for the past four years, i've worked from home, which means i am around when the many solicitors knock on our door to recruit me to their religion, sell me their wares, or pull at my heart strings for a donation. as an entrepreneur, i appreciate their entrepreneurial spirit, but i've already found god, i have everything i need, and i've chosen the charities that receive my time and money. so, i started searching for a no soliciting sign. i didn't realize how difficult it would be to find one that was weather resistant, not too commercial looking, polite (or at least not impolite), and appropriate to hang on the front gate in our historic neighborhood. i found four potential options.
option no. 1. available on etsy.com from mommamosaics, this sign appeals to me because of its friendly carve out for kids, but while it is sealed for outdoor use, the seller recommends moving the sign inside during inclement weather. that might be too high maintenance for me. plus, itis a bit too artsy craftsy for me.
option no. 2. available at expressions-ltd.com, a company with a brick and mortar store in mapleton, utah, this sign appeals to my modern yet simple aesthetic. the downside is that at 2"x4" it is really small for a fence-mounted application, and the whole point is for the sign to be noticed.
option no. 3. this vintage sign is available on etsy.com from paradice23. i love the level of distress and the fact that it references handbills (nothing says "we're out of town, please come steal our stuff" like a bunch of advertising flyers on the porch or attached to the fence). the downside is that at 12"x18" the sign is pretty large for residential use.
option no. 4. available at atlassignsandplaques.com, a company with a brick and mortar store in lake mills, wisconsin, this sign is appealing for the sense of humor it conveys, and the company is run by people who seem fun, creative, and committed to their customers and product quality. the downside is that the arts and crafts lettering is at odds with the style of our home.
so, which one did i choose? drumroll please...
option no. 2 was the winner, but since it was so small, i needed to attach it to a piece of wood. luckily for me, the former owners of our house left a bunch of scrap wood in the basement.i selected a piece of base moulding, cut it to size using my trusty miter saw, weatherproofed same with a satin spar urethane, and attached the sign to the back side of the trim with slotted-head sheet metal screws.
here's the finished product installed on our front gate.since it was installed, we haven't had an unwelcomed knock at the door.we have had one handbill, but since it was from one of my favorite neighborhood restaurants, waffle brothers(www.wafflebrothers.com), i'm overlooking it.
what do you think about my choice? do you have any solicitor stories or have you ever searched for a no soliciting sign?
Socials