I don’t know if this is true of everybody, but I am always curious to know how people’s house is inside, the division of spaces, the decoration, the objects people collect through life. Sometimes I’d love to be able to remove the roofs of the houses and peek inside, as if they were toy houses.
This is why one of the best things to do in São Paulo is to visit one of the houses of families that are moving out.
When my mother was moving from a huge house to a small apartment, she had get rid of a lot of things and someone recommended Cristina to me. She is an outspoken and hard working woman who organizes everything, helps put prices on things and arrange them in the most appealing way. She invites people over to see if they can find something interesting to buy.
Early on Saturday mornings, there she is, together with her small army of helpers, waiting for the guests.
It’s like going into someone else’s home and be surprised with what is hidden behind the facade; to unveil the corners and the passages, to find from the simplest to the most improbable of things, marvel at architectonic solutions and very personal space arrangements. It’s like sneaking into people’s lives. I imagine their daily life, the family dinners, the lazy afternoons, the routine of each family member. Imaginary secrets.
Everything, or almost everything, is for sale. It is true that many things in display look embarrassed for being exposed in this way in the eyes of the public. When I began living alone again, I practically set up a house with these findings. From the couch to the fridge to kitchenware; objects, clothes, lamps, everything can be found. And every weekend brings a new surprise: a new neighborhood, a different house and a thousand other possibilities.
The adventure has only one catch: it’s addictive. It is frequent to bump into the same people every week, walking around among local people who are there for the first time. A knowing look is exchanged, a good-morning or a how are you is said, and on you go. Some begin the visit by the kitchen, others by the living-room. There are the hunters as well, of course, of paintings, chandeliers, furniture, crystals or art objects. There are probably experts who, with a mere look, can spot things that go unnoticed for us mere mortals. I have even found things that are now precious to me, but the best of all, really, is the treasure hunt. A real treat.
