FREE BY THE CURB OR HOW CAN I SAY NO TO SUCH A GREAT PIECE OF FURNITURE?!
How many times have I said, I simply can’t pass up free stuff people have set out by the curb? Probably over a thousand times. I always look and think of all the things I could do with that piece. How can I just let it sit out there…in the sun…the cold…the rain! Well, you see where I’m going, right? If it weren’t for my husband, I would have zero self-control and we would have no room to walk in our house. I feel about those furniture pieces like I feel about puppies! I want them all!
So, I have decided to now add furniture refinishing to my business. Why not? I’ve always wanted to flip houses but can’t afford to do that right now so instead I can flip furniture! I can salvage some really great pieces, fix them up, and then find them a home. I’m like a foster mom for unwanted furniture!
All the drawers out..ready to set it in the sun.
If you have interest in free furniture, there are a couple of things to consider before you take the time to get it home: Do you have what it takes to make any necessary repairs? Do you have a plan for where it will go once you have it all fixed up? Do you have room for it in the meantime? I always try and ask myself these three things when I see something I want. (which really is about anything someone has set out by the curb for the taking!) But seriously, sometimes the sad answer has to be no. I don’t have room or the necessary skills and tools, or a good plan for when it’s done. When this happens, I sadly drive on.
This however wasn’t the case a couple of weeks ago. On our way to run errands on a lovely Saturday morning, I found my next great piece! It’s a big buffet that my neighbor could no longer use so she set it out by the curb with a sign “free if you want it”. Well, duh! We had only driven about 20 feet, saw the piece, and turned around to take her home. She was in sort of rough shape after years of being used. Some large gouges and a finish that was literally flaking off. That’s okay…gouges can be sanded and what doesn’t come out adds what I like to call character. It shows that someone had the piece, loved it, and used it. The flaking finish is no big deal. A little sanding and there you have it.
As you can see, some pretty bad damage.
This piece appears to be from the 50s or 60s. Really heavy and well-built, complete with dove-tailed drawers, six to be exact as well as two cupboards so lots of great storage! I could hardly wait to get started!
Airing it out!
The first thing I did was take all the handles, hinges, and doors off and set everything out in the sunshine to air out for a whole day. I then spent a few days contemplating what I wanted to do with it. I decided to go the “distressed look” route due to some of the natural imperfections in the piece that I wouldn’t be able to fix.
Drawers too!
Now I had a plan and just had to get started. Come back for the next blog when I talk about the process..complete with more pics!
Now, what will you do next to love where you live?
