To Rummage, To Ransack

I’ve been meaning to plug Rannsaka for a while now – probably months – ever since I discovered it back in the late autumn, and especially since I discovered that the word “rannsaka” is Swedish (I'm a proud semi-scandie) for “ransack” – or “rummage, pillage, search, rummage sale.” Rannsaka is all of those things. A delightful shop stocked from floor to ceiling and in every nook and cranny with attic and vintage delights.

On the main floor, one will find furniture: large wooden cabinets, shelves, stuffed chairs, drysinks. Also, pillows, old cracker tins, vintage mixing bowls, toiletry sets, decorative pillows, antique games, salt & pepper shakers, dried & bagged herbs, potpourri, a glass case of old jewelry, teacups and saucers, baking pans, cookbooks, stemmed glassware…

In the stairway leading up to the second floor, one will see framed needlepoint and pictures and mirrors, and some empty wooden frames for sale. This leads into a hallway between three separate rooms. The hallway is also full of curios and pictures and mirrors.

The room on the right is set up as a sitting room, with smaller chairs, handkerchiefs, old hats, pictures, dolls, crystal & cut glass.

The room straight back from the hallway is a linens room, full of doilies, vintage aprons, tablecloths and table runners. It also has more kitchen wares like tins and baking pans and such.

The last room off the the hallway is almost like an attic. It has handmade afghans and quilts, beer steins, books, more curios, and miniatures shelves.

Rannsaka is like rummaging through your neighbour’s attic or your grandmother’s closets, where you never know what you might find. And since it’s run like a community lawn sale, there are lots of things to look at in a wide variety of tastes and styles, with more appearing all the time. Worth a visit, if you're into that sort of thing.

Rannsaka: 115 N Main Street, Belchertown

(Right next door to Belchertown Antiques)

Recycling

As of 14 May 1990, Belchertown has a mandatory recycling program, operating out of its Solid Waste Transfer Station and Recycling Center on Hamilton Street. In order to use the Station, one must have a valid permit affixed to their car. Permits cost $90 for the year (March 1 - Feb 28) and are prorated in June ($67.50), September ($45), and December ($27.50). Current vehicle registration and proof of Belchertown residency (if not on the registration) are required.

After learning all I could about the program online, today I finally headed off to the Selectmen's Office to pay for a permit so I could take all the boxes that have been piled up in my living room after moving; shortly thereafter, I made my first visit to the dump/recycling center/solid waste transfer station. It was a pretty easy trip -- the bins are all labeled with their list of accepted recyclables, and since I was only getting rid of boxes and mixed papers today, I had only two bins to visit.

Garbage is also accepted there, though only in the requisite Belchertown Trash Bags -- the bags are sold at various stores in the town and their cost can come as a shock if you're not prepared for it. I know I was completely put off by the price until I realized that the bags are used only for garbage and not for recyclables -- their cost is a means to reduce waste and promote recycling. It does mean that garbage is expensive, though, at $1-1.50 a bag.

Want more information? Read the Transfer Station / Recycle Center Rules and Regulations.

My living room is now happily nearly box free.