Dresser is a Close Fit

I have been on the lookout for a dresser for the bedroom.  This week I lifted that wish to a higher priority.  I saw one at Vincent de Paul but decided it had more character than one piece can handle.  Then today I saw this at the Clubhouse Shop.

I certainly liked it.  I especially like the serpentine front.  It was well constructed and even had a large unattached mirror that went with it.  But I held back and with good reason.  Remember, the dresser will be in the same room with this piece.

 

Yes, really! I don't expect to find a match for this piece but I hoped to find something that looks like a distant cousin.  I revisited a charitable resale shop that had a piece that might work.  Today it was marked down $40.  I had dismissed it a couple weeks ago but this was enough to get me to reconsider.  The staff confirmed what I already knew:  THEY DO NOT HELP LOAD UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES.  That meant I would have to come back with help when I could find help.  The angels were with me because this happened to be the day they restock the floor and one of the guys overhead my discussion with the staff member.  He said to me, "If you buy it we'll help you load it."  That pretty much cinched the deal.

 

The piece measures 66 inches long and my van is a scant 66 inches from door to door behind the front seats.  When they saw how I wanted it loaded (upright behind the front seats) they were not thrilled and told me it would not fit.  I held my ground against the comments from the rest of the staff.  I think they could see I wasn't going to budge and the guys had already committed, so they loaded it.

 

Once it was in the van one of the movers walked away leaving the kid to shut the doors.  He could not make that happen because the handle was hitting the lip of the dresser.  I politely told him I would manage, and I did.  I pushed the dresser a little this way and a little that way until I was able to close the door.

 

When I got home I had a little more serious problem.  I couldn't get the doors open.  But with a little more wiggling I did it.  Now for the next hurdle.  I couldn't really leave my car sitting in the driveway with the doors open until I could round up help, so I needed to unload this by myself.

 

First I took the drawers out.  That was not as simple as it sounds because there was not enough room for me to get inside the van and barely enough room for me to pull the drawers out with bumping against all those protrusions that vehicles have on the inside.

Persistence paid off and I got them all out.

 

Next step...not so easy either.

 

This is where I could have used some help.  I do have a luggage dolly and decided that was worth a try.  I slipped it under the end on the ground and was able to roll it backwards while I lifted the other end down.

 

You can see the little cart on the right end.  Luckily I was able to then lift the other end and push the cart right into the garage. 

 

I think it holds it's weight against the amoire.  But now the big question.  What will the paint finish be?  I'll follow up on that in another post but if there are suggestions, I am open to fresh ideas.