use it (as a prop, you say)? I’m keen to found out more.
Tonia ZEMEK recently posted..For the love of Frocktober
I, too, have a million Typo notebooks laying around the house. Who can resist, they are so cute!
Di from Max The Unicorn recently posted..Spotlight On: Hire A Box!
Hehe! This brings back memories of doing all nighters typing up my uni assignments including my thesis. Instead of photocopying my assignments I also used carbon paper! Geez this is making me feel old!
Ingrid @ fabulous and fun life recently posted..Double Cleansing and RosehipPLUS GIVEAWAY
Olivia looks very much like a typewriter I used to have when I was in high school. I wish I’d kept mine now! I’ve had a few interesting versions of typewriters over the years. If I had’ve kept them I might be now sitting on a gold mine. Oh well! Enjoy Olivia! 🙂 xo
I love shopping for old stuff! My recent purchase was an old and rusty looking large Bushells Tea tin which now serves as a pot plant holder on my deck. It has so much more character than a plain pot.
Eva @ the multitasking woman recently posted..I’m a Whinger of a Wife But I’m Blaming Misophonia
I love historical pieces. I prefer to visit museums now and take photos otherwise my house would be full of stuff again. I recently donated a few things to our local historical museum, but I do like type writers. I have some great photos and stories I will share shortly about Herberton’s Historical Village – totally amazing place to visit.
Maria Parenti-Baldey recently posted..Kids Swim in Rainforest Setting
Between last week’s title and this one, I’m sensing a theme! Hahah! Seriously though, what a great find! We love heading over there for a dig around and have scored some cool stuff in the past. Rolls of paper, pieces of AstroTurf- all kinds of stuff. The typewriter is an awesome find! I had one as a kid!
Amy @ handbagmafia recently posted..Sexual Assault: Never the Victim’s Fault
Haha! Yes, it’s been a month of junk and all sorts of rubbish. Boom boom tish!
Just wanted to also say that I went over to your blog to read your guest post. Sorry I didn’t make it in time to leave a comment…please send them a big virtual hug from me, it’s a thank you for sharing and trusting us with that difficult story…
Why hello Olivia!! I love second hand stuff, particularly old things. I often wonder how they were used in their old life. Don’t you wish “things” could speak? I bet there would be some amazing stories to be told.
Mandy @ barbiebieberandbeyond recently posted..Barbie Bieber and Beyond Online Shop Is Here
I love op shopping and garage sales. I tend to avoid gumtree these days after being messed around so much as a seller by buyers. Not the platform’s fault, but it seems to attract the more annoying type of people sadly. There’s an op shop near me that is actually a retro shop and while it’s really pretty, man, no way would I pay more than op shop prices for some things. I saw suitcases that we had as a kid in an op shop this year that were tagged ‘retro’ and were like $20+ each. I laughed!
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Oh I do like a clean-up and giveaway to Op shops and others. Moving house will do that to you…and for me, stopping my teaching roles and grandparenting care meant a giveaway and a few small sales. HOWEVER, I am also a memory maker and keeper so I try to keep some things for the present and the future. Back to you and the typewriter. I had my lessons on manual typewriters and then did my first Uni assignments in the 1980s on an old office electric typewriter. These days I prefer the computer but a little part of me thinks it would still be fun to ‘tap tap tap’ on a typewriter like Olivia.
As for Op Shops…I have tried, really really tried to check out Op shops and I’ve bought 2 CDSs. I am not into it I have decided. I am not into collecting either, so I will stick to the art shops!!
Denyse Whelan recently posted..Random September Pics. 366/274.
My mum had a typewriter when I was a kid and I remember she was always tap tapping away on it on weekends! I find the sound oddly relaxing! She wrote 3 novels on it 🙂
Haidee recently posted..8 Startling Similarities Between Puppies & Children
I remember when op shops were full of these and they would literally throw them away at $10 a piece. I have often wished that I purchased one back then.
I bought myself an electric typewriter that pulled me through six years of study. It seems so ancient now! (I still have my Brother typewriter.)
My best find ever, was a vintage hat box. So very pretty! I had an antique dealer hound me the whole time I carried it through the op shop, asking if I were going to buy it! It cost me $20 and I still have it now. It’s a beautiful piece.
JodY At Six Little Hearts recently posted..Bellabox Bellababy Review September and Special Reader Offer… #SLHFeaturedThursdays
My parents’ love of op shops, garage sales and trash and treasures has filtered down to me although I tend to stick more to clothes and shoes while they go for “things and stuff”, as a result my Dad has an excellent workshop full of vintage garage memorabilia and the house is adorned with vintage tins and bottles, china and knickknacks (but not in a hoarder cluttered sort of way). The most recent thing I bought was an old Halls bottle with original label and engraving on the back (Halls is a now-defunct South Australian company that did cordials and soft drinks) and an old Vauxhall badge for my Dad. $7 each. Bargain.
Beth | AlmostPosh.com recently posted..#AlmostPoshStyleCost: September
Oh she’s a beauty!! I’ve had one on my to-buy list too but yeah they can be pretty ex.. how much did you get her for if you don’t mind sharing? And how are you going to refill her ink?? Still in production?
Ai Sakura recently posted..Easy Wriggly Monster Dessert Tortilla Wraps for Kids
I love to rummage around in op shops and recycle centres, Reverse Garbage is one of my favourite time wasters, I’ve even donated quite a few old items there. Your Olivia looks exactly like the one I was given as a 13th birthday present (even the lining on the case is the same!) when I was aspiring to become a novelist. I ended up passing it on years later to a lovely old bushy poet who put it to good use but he passed away many years ago – I have no idea what happened to my Olivia. Now my daughter is a big fan of the old typewriter and bought a 1940’s German model a few years ago. Getting the ribbons for them can be a challenge though.
I plan to spend today sorting out my wardrobe as I too have way too many things still with the tags attached that I know I will never wear. I plan to sell them on ebay, and most likely use the money to buy books! 🙂
What an awesome find Grace!! I had a typewriter as a kid and typed away my “novels” and “poems” at it. I have no idea what happened to it when I left home, but gee I wish it was in my hands now. X