After a few “settling in” months we’re going through that phase I like to affectionately call the What We Really Need (And Don’t) Phase. Essentially, like most folks before a move, we tend to do our best to craigslist or donate or yard sale the things we know we no longer need or use (so we don’t waste time/energy moving it only to store it and never use it again in the new house).
But we do end up moving all of the stuff that we loved and used in our last house, even if we’re unsure where it’ll go in the new house. Then after a few months of actually being in the space and moving things around – sometimes ten million times – it becomes increasingly clear that we probably could have saved ourselves some moving sweat by eliminating a bunch of other things pre-move. It always seems like what’s perfect for one space just looks crazy in another (or something you used all the time somehow doesn’t have a function at all in the new place thanks to a different layout/more storage/etc). In short: moving hindsight is 20/20.
This phenomenon first struck me back when I lived in NYC and was moving two blocks away (from Sullivan Street to Thompson Street in Soho) and I carried every single thing by hand from apartment to apartment with the help of a couple friends (yes, even my mattress and bed frame). So every book and kitchen item counted. I tried so hard not to move a single spoon that I didn’t need, but inevitably when I was settling into the new place I amassed a big ol’ donate pile (and it burned me that those bruises on my thighs from carrying boxes back and forth could have been a little lighter).
Well guys, I think I’ve grown in the last 8 years because it no longer pisses me off, it’s just sort of something I have learned to accept. The sky is blue. The grass is green. And we’ll move stuff that we only realize in hindsight doesn’t work in the new place. So we’ve been pretty busy selling things that no longer fit into the “works for this house” column. Which is nice because clearing out has always been something I love (and who doesn’t want a little extra cash?). And since a bunch of you guys have been asking for a little “audit” of what we no longer need and have sold/are selling, here’s the list.
1. Our four slatted bar stools. A sweet reader emailed me and said the exact same vintage set of four stools were selling for $825 on One King’s Lane and offered me $800 for ours. After I picked myself off the floor, John and I had a serious will-we-use-these chat and decided that we are 99.9% certain that we’ll have an eat-in table in our kitchen as opposed to a bar area. It felt too crazy to take $800 for them – even if that was the going rate, so we countered with “$400 and they’re yours.” She was thrilled to snag them for over 50% off retail, we were happy to sell them for over 50% more than we paid for them off craigslist last year, and we even got this shot of them living it up in her kitchen:
2. Our egg chair & Ikea slipcovered chair: Alas, our Goodwill find and leftover chair from our first apartment were cute in the sunroom here when it was sealed off, but they wouldn’t stand up to the weather once we tore out the doors in there. And without any good nooks or corners to tuck them into here, both got Craigslisted for $30 total. Eggy went to a guy who was really into its design and the Ikea chair went to a girl headed off to college.
3. The yellow chairs that we had on our last house’s deck. Aw I loved those things. But since we only have one outdoor space here (the deck) it meant these yellow guys had to share a space with our bright red Adirondack chairs, which at the last house lived far away on our patio. The two bold colors were a bit circus-y out there and we decided the Adirondacks fit the more traditional style of this home better. Someone was very happy to take these two for $90.
4. Our rocking bench from the front porch. Again, this was a case of “don’t have the same outdoor spaces” (i.e. no wide front porch) and we debated putting it back near the edge of the woods but we thought it would just get covered with leaves and ticks and not be as nice without the awning of the front porch that the first two houses provided. It went super fast for $20.
5. Our woven nursery chair from Clara’s old room. It just felt too modern for this house (it worked nicely in a mid-century ranch, but something about this house’s molding and paneled doors and more classic/traditional vibe made it feel a little off). We listed it for $20, but took $10 for it since the person was also buying the yellow deck chairs.
6. The dresser from Clara’s big girl room. We loved how it worked on that blank wall in there, but when we set up Clara’s room in this house we decided her nursery dresser (with the white top and stained bottom) looked nicer with her daybed, so that ended up in her room without the need for another dresser in there. Our first instinct was to save it for a future nursery, but we decided our hand-me-down dresser from John’s dad would be great for that room – and womp womp – this guy was out. Fret not, he went to an awesome loving home thanks to Sir Craig and his list (for the same exact price of $55 that we bought it for) and the buyer happened to be a furniture rehab pro, so she sent us this updated picture.
7. Slate in the new backyard: Okay, so it’s technically not something we moved, but since we’re on the subject of selling stuff, we inherited a bunch of slate that was peppered all over the backyard where we’d love to grow grass. First we debated reusing them to create some sort of patio, but since we’re not hurting for outdoor living space right now with the deck and the freshly-opened sunroom, we opted to sell the 120 or so pieces that we dug up for $100. They went fast!
So that’s what we’ve been selling. So far our Craigslist total is $705 for letting go of that stuff that doesn’t work as well for us here. And we decided that getting something we’ve wanted with that loot would be a nice way to “put it back into the house.” So when we saw this wood inlay dresser go 25% off on West Elm (which put it almost exactly at $705) we pounced. At the ripe old age of 31, we’ve actually never bought a real grown up dresser (we’ve used the hand-me-down one from John’s parents and a few Ikea or thrifted ones) so it felt kind of crazy. Especially the “white glove delivery service” where they carried it up the stairs and placed it in the room for us, already fully assembled. Guys, I thought I was Oprah. Never felt fancier in my life.
I can’t wait to show you a picture of it in our room. You know, once I stop pretending it’s a sculpture and actually put our clothes in it. The funny thing is that we just heard that “iron” and “wood objects” are traditional sixth anniversary materials, and since this wood inlay dresser has iron legs, we’re calling it a belated anniversary present. To marriage! May it forever contain our clothes in wedded bliss.
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As a little Friday bonus, here are four fun projects, chats, or questions going on over on the Forums. We also announced this week’s giveaway winners, so you can click here (and scroll down to the Rafflecopter box) to see if it’s you.
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| by DelightfullyNoted | by candice | by ViewAlongTheWay | by K8e9 |
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okay so I should have known that someone like you with this great blog would already have a full post on tips on selling on Craigslist. Just did a search and will read that post in full. Ignore previous comment :)
So glad you found it Tami! Good luck with everything!
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I just bought a custom sectinal and recliner (modern lines not like my Grandpas) and it was the first really huge furniture purchase I have evern done. It felt great and scary! The make it and deliver it too!
Sounds awesome!
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We’re starting the same post moving rethink, but as we downsized we need to get rid of loads more stuff.
I’m calling it the ‘big declutter’ and think it would be fun if people joined in and we shared our progress as we go…you know…because that’s my idea of fun :)
http://tenantchic.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/this-is-how-we-do-it.html
xx
Love the big declutter!
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Maaan, those bar stools look so good in their new house – its fate. I actually kind of like the dresser painted blue(looks like I am about the only one).
I totally agree with you ditching that old egg chair and saving up for a pretty swinging one too – that’s on my furniture bucket list as well. I always thought it was just a place holder until you could afford what you really wanted. No harm in loving something and then changing your mind. Keeps life interesting.
I say, change it up! And I am interested to see the new dresser in your room… I would have never picked it but I am prepared to be wowed.
Love the new dresser! Doesn’t it feel great when your things can find new homes when you no longer can use them? Happy fluffing your nest. Toodles, Kathryn @TheDedicatedHouse
We have a Pottery Barn Outlet here in Michigan, which I recently learned also has West Elm furniture. Just wanted to share that little tidbit with any other readers looking to find West Elm items at a great price.
I call our outlet with specific items I am looking for to see if they have them on the floor. If they do, then I get in my car and make the 2 hours drive immediately to grab them.
We got lucky with a WE mid-century bed for my son for just $150 earlier this summer (normally $899).
Really smart! Holy cow, that’s awesome!
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Gorgeous new dresser guys! Just wondering why you didn’t spray paint the yellow chairs? Not to use necessarily on the deck near the Adirondacks, but just for extra seating. Have a great weekend!
We actually worried they’d get crazy hot (they’re metal while the adirondacks and dining chairs on the deck are wood) since that area gets so much direct sun. The deck at the last house was more of an alley that got a bit more shade throughout the day.
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Hmm, I think whoever lived in your house last was related to the people who lived in our house last. I dug up tons of slate from the backyard. We’ve been debating whether or not to do the same kind of sidewalk you guys did for your first house. It’s good to know that if we decide not too we can sell it.
Awesome! So you totally need to house crash the lady who bought the stools; her house looks amazing!
Good scores, guys! Both on the sales & the purchase. Sherry, you’re too funny…treating it like a sculpture & afraid to use it. I may, or may not have been guilty of this a few times, too. Lol
Perhaps you guys can start a new line of business…. Find, refurbish & sell for double the profit? I’m sure that things would go like hotcakes, just for the “John & Sherry have put their DIY touch on this!”
Ah, happy ending :). Beautiful dresser, wedded bliss, Oprah. Doesn’t get much better. ;)
Oh, Oprah, um, I mean Sherry, that was so nice of you to counter with a 50% price reduction on those slatted stools. My husband would have said hellyeah! to the 800 bucks in a heartbeat. So sweet.
But what I really am chiming in to say is what is up with OKL and their prices? I am constantly seeing stuff on their site that is supposedly a bazillion dollars retail, which they mark down to a gazillion dollars and which in several instances I have seen for, like, actual human dollars elsewhere. Case in point: I was hemming and hawing about a mid-century brass bird sculpture in a local antique store but didn’t know if it was worth the $18 they were asking (yeah, I know) and a couple of weeks later saw it on OKL for over a hundred smackers so I ran back and snatched it. And there have been many more things like that.
Oops … hope they’re not one of your sponsors or that you aren’t planning a Tastemaker’s Tag Sale any time soon.
:-)
That brass bird sounds awesome! As for flash sale sites, there seem to be some cheaper ones (like Joss & Main’s under-fifty dollar sales or their Outlet specials) but OKL seems to be positioning themselves as higher end in their pricing. I generally like to check places like HomeGoods and overstock.com since they sometimes sell similar things for less, just to ensure myself I’m not getting something that might sell cheaper in those places.
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Nina, I totally agree, all the way down to the crazy prices on brass bird sculptures! Brass cranes run $10-$20 at our local vintage store as well. And I’ve picked up some Syroco bird wall hangings on the cheap that OKL is selling for well over $100. Granted, nobody is twisting our arms to buy them, but at those kinds of prices I expect that brass crane to grant wishes.
How do you clean paint off wood floors?
Sometimes you can “pop” it off with your nails once it’s fully dry. Maybe a magic eraser would work (just test it first to make sure it doesn’t strip the sealer on your floors). Generally we try to wipe the paint drops up as we go (when they’re still wet them come right up).
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You get rid of furniture because it’s too “modern” for the house…but you paint a door bright turquoise? Ummmm
There are tons of colonials with bright front doors! I guess everyone has different interpretations of modern, but to us a bright front door can work with a contemporary home, a cottage, a colonial, a ranch, or a craftsman! I’ve seen slideshows of them on all types of houses on HGTV.com :)
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And then buy what I’d consider a fairly modern dresser that seems better suited to an industrial-style loft or something.
I’m not understanding the thought process here.
One of these days/months you’ll get pictures of the slate pieces’ new home; thanks again.
Everything’s looking great on your multiple projects!
We’d love to see them!!
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I “get” it completely…we’re a military family and housing is always somewhat of a surprise! We just came back from overseas a year ago (second time), so not only did we deal with what we had taken with us, but all that stuff we had put into storage for 2.5 years. I feel like I’m finally nearing the purge (which, does it ever end when kids are in the house?), and we’re up for another move next summer. {SIGH}
Can you please house crash the place your old bar stools went to – it looks amazing!!!
I agree with you, loved the kitchen pic
I saw the cutest quiz for if you are ready for an outdoor fireplace. http://tlc.howstuffworks.com/home/outdoor-fireplace-quiz.htm
Great job with your furniture sales. I’m absurdly pleased that everything found a good home.
Thanks Anna! Love that!
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Love that dresser. Doesn’t it feel great to buy a beautiful quality piece! Congrats!!
Loved this post! Love the stools in their new home. We moved last summer from a modern condo to a traditional colonial house and had to do the big purge of stuff that I LOOOOVED in the condo, but just looked all sorts of wrong in the house. We’ve found our style going much more coastal / new traditional / cottagey in this place and it just suits the architecture and layout of the home so much more (although we’re years away from the house being fully decorated).
So well deserved! My husband bought me a dresser from C&B for my birthday. I love it. I feel like such an adult whenever I open the drawers. It’s been like five months and the excitement still hasn’t worn off :)
Oh man I love hearing that!
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in all the years I’ve been reading yhl (almost 3 years I think), I’ve never seen you curse before. I’m glad all your items found good homes.
I’m the one who sent you photos of my bookshelf a few weeks ago. Tons of love from Canada (in a not creepy way).
Love’s comin’ right back atcha Jenny!
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Love this post, so jealous of your re-sell powers! I have that exact same dresser, but we use it in our entryway! It’s so pretty and clean and we get tons on compliments. Just be cautious about the top which can scratch if you’re not careful! Can’t wait to see how you guys use it in your room!
Thanks so much for the tip Caroline!
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love the new dresser!! can’t wait to see it in your new room!
I don’t get it. I double checked with the hubs and his parents. We just don’t get the new “dresser” purchase. It holds maybe. ….. MAYBE half of what the other one did. Never mind that we all know this house will be another flip so this one piece doesn’t “work” anywhere in your house? Not the “nursery”… this was a piece of Clara’s history you chucked away on CL. The new piece is not anything to hand down to another generation, that dresser from John’s parents was. i really fell in love with you guys on house one and now .. meh I’m sure this won’t be posted and I’ll get an email but “peace out”
I’m not sure I totally follow. Are you confusing two dressers? The one we sold on Craigslist was one we purchased there ourselves several months ago (so it hasn’t really become a part of our history) and the hand me down dresser from my dad is being used in the future nursery. So we eliminated the piece that meant the least to us and no longer had a spot/use. Sorry if that was confusing.
-John
In the words of the great Sir Mix Alot
, OMG Becky look at her awesome kitchen!! Wow!!
Hahahaha! Comment of the day, fo sho.
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You have opened my eyes! So simple- I can’t believe it! I have so many many things I have been trying to “work around” thinking the problem was my indecisiveness . But really, they just don’t work anymore. And it’s okay to get rid it them, whoa! Thank you so much Sherry!
I am so, so glad you guys are getting these kinds of pieces! It’s gorgeous! You don’t need to justify spending money on quality, well designed furniture. I really hope you do a lot more of it in the months to come!
Thanks for this! We just moved, too, and are reevaluating what we have. Unfortunately, while we were looking for a home and had stored our furniture, our storage flooded, and we lost some items. We’ll see how it goes…thanks again!!!!
How do you guys decide when to save and when to splurge. I just wonder why you didn’t choose the outdoor tile that you really loved because it was $200+ more than your actual choice, but then you bought a dresser that was $700+shipping when the dresser’s really only big enough for a nightstand. Surely you could have bought the tile you really loved and DIYed a very similar version, using a nice secondhand dresser.
Good question! The other tile I loved was actually more smooth, so because we worried about slipping we picked the other one for functional reasons. We also thought that such a specific choice of tile with more unusual coloring might be something we tire of later, so a classic slate look felt like a safe for-the-long-haul choice. In general I think we like choosing more classic things for “permanent installations” like wood flooring or tile while furniture and wall paint feel more flexible. As for when we typically splurge, here’s a post with a bulleted list of things we typically ask ourselves.
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I totally “get” the reality that some furniture that one “loves” isn’t forever for many, many reasons. I had tremendous enthusiasm for Arts & Crafts pieces 20 years ago, and accumulated many chairs, several tables, and more. The Arts & Crafts pieces fit perfectly in my Berkeley, CA world, and I paired them with dhurri rugs and images (not original prints) by Hundertwasser. That was my look, no questions asked. But over time I didn’t “love” these items so much, and now, nothing remains. It’s not that I wasn’t completely smitten, it’s not that I was trying to be something I wasn’t; it’s just that the “love” (fondness, aesthetic, etc.) wasn’t my longterm love. I’m a great fan of craigslist, and giving others a chance to get into what they like, and I’m a dedicated thrifter. I admire bloggers who state their enthusiasms and follow through, with the kind of self respect and acceptance of others that Sherry and John convey.
The hanging outdoor egg chair is going to be in an upcoming OKL sale! I hope it’s not pricey and you get it!
Oh man that would be awesome.
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I know this may be too personal of a question, but I’ve just recently started noticing so many crazy critical comments on your posts. I’m not sure if this is a new thing or not, but how do y’all handle the criticism? Doesn’t it get to you? Love and hugs and all the most happy, positive thoughts your way!
Thanks Julie, you’re so sweet. Sharing your house/life on the internet definitely means being told by others how they would blog/decorate/parent differently, so after nearly six years of this we’re definitely used to it. We actually wrote a post about dealing with criticism a while back: https://www.younghouselove.com/2012/01/dealing-with-criticism/
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I agree. You guys are always so classy about everything. I am always impressed with the way you navigate situations on the blog. I confess that I would have to work very (very) hard to be as poised as you are when faced with a nasty comment!
That dresser is beautiful! I’m not sure when we’ll get to the point of buying a “grown up” dresser. I’m still addicted to Craigslist too….it’s the thrill of a bargain I guess :)
But that dresser might have me changing our mind…..
We have been our new house for less than 48 hrs and I already have 4 “donate” boxes going on. Amazing how even w/ a similar floor plan as our last house, not everything will work. I wanted to sell things before we moved, but I ran out of time and donated 5 loads instead. Too. Much. Stuff.
I keep meaning to have a garage sale. I just keep telling myself that no one will want my leftover stuff. I have piles in the basement but I can’t get myself to actually price it all and hold a sale! Argh!
Talk about an awesome kitchen!
Just wanted to say I love the blog. It does not matter to me at all if smth was staged. The blog is your job and you do things to make money from it. I can’t see how that’s wrong or doesn’t sit well with some. It’s natural. And even IF smth was staged, as a reader I still get what I want from the post (decorating ideas, DIY tips, a break from work..) hope the negative comments don’t affect you too much :)
Your new dresser is lovely! What a great purchase, you guys have such great taste.
Do you feel a little strange that you charged that woman $400 for the stools when you only paid $150 for them? That doesn’t seem right but boy, I guess she really wanted them then huh! :)
Sometimes we sell things for less than we bought them for and sometimes we get lucky and the “market value” of something goes up, like when One King’s Lane picked those stools up and listed them for $825, so countering Tyra’s $800 offer and saying “let’s do $400 seemed like a good deal for her (she got them for over 50% off) and for us (we made some money on them while selling other things for less than we paid for ’em).
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Great idea about selling stuff! We bought a foreclosure almost a year ago thinking we would fix it up. Sadly, our little boy is having health issues and our money is going toward what insurance won’t cover. You all have inspired me to tackle my attic. Then, I can reward the kids with a backyard fire pit… without feeling guilty! :)
I’m so sorry to hear about your son’s health issues. Hope you make lots of bonus money from your attic clean out!
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So many good stuff for grab! But don’t you get emotional when saying goodbye to your stuff? :D
I am pretty sure the designer of the bar stools was Arthur Umanoff. He was a 60’s modern furniture designer. Not sure If yours were copies or the real thing. But if other readers wanted to find some his name is the best way to track some down. They do look wonderful in their new home. But I was surprised to see you let them go!
Thanks Kara! A few others said Arthur Umanoff as well, so we think they must either be his or some copies also from around that time (they were definitely of that era). We definitely would have kept them if we had a spot for them, but it was so nice to get that picture from Tyra of them in her kitchen once we realized we’d probably just be storing them instead of using them.
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Okay … so there’s no reason you should ever listen to a random reader who doesn’t really know you from Adam, but before you put grass in that beautiful space … consider a garden (herbs and flowers and food)!!! It’s prettier than grass, smells amazing, and is an excellent edible lesson for the littles about how generous the earth is with us. “Grow food, not lawns!”
We’d love to grow some herbs here for sure (we had an edible garden in our first house with berries, tomatoes, herbs, etc) but we have a huge population of deer here, so we have to be selective. I think we can get away with rosemary and lavender since they don’t like that? Gotta do more research!
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Where did you live in Soho? My husband lived at Spring and Thompson (above the dentist office and catty-corner from Ben’s pizza) until 2006. Small world.
No way! I was Bleeker and Sullivan (also Bleeker and Thompson). Loved that area! I still miss walking to Washington Square Park!
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wow, y’all made good money from your unwanted items!
this line cracked me up..I literally laughed out loud lol
“Guys, I thought I was Oprah. Never felt fancier in my life.”
haha..I love the new grown up dresser..I have never had one either, but it’s on a wish list lol
I scored that dresser at the Grand Opening of my local West Elm for $602 & I LOVE it! Is it wrong that I have THREE ceramic animals on top of it?? (So, wish I could post a pic for you). Speaking of ceramic animals, have you seen the white bunny vase currently for sale at Anthropologie for $24…..it’s ah-ma-zing….check it out!! :) http://www.anthropologie.com/anthro/product/search/28791705.jsp?cm_vc=SEARCH_RESULTS
OH MAN, I LOVE IT! Also, three ceramic animals is awesome… but four would be better (add the bunny! add the bunny! add the bunny!)
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Question… You guys claim a lot to “save pennies” and be very frugal, however, you often sell things instead of keeping them (and if I recall correctly even twice bought the Ikea expedit shelves)
You do phase 1 projects on your 3rd house because you “don’t know what you want” but will sell things you claim to have once loved before even moving into your new home because you “know” they won’t work? How do you decide what will work and what wont?
Just a curious reader who is sad Claras dresser is gone… SO beautiful!!!
Sorry to confuse you Katie! We actually didn’t sell much before moving into this house because we had no idea what would work (we sold this stuff after trekking it all the way over here and living here a few months – see how this post is from August and we moved in early June?). It would’ve been easier to sell it before the move, but we had to be in here and see what worked for our brains to figure things out. We’re completely up front about not always getting it right, so we just course correct as we go (trial and error is the best way to describe our method). It would definitely be easier to see into the future (we never would’ve bought that dresser), but it wasn’t the worst thing in the world to resell it for the same price. Didn’t lose a penny, and we got to enjoy it for a while :)
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This is so random but I thought I would share. I am such a Scandal fan, and guess what I saw at 3:40 into this video:
http://youtu.be/Zob1iOx_FOA?list=UUb0tMboxhHE8Jx6-nhJmRPw
if the link doesn’t work its titled “See Inside Scandal Star Katie Lowes’ Boudoir – Allure Insider “
Love me some Scandal!
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