It's Over! (Notes from Bonnie's Desk)

According to the Atlanta Business Chronicle, Haverty’s sales are up this year, which is good news for many of us. The sale of new furniture is directly related to the housing market and simply put, when the housing market is good, furniture sales are good. When the housing market is bad, folks just aren’t buying new furniture. I saw that coming back in 2008 when Finders Keepers Furnishings began to slow down, in sales and in consignments. I knew something was amiss before “Great Recession” was a household phrase. When houses aren’t selling, home-owners aren’t sprucing up what they have nor are they purchasing home goods. As a resale shop, we weren’t devastated as some big furniture stores were. Many economized by sprucing up with gently used items.

 

The housing market is picking up and low and behold, Haverty’s Furniture Stores are seeing an increase in sales over last year. And so are we! Furniture is arriving by the truckload from those who have been waiting to sell or renovate and selling quickly to those who have moved or renovated and need/want something new. This trend is improving with each quarter as real estate finally picks up. Things are starting to ease up economically speaking and that means there will be more jobs on the horizon. So let’s all exhale and celebrate upcoming better days.

 

It’s official now….the Great Recession must be over!

Dr. Portia Shields at Finders Keepers Stores

Dr. Portia Shields, President of Tennessee State University in Nashville, arrived Saturday in her limo with an entourage of 7 ladies to shop all of the Finders Keepers stores. The limo driver even got in on the shopping fun. Dr. Shields was so sweet and posed for a photo at Finders Keepers Furnishings. Then they were off to shop at Boutique!

Free Workshop: Closet Chaos to Closet Confidence

Are you planning on getting a Valentine’s Day card for your closet this year or have the two of you had a falling out? As silly as it sounds, a negative relationship with your closet can create a lot of stress. A NAPO associate member and owner of Finders Keepers Consignment Stores, Bonnie Kallenberg has seen a lot (and I mean a LOT) of clothing in her lifetime. She knows how important it is to make your wardrobe work as hard as possible. Bonnie will walk you through the simple steps of a complete closet-transformation process and show you how to fall in love with your clothing again.
When: Saturday, February 5th @ 9:30am
Where: 2753 E. College Ave., Decatur, GA 30030
See the full February lineup on our website: http://www.fkconsign.com/ and click on the "Future Sales + Events" page.

High tide, low tide...

Our furnishings store has looked a lot like a beach - and I'm not refering to the sun and sand. Things roll in and roll out like tides: the store fills up, the store clears out. Sometimes it happens so fast we have to pinch ourselves to make sure we didn't just dream that a ton of inventory was snapped up and moved out. And then a new wave of decorative goodness pours through the door (usually punctuated by the "beep, beep, beep" of a truck backing up) and it starts all over again. It's so fun!!

Leather chair and ottoman

Empire style secretary

Farm table and four wicker chairs from Pier One

Pair of green crystal lamps

Mirrored end table

Painted cabinet on stand

Painted chest of drawers

Pier One basket cabinet

Queen rice bed

Shabby farm table

Shabby coffee table

Storage tower

A reminder from our Furnishings store

Hey y'all! Anybody out there about to go through the overwhelming, oversized task of downsizing? If I just got your attention, I hope you'll take advantage of the FREE workshop Finders Keepers Furnishings is hosting tomorrow for NAPO member Jonda Beattie. Her workshop: "The Magic Suitcase" helps steer people smoothly down that sometimes scary road. She will begin at 9:30am sharp, and the workshop should last about at hour. Seating is first come, first serve - so arrive early! The address is: 2753 E. College Ave., Decatur GA  30030. Call with questions: 404-377-1944

In other news, Finders Keepers Furnishings just got its very own facebook page! It's been sharing nicely with us and Boutique, but it was time to let it spread its social media wings with a page to call its own! Check it out: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Finders-Keepers-Furnishings/137525492976138

News from our Furniture Store!

Just a friendly reminder that our Furnishings location is hosting NAPO member Jonda Beattie tomorrow for her workshop: "The Magic Suitcase" - Downsizing done right! This workshop is totally free and will begin at 9:30am sharp! Here's the workshop description:

 

Professional organizer and author Jonda Beattie knows that there’s nothing small about downsizing. Whether you’re facing this major life decision now or considering it for the future, this workshop will help outline how to make this transition a successful time in your life by exploring how to get started, pitfalls to avoid, and rewards that can be achieved at the end of that long – and often intimidating – road. Learn more on her website: www.timespaceorg.com

 

Curious about our furniture store? Check out its new facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Finders-Keepers-Furnishings/137525492976138 

Finders Keepers Saturday Workshop Series is Back!

It can plague any home - and it probably followed you into 2011: stuff. Knick-knacks, clothing, clutter, papers, receipts. We stash away an old jumbled pile - out of sight, out of mind - only to have to face it again in the future. Stop making more work for yourself and G.O. this January, which is Get Organized month. Finders Keepers Saturday Workshops are back to help you jumpstart your goals, and we're bringing you four of Atlanta's savviest organizational professionals who will teach you how to make the process easier and more effective.

January 8th: Creative Order
Suellen Germani, certified Life Coach and Organizer, will help you clear the road to your goals by helping you identify and eliminate your "Life Clutter," which often claims the time, space, and energy that could instead be used to pursue your passions. Her workshop will outline four key elements to developing an organized lifestyle, which includes exploring the important emotional aspect surrounding our "stuff." Learn more on her website: http://www.creativeorder.com/

January 15th: Chaos to Comfort
Susan Fox is a true warrior of stuff and can help you declare battle on the piles of I'll-get-to-it-when-I-can-or-when-I-figure-out-where-to-stick-it clutter taking over your house. Learn how to reclaim every inch of your home and make the space you have work harder for you. Susan's service, Chaos 2 Comfort, has been written up in the Wall Street Journal for her organizational know-how. Learn more on her website: http://www.chaos2comfort.net/

January 22nd: Creating your own Sanctuary
Carey Lynn Quinn practices what she preaches: our mental states mirror our external environments. Maintaining tranquility and order within is easier when your surroundings work towards that sanctuary instead of creating more stress. With a desire to share the secrets of serenity, she began OrganizeAtlanta in 2005. Carey Lynn will (neatly) spill the beans on a few critical steps to turn your own home into a place to truly recharge, regroup, and relax.

January 29th: The Magic Suitcase
Professional organizer and author Jonda Beattie knows that there's nothing small about downsizing. Whether you're facing this major life decision now or considering it for the future, this workshop will help outline how to make this transition a successful time in your life by exploring how to get started, pitfalls to avoid, and rewards that can be achieved at the end of that long - and often intimidating - road. Learn more on her website: http://www.timespaceorg.com/

Workshops will begin at 9:30am each Saturday in January and are hosted at our Furnishings location: 2753 E. College Ave., Decatur, GA 30030. Call for details: 404-377-1944. We hope to see you there!

p.s.
Finders Keepers Consignment Inc. is a proud member of NAPO - the National Association of Professional Organizers.