Here they are, in no particular order. Read on, be inspired, and check out our freebie-hunting tips below!
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Larissa over at Prodigal Pieces (a fellow Buckeye!) found this gorgeous dresser curbside while driving home with her kiddos. Her strategy for getting it home was pretty clever, and one I’ve used quite a few times too 🙂 It already had beautiful lines, and with some well-placed white paint, she turned it into quite a show-stopper, don’t you think? Check out the before photos on her blog to see how wonderful this update really was!
Dumpster Bookshelf Makeover – Redoux Interiors
Karen at Redoux Interiors is well-known as a dumpster diving aficionado! It’s absolutely amazing how many awesome finds she has rescued from demise in the city dump. One of my favorites of her projects is this bookshelf that she cut down and paired with some reclaimed wood and casters to create an incredible kitchen island. Her video tutorial will show you exactly how to do it!
Salvaged Vanity Makeover – Unique Junktique
Talk about an incredible makeover! Brenda at Unique Junktique is a MASTER at converting what most would consider garbage into gold. She was given a vintage waterfall vanity by a friend, but it suffered some damage in some unusually heavy storms that passed through her area. Ever the clever crafter, Brenda saved the front of the vanity and turned it into an unbelievable message board/charging station! Just amazing.
Road Rescue Side Table Makeover – Redo It Yourself Inspirations
Robin at Redo It Yourself Inspirations has great friends – I know because one of them took a sad little table from the side of the road and delivered it to Robin’s capable hands! She took such care in repairing, sanding, staining, and painting this piece, and gave it a gorgeous glossy topcoat to finish it off. Her hard work was certainly not in vain – it is truly a masterpiece (just wait until you see the before photos)!
Cane Back Chair Makeover – Arts and Classy (guest post on Crafty Allie)
Bread Box Makeover – Thrifty Inspirations
Rachel at Thrifty Inspirations fell in love with a darling little bread box she found on the side of the road. After snatching it up, she turned it into a real showpiece with a little spray paint and metallic glaze. Isn’t that color just dreamy? Love 🙂
Dining Room Table Makeover – Get A Griff
Lesley at Get a Griff (named for her son – how sweet!) spotted a lovely curbside dining room table during a walk with her children. Three trips later, it was in her garage, ready for a re-do. She gave it an incredible two-toned makeover, and the chairs she chose to accompany it really send it over the top! As much as you’ll love her table transformation, you may just love the photos of her little guy even more 🙂
Rocking Chair Makeover – Not A Passing Fancy
Chelsea at Not A Passing Fancy found a cute but very beat up rocking chair on her neighbor’s curb. A little thing like a missing seat wasn’t going to stand in her way – she replaced it in the most clever way and gave it a brand new paint job. It is such a beauty!
Empire Dresser Makeover – The Weathered Door
Reeves at The Weathered Door is super talented! She picked up a dated empire dresser from Craigslist for free, and gave it a much needed facelift with milk paint. It was a bit of a departure for her in terms of style, but the color and the chippy finish couldn’t be more perfect! You won’t believe it’s the same piece when you see how it looked before!
And last but not least,
Little Girl’s Vanity Makeover – Naptime Decorator
Given to her by her sister-in-law, Liz at Naptime Decorator took this soon-to-be-trashed vanity and stool, and using some leftover fabric and paint, she transformed them into cute and trendy pieces for her daughter’s room! You have GOT to see the before photos to truly understand how amazing the after is!
Looking for more trash-to-treasure inspiration? Would you believe all of these pieces were free as well? Pretty great, if I may say so myself 🙂
Want to find your own freebie to revamp? Try these easy tips and you’ll score one in no time!
1. Keep an eye on the Craigslist Free Stuff section
It may sound like a no-brainer, but it’s worth saying: I’ve come across some a-ma-zing finds in my city just from keeping a close eye on Craigslist. Everything from a gorgeous antique dining table to a depression-era vanity. But when you see something you love, be prepared to act quickly! Speaking of which…
2. Set a radius rule
You might find the occasional person who is willing to hold items for you, but most of the Craigslist ads I’ve seen for free stuff are first come, first served. When I first started responding to Free Stuff ads, I was disappointed more times than I’d like to count to find that the goods were gone by the time I got there. To help spare my sanity (and gas!), I set a radius rule for myself to help me decide when to hop in the truck and when to stay home. Whatever works for you is fine – my rule is, anything 15 minutes away or less is fair game. Unless the owner will hold it for me, anything outside of that radius goes to someone else. It is great practice in letting go of what was not meant to be 🙂
3. Check out garage sales at closing time
Sometimes I’ve driven past garage sales that are just about to end, only to find that the owners are more than willing to part with their leftovers for free. It can be a bit awkward to ask, but if you’re really interested in a piece, give it a shot! They worse they can say is no (well…maybe not…but let’s be optimistic!) And if you’re really lucky, there will be a nice “FREE” sign on the goods sitting out on their lawn to help clear up any potential confusion 🙂
4. Ask family and friends
Once your friends and family know you’re into furniture re-dos, you’d be surprised at how good they become at scoring awesome finds for you! It is so nice to know that other pairs of eyes and ears are out looking and listening to help you find your next treasure. It takes some of the pressure off of you and helps you find pieces you might have otherwise missed. Plus, at least in my experience, my loved ones really seem to get a nice vicarious thrill through hunting down and finding goods for me!
5. Don’t be afraid to get dirty!
You may think it’s gross (and at times it is), but dumpsters and plain old piles of trash can be amazing places to score so many free goodies! Do you know of a neighbor who’s planning to move? Pay close attention to the things they’re dragging to the curb. It may not be glamorous, but it can really be worth it to get your hands dirty to find your next masterpiece!
Have you ever found a great piece for free? Share it with us! And speaking of sharing, don’t forget to click below to share these projects and tips!