It really floored me to find the same bookcase. I just noticed it in particular because I was thinking about buying it at Pier 1. It had been marked 50% off, then they have a sale with an additional 50% off of the clearance stuff. They didn't have much furniture left when I was there, & if I had a place for it I would have bought the bookcase. After finding out it was $50 higher at Big Lots, I almost went back & got it from Pier! By the way, here are a few pics from my Thanksgiving table-nothing like what I see here, but it was the 1st time I had tried using charges. My sons were impressed :) I know, they don't REALLY match, but the dishes were the closest colors I had to fall LOL

we wern't impressed by our builder "discounts". I would definately shop around. In some cases we went with the builder supplier (e.g. lighting, cabinets) but in other cases we found a better local supplier and now the builder has switched over to them (e.g.granite). In some cases we purchased items on line and gave them to the builder (e.g. sinks). In the case of the lighting, we did not get the absolute best price on the fixtures (although the prices were good and dicounted off suggested retail) BUT we did get a "free" design and that was well worth the small premium on the fixtures. We could have saved a few dollars by puchasing the same lights on-line but we did have some broken fixtures on delivery (replaced quickly) and the lighting in our house is fantastic. There is something to be said for having a local supplier who can quickly get you parts or replace an item if there are problems. But you have to weigh that against what you are getting locally and any savings you can get on line. For example, we purchased our faucets locally using the builder's plumbing supplier but we bought the stainless steel sinks on line. The markup on SS was unbelievable (2 grand for a Kohler kitchen sink with the "discount" - are they nuts!). I think we paid 1 grand for 4 SS sinks - 16 gauage - they are awesome and we got that tip from GW. So Scrutinize every line item and do not assume that every item on the list is at the best discount you can get. Toilets were another one - we bought Toto's on-line and got a very good deal. The appliance purchase was amazing. Builder told us that his guy had the very best prices. BS - we saved over 4 grand by buying appliances from a local store who has been around for decades and their price included installation!. Plus we got 0% financing on the stuff which we just finished paying off - nice to have that off the mortgage. I don't think I would buy appliances on-line - research that approach and definately don't be affraid to check local stores and tell them the best prices you can get on line - see if they will at least match it or throw in installation. Shop til you drop. Its your money that they want to take. PS - assume that EVERY builder "allowance" is crap - pulled out of the air. Validate every allowance against actual bids from suppliers for items that are at the quality level you expect. Hopefully you can do this before you sign the contract. If we had only budgeted what our builder "allowed", we would have no lights and probably have plywood for countertops.

Sit down with the stuff and have a talk with it. Ask the stuff: "Who's in charge of this cabinet...me or you (you is the stuff)? Decide what YOU think is appropriate to go back in the cabinets...not those little voices & second-guessing thoughts. You already KNOW which things are keepers and which are not. It's the little voices that rattle you and second-guess what you already know. If you're holding an item and you're challenged, just ask yourself, "Will my or my family's quality of life change if I don't have this?" This is a Yes or No question, not a "maybe" or disclaimed answer. Don't justify. Most of the time the answer will be "no". Get rid of it knowing it...and the little voices that go with it...are gone. Move on. That's how I make decisions when I need to clear things out.

"Just wait until you have to pack up all that crap and move it." My SIL just bought a retirement home so they are decluttering their current house as a preparation for selling it--she keeps telling me she can't believe how much STUFF she's got to get rid of. When I go to their house I always admire how it looks nicely organized and without extraneous things all over. However, I also admire her tons of closets and storage space which she says leads to keeping, you guessed it, all that stuff LOL. I've decided I will play a mental game this summer and pretend we have to move; maybe that will be my motivation to get rid of much unnecessary and unused stuff in our house! I use the holidays and shopping for gifts to satisfy any yen I may have to be a retail hunter/gatherer. The past few years I increasingly feel as if I am gorging myself after staying on a careful and healthy diet; by the time January comes I feel so psychically bloated from all the shopping /buying that I need another year to rest up and recover! It's interesting to me to watch my young adult daughter who is setting up her first home. She loveslovesloves Home Goods, Marshalls, Pier 1 etc. And when I go with her I usually find stuff I could easily buy. I have a rule that I can't take anything from those places home the day I see it. That usually short circuits the purchase, I'm rarely motivated enough to fight the traffic and crowds to go back a second time!