How often have you nagged your significant other to clean all that old crap out of the garage, attic, storage space or spare bedroom?
Here's a chance for your pack rat life partner to earn something for their inability to throw anything out.
Chicago-based Abt Electronics, one of the oldest independent consumer electronics retailers in the country, will appraise and reward an owner of an old TV, camera, record player, appliance, radio, PC and video game console with a modern model in its Antique to Abt-ique Contest. (And, no, you don't have to live in Chicago.)
There are actually six different contests - each month between now and October, Abt will reward one owner of a different type of electronics.
This month's category - May - is TVs, and the winner will win a 47-inch LG LED Cinema 3D smart TV worth $1,500.
Here's the rest of the Abt Abt-ique Contest schedule:
June: Cameras, movie cameras, video cameras
Prize: Canon EOS Rebel T3i Digital SLR Camera With 18-55mm Kit (average price: $849)
July: Radios, music players (phonographs, record, cassette, 8-track, reel-to-reel, and CD players), and audio equipment
Prize: Definitive Technology ProCinema 400 Home Theater Speaker System (average price: $599)
August: Typewriters and computers
Prize: New Apple iPad With Wi-Fi 16GB (average price: $499)
September: Home Appliances (refrigerators, stoves, washing machines, and small kitchen appliances)
Prize: KitchenAid Professional 600 Series Bowl-Lift Stand Mixer (average price: $569.99)
October: Video game consoles
Prize: Microsoft Xbox 360 Slim 320GB Limited Edition Kinect Star Wars Bundle (average price: $449)
The six monthly winners will be eligible for the Antique to Abt-ique Grand Prize of a new, top-of-the-line laundry pair from LG, the Titan Series Washer and Gas Dryer.
How to enter and win
Go to the Abt Facebook page and submit a photo or video of your ancient gadget along with a written description and any relevant details including model number, date manufactured, product history, and/or personal story connected to your dusty device.
Abt has hired the online appraisal company WhatsItWorthToYou.com to judge the entries and choose a winner based on your antique's appraised value, age and uniqueness.
Even if you don't win, selected submissions will be posted on Abt's Facebook page and possibly Abt's website and YouTube page.
And once you've taken a photo of your gear and written out a description, maybe you'll be motivated to sell it on eBay and clear some space and one less thing to dust in your abode.
