A Taxonomy of Boston Space Savers after the Blizzard of 2022
Let's see what you guys hauled out of the basement this year!
Photo via Instagram/@spacesavers_of_boston by @formoffunction
Space saver season is back, baby! After this weekend’s historic blizzard, the streets of Boston are once again awash in beach chairs, coolers, busted durable goods and all manner of household objects designed to tell the world that, at least for right now, this section of curb is yours.
The time we have with them is short. City rules both official and unofficial dictate that space savers have to be removed 48 hours after a snow emergency is lifted. In this case, that’s Wednesday, February 2, at 6 a.m., at which point your favorite cooler, box fan, or Rob Gronkowski cardboard cutout could end up getting confiscated by the DPW.
And just a reminder for anyone who had any bright ideas given how extreme the storm was, space savers are still off-limits in the South End. (A quick search of the publicly visible complaints on the city’s 311 service shows a good amount of whining this weekend about South Enders not following that neighborhood’s special rules).
So what did all of you use to hold your spaces this time? Let’s see!
Chairs. The beach chair is customary, and there were thousands of them out there on the streets of Boston this morning, but we appreciate those who add a little extra pizzazz to the old standby, such as by putting a little penguin on it. (We know about this one thanks to an Instagram account dedicated to the subject called @Spacesavers_of_Boston, so thanks for that!)
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A vacuum.
When you find a vacuum cleaner as a space saver @nancylanephotos #Journalism with a big J pic.twitter.com/azW7Q1Na1P
— Meghan Ottolini (@Meghan_Ottolini) January 31, 2022
Wood. You can always put out a wooden end table, sure. But why not just use the raw materials instead? By which I mean a log.
Get your space savers ready! The great #Boston dig out begins. The log is my favorite this morning 🤣 #usewhatyagot #southie pic.twitter.com/XqPoQO5Itc
— Kim Lucey (@KimLucey) January 30, 2022
Computer.
What’s the best space saver you’ve ever seen?
Saw this Mac Pro on r/boston after the blizzard: https://t.co/lTqw188Ruj pic.twitter.com/wEuaFQCLXC
— Jeremy Siegel (@jersiegel) January 31, 2022
Flatscreen TV, beer keg, a cone with a threatening note, and what appears to be a child-size mannequin.
Space savers come in all shapes and sizes in Boston… pic.twitter.com/LQmF3egDbc
— Only In Boston (@OnlyInBOS) January 31, 2022
Lego.
Watch: A tiny space-saver is now at the Legoland Discovery Center https://t.co/OaKfRW2gkd
— Boston.com (@BostonDotCom) January 30, 2022
A box of Legos. And a walker.
Today’s update: Still want that Lego? Now there’s something to assist you in transporting them *and* the walker!!! pic.twitter.com/47LPMsV0gk
— ☠️ The Night Ridah!!! ☠️ (@thenightridah) January 31, 2022
Ironing board.
In all its beauty #WCVB https://t.co/wJqowhrf8Q pic.twitter.com/ls7MSnDVgb
— Matt Reed (@MattReedNews) January 31, 2022
Not sure what’s going on here, and neither is MBTA spokesman Joe Pesaturo, who spotted this one in Southie.
well this #Southie #spacesaver is a real head scratcher 🤔 E Street #Boston pic.twitter.com/JZL08PSxtV
— Joe 🚍🚃 (@JoePesaturo) January 31, 2022
Also not sure what this South End driver was thinking when they set this out: a space saver in “stealth” mode.
Citizen complaint of the day: Stealth South End space saver https://t.co/bw9hVpAG9D pic.twitter.com/bxeekY3KCn
— Adam Gaffin (@universalhub) January 30, 2022
And last but not least, keeping the holiday spirit alive, Christmas tree.
“Christmas Tree Box Encased by Pink Flags” by Anonymous – $4,000. Featured in the “Can Space Ever Really be Saved?” series at Jamaica Plain Gallery, January-April 2022. #art #bospoli pic.twitter.com/iIecnJOiaP
— Brendan Little (@blittle86) January 31, 2022
