Today I took a big step towards making my space more writer-friendly. Okay, maybe it was a small step, though it kinda felt like a big step because of all the hassle I had to go through. But it’s a step, and any step forward has to count, has to be celebrated.
I bought a 4-drawer file cabinet off of Craigslist.
Now what does purchasing a file cabinet have to do with making my room more writer-friendly you make ask? And I get it. It’s more of an indirect effect, a fringe benefit. My room has paper everywhere. EV-ERY-WHERE. So, if I corral this stuff in one place, with some kind of filing system, by date, or name or something, it’s going to make my writing life so much easier. No more stressing out over something that I try to use my semi-photographic memory (sometimes, when I try to find things, I see pictures in my head of where I last placed them) to locate its whereabouts. I’ll just go to the file cabinet.
This new (well, it’s actually used, but it’s new to me) file cabinet, is just the first in a series of purchases I’m going to have to make to achieve my goal, and boy was it an adventure.
First of all I don’t fuck around when it comes to spending money on most things other than food. Food is so damn cheap that I almost get 5 and 10 dollared out of rent money. But anytime something is, oh I don’t know, $20 or more, I go into deep contemplation, meditation, rumination about whether or not I should purchase the thing. Such is the case with this file cabinet.
At first, I was trying to buy a brand new file cabinet. I had forgot all about Craigslist. I hadn’t gone on there since I bought my mid-century, wooden, tanker writing desk on there about six years ago. It wasn’t until recently, when I became obsessed with these tiny New York apartment tours on YouTube, that I was reminded of all the great finds you can get there. That and the fact that those new file cabinets were ridiculously expensive – I’m talking 1, 2, 3, 4 hundred dollars and up. Um, can somebody say, “Hell no, you won’t get my dough.”
The thing about Craigslist, is that even though there is so many things on there that’s like dirt cheap, I still want to get it cheaper. As a matter of fact, after I picked up and paid for my file cabinet (getting an additional $5 off might I add) I tortured myself by logging on to Craigslist immediately after I got home, to see if there were any deals I missed. Sure enough there was – a free file cabinet, with only two drawers, though mine has four, left on the curb, first come first serve.
I was like, “see, I knew I should’ve waited.” If that wasn’t enough, there were also other 4-drawer file cabinets for $20 and $30, while I ended up paying $45 for mine.
I like getting a deal, but I haven’t yet mastered the art of walking away. Whenever you negotiate, your power is in your ability to walk away.
Oh, well. I have a nice file cabinet that I can put my shit into. I think I’m going to use the top drawer for snacks. I saw that on YouTube. They even put a snack label. As far as negotiating, I’ll have plenty other chances to practice. I’m on the look out for a West Elm dining chair that I want to use as my desk chair. It’s selling online at West Elm for like $300, meanwhile I saw one on Craigslist for $50. That person never got back to me. I just might end up buying that one full price I love it so much. I’m also in the market for an acrylic writing desk.
And, while I am still a little bummed I didn’t get that free 2-drawer cabinet. I’m just praying that I’ll have so much writing work on my schedule that four drawers were necessary and two wouldn’t do.
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