Who knew it was so hard to buy string?

[Tiam]

I always am impressed by what was once a common place item that now is so hard to come by....my most recent discovery is string. Wouldn't you think string is a common place item? Well, it's not. The days of having a use for string is a thing of the past. I'm always looking to pick up string. Just a roll of string when I'm out shopping. I use lots. But what I've found is that most supermarket don't actually carry it. Tape, yes, string no. It's funny, (but not) because it means I have to make a special trip to a store I might not need to go to, to find the stuff. Todays shop was Winco. A big supermarket. No string. Usually, during the week, just go to grocery stores and gas stations....I don't go many other places. But of course, now I need to. Anyone else ever find they have difficulty finding 'common place' items?

[Bastelmutti]

Yes! Weirdly, I have had that same experience with string. And wooden matches, which I need to light my oven.

[Tiam]

Wooden matches. Who knew? I've had a hard time in the past finding a simple plastic ball to give the kids.

[Float On]

"A world without string....is chaos."

[flowerseverywhere]

We are lucky to have an "old fashioned" hardware store still in the middle of town, close enough to bike too. If I go in there and ask for string, they have a bunch of options. Of course, it is more expensive than the big box stores, but there is always a line at the register and plenty of helpful clerks. We go there for as much as we can because if they ever closed it would be a terrible loss.

[H-work]

Amazon is my friend. I've gotten everything there from alligator clips (to clip a pager button to my mom's blanket when she was confined in bed), to watch batteries (so much cheaper than a jeweler), to weed eater string, to pen ink replacements (even found some in purple, my son's favorite color!), to sponges (I bought a case of 24, now that should last a good while) to computer cables and adaptors. Many, many other things. I just don't want to be dragging kids into store after store looking for elusive items that they probably don't carry anymore anyway.

[Mrs-M]

For string, DH and I buy it at Canadian Tire, as for wooden matches, DH buys those at an outdoor sporting goods store.

[Bastelmutti]

Other things I have tried to find and found only with difficulty: borax, washing soda, canning jars (now they seem to be everywhere - because of the economy maybe) and wax paper/freezer paper (the kind that has wax on one side). I am in the city, though, and I'm sure these items are still commonplace elsewhere.

[puglogic]

All of the above and popsicle sticks. I was hunting for them the other day and had to go online.
A regular analog dial telephone for when the power goes out. Found one at an old-timey thrift store eventually.
Try shopping for a manual transmission car that has no power anything (doors, windows, ignition). They look at you like you've lost your mind.

I guess it's always like this with constantly changing times...hard to find the thing that used to be so commonplace!

[Bastelmutti]

Try shopping for a manual transmission car that has no power anything (doors, windows, ignition).

I still feel kind of uncomfortable with automatic windows - like I'm going to get stuck.