Thread: I would walk 500 miles...

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I'm curious if anyone else has aimlessly wandered the hardware stores looking for ideas. For the last few weeks I have walked every big box store, little hardware stores and others simply looking at what they have and getting ideas for my builds. I only do it when I have time to kill but I must say I get so many looks and questions from the employees. Yesterday I was asked "can I help you find anything?" at least 20 times. I want to tell them No I'm just looking for ideas for Halloween but I can only imagine the looks Id get then. LOL.

So, sound off if you wander hardware stores or craft stores looking for ideas and materials even when you won't be buying. Tell us your story's.

I don't go looking for ideas per se, I go with an idea and then see what they have available to bring it to fruition

Everytime I go in a store (ANY STORE), I see what is on special. I ask myself "could I use this for Halloween somehow?".. yes, it's a addiction (L).

I do the same thing, only in thrift stores. And there, noone askes if you need help. In fact if you look like you need help, they'll run the other way. But at those prices, I can usually help myself. I'm like osenator, if I see something really cheap I ask myself, "how could I make this into a prop?" Now if they would just sell low coust storage units at Goodwill.

Heh heh heh- me too! I just took my dogs for a walk in the woods. As always, I was thinking- "Hope I find something out here to use at Halloween."

Even a strangely shaped stick or rusty can will do!

Usually when I go, it's because I already have something in mind. While I might have an idea strike me while in store, I more often use the net, movies, or books for fomenting creativity.

I do this all the time at stores--I am always looking for things that I might be able to use--especially things on clearance! I often buy things that are quirky or just a really good buy knowing I will find someway to use them. I get this a lot from clerks---"oh that is really interesting what are you going to use it for?" My answer is "for Halloween" Strange look from clerk who then asks what I am going to do with it since it is never an obvious Halloween item and I always say "I don't know--yet". I get a lot of strange reactions especially when I am buying things months and months ahead of Halloween. I like to think of it more as an obsession then an addiction...LOL!

I wouldn't call it wandering so much as looking like I'm actually doing my job even though I'm not actually in my department... I happen to work at a big box home improvement store.

I only wander to find clearance items. Even stores that have clearance sections still leave other clearance things on their original shelves.

Usually I go into a store with my project in mind, but then end up walking 500 miles trying to find the specific items. For example, today I must have done 3 laps around Lowe's looking for chelated iron (for gardening, not Halloween ). Every once in a while I do go "idea shopping" and just wander around for a bit - this works particularly well for Halloween and holiday, home design, and cooking ideas.