Thursday, January 18, 2007

Tole trays: keep or sell?

Elise and I are thinking of selling these black tole trays. I used them in my first two kitchens, which had black and white diamond floors. They would conveniently and quickly fill the blank laundry room wall. I could complete that room if I worked hard today. If I do hang them,though, they might stay there forever of my own inertia. I'm not sure what I ultimately want there.

What would you do? If I sell them on Craig's List, what price would you suggest for the collection?


13 comments:

Anonymous said...

price, i have no idea
keep them or not, if you do not love them, get rid of them, have your son or you paint one of your masterpieces....etc...but something you love..i am surrounded by too many things i do not love.....

celina in canada

marycelery said...

Oh Meredith - the are beautiful and I am envious. I sold my trays (similar to yours, but different) and 8 years later still regret it.

I think if you are ambivalent, I would keep them. They are getting harder and harder to find at a good price - I used to buy them for a $1 or $2.

They would be beautiful in your laundry room. It would finish off that room and keep them out of the way. If you have them in that room for a year, you can always sell them then.

If may seem that you will do it and forget it - but that is an illusion. It is the perfection monster insisting you decide everything NOW. Don't worry. If they don't work in the laundry room, Craigslist will always be there (and I want dibs on buying at least one of them!!)

Miss Mary

Anonymous said...

They are gorgeous. I want dibs on one or two, too, if you decide to sell!

Might be a good excuse to meet face to face sometime! Not that we need an excuse. :-)

Missy K said...

I vote to hang them and keep them for now. Go three or four months ahead in your calendar and make a note to evaluate the laundry room. When that date rolls around, you can see if you have come up with a different plan for that room. If so, sell the trays. If you are happy with them, so be it. I love the colors you have used in your home.

Anonymous said...

I vote with the gals who are suggesting you hang them in the laundry room. It sounds as though you are really not sure if you want to part with them or not. When in doubt, keep them!! You can never get them back. However, if they're hanging on your laundry room wall (which will have that room finished and pretty to enjoy) you will see them almost every day and will be able to, in time, decide if you really want to keep them or not. They're beautiful, by the way.

DonnaB said...

Looking on ebay completed listings for tole trays...they looked like $30 and up, some in the $80-$100+ sales price. I think I would keep but then I get emotionally attached to my bargains!

Anonymous said...

Pray.

IMHO:
Keep the tray with cherries. That one is the show-stopper. Build your laundry around that.

Sell the trays with roses. Set a higher reserve than you think, after shopping for prices. Decide in advance what you would like to use that money for.

If they don't sell, watch your emotional reaction, and gauge your response by that. You may feel "free" to let them go at a lower price. If they do sell, well, you set a high price and that will be comforting.

debbie

Someone Beautiful said...

Hi Meredith, since you are not sure you even want them, I say sell. Whenever I hang onto something because it is too nice to get rid of (but I don't love it) I later ask myself why I kept it all that time. It's usually because I wasn't ready to let it go, but eventually I am. I love the colors of your home, and personally would want something lighter and dreamier in the laundry room. Something that would inspire me and make me smile, a special treat everytime I did the laundry. Maybe think of how they would make you feel hanging there. I would rather have one of your or Andrew's paintings there. ;) Actually you have inspired me there, and I asked my husband what he thought of getting some canvas for our 2 and 4 year olds to make paintings for their walls or the hallway...even a toddler's swirls in soothing colors would be nice. He loved the idea! Hmmm, Is your baby girl old enough for finger paints. ;)

It's a Mom Thing said...

Wouldn't you know that I have black/white diamond floors in my new kitchen. Hmmmm....I think I know someone who would buy them from you[me,Me,ME]!!! Let me know if you decide to sell them. I may just be interested in buying a few. I sure do love them and have looked for one ever since seeing the one behind the stove at your previous home.

jay n tricia said...

They are lovely trays. So ironic: just yesterday I did a search on your blog for "tole trays" wondering if you'd ever collected any in your travels. They are not cheap these days on Ebay, that's for sure. I have been wondering how to go about finding some for less.

But to answer your Q: having just moved myself, and being in the midst of also trying to do "everything" all at once, I'd vote for keeping them for now if they will complete a room, even if it's for the short term. At the very least, you put off some labor and $$ till a later date when you know what you want to do with the room longterm.

Anonymous said...

Hi!

I went to a Bible study once where the principle was introduced that you should like something 70% worth to keep it.

Now I like your trays 70% worth, but do you? It's such a temptation to keep our homes, and our wardrobes, full of 50% stuff.

Anonymous said...

Keep! They are beautiful, and every room needs a touch of black to ground it.
Connie

Sarah E. said...

I agree with the above, if you don't love them, get rid of them. I love the cherry tray as well.

I have this poem in my laundry room. You may have heard it before, but I thought I'd pass it along.

Dirty laundry reminds me that someone has worked, someone has played, someone has eaten, someone has slept, someone has enjoyed their day just as they will tomorrow, if someone like me takes care of what they have to wear

Sally Huss