Goodwill Hunting: Ten DIY Recyclables You Should Never Pass Up
By ModHomeEcTeacher
The thrill of the hunt quickly goes south when you realize the plaid Herculon sofa you snagged for $15.99 will set you back at least $500.00 to reupholster, not including the twenty some yards of fabric you have to buy. Impulsiveness is part of the buzz, but if you're a thrift shopper who is seriously shopping for recyclable materials, you need a plan. You'll save time as well as money if you know what you're looking for, within general guildelines, and limit yourself to one frivolous purchase a week. Don't get me wrong, I veer, and I veer bad, but I'm getting better. What you want to gather is a well edited supply of simple, basic materials to work with, kind of like a blank canvas with a little something unusual about them. Below is the list and photos I've compiled after many expensive years of unfocused fun. I am pleased to share.
1. Unique side chairs that are structurally sound. Always useful and easy to recover.
2. Low, plain coffee tables for a coffee table or an upholstered bench/ottoman.
Couldn't pass on these charmers.
3. Right now I'm loving the $6.99 computer chairs for reupholstery.
4. Real leather skirts and coats, odd colors are the best for making all sorts of stuff.
5. Tea carts-cool and lots of potential.
6. Pair of simple, upholstered chairs. If there are two, buy both.
7. Retro or unusual lamps. You can plug them in to see if they work. Shades can be found later. Same rule as above-buy two, if available.
8. Ottomans or footstools with unsual legs or a unique base.
9. Solid, unusual sewing machine tables-great for an entry table and twice the treat if the sewing machine works. Take it out for a tabletop machine and use the table elsewhere.
10. Down filled pillows-I only buy the ones that seem barely used.
Here are a few extras I probably bought on red day.
At Goodwill, you'll get half off during the designated "color" week. If you're lamps are priced at 11.99 each, with a green price tag, and it's green week-you win!
Salvation Army seems to run random sales, mostly on clothes, but if the furniture tag has a date six months old or longer, it's half price. (These policies are somewhat subjective)
Garage Sales-always offer cash and less than the asking price.
Tagged:
goodwill hunting thrift vintage recycle Reuse repurpose sewing machine ottoman lamp furniture modhomeecteacher
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DIY Journal is the weekly column I write for The Indianapolis Star along with periodic DIY photo-tutorials for www....
DestinybyDefinition
i never thought of collecting old leathers! good tip... i know there's allot of them in my local thrift stores.
ModHomeEcTeacher
How did you like my spelling "expecially"? Wow. I need to proofread.
Faynilla
i can imagine that color though, oddly enough, and i think it would look great. i was thinkiing of something like it. maybe the turquoise on the base and a glaze over top it to bring down the shade a bit. i dont know. right now i am fixated on greens. so i will see. blue is for the bedroom . i love the tranquility
ModHomeEcTeacher
Don't be afraid to try projects. Every week I write a DIY project for the Indianapolis Star and I never know if it will turn out. By the time I'm done, I am under a time crunch to turn it in so it has to be o.k.
I don't expecially like gold either. It seems to be a little bit "in" right now so I try to go against my color prejudices. I used to not like turquoise but now I'm ready to paint a bedroom turquiose-y smokey blue green. Hard to describe.
My advice--go for the projects. Who cares if you mess up. It's so much fun working on stuff.
Faynilla
i love your furniture finds. i am not crazy about gold things, but the lamps and tables and chairs are interesting. here are some of my finds.
i have two of these lamps, found at different times! for 10 dollars each at thirft store
and the big jack was 3 i think. and the silver pitcher was 1.99
i have found some awesome things, but i have never took on a big project. I am always afraid of messing it up.
thanks for the tips!
ModHomeEcTeacher
It depends what kind of chairs they are and if the fabric was included in the estimate. If you have photos of the chairs, email them to me at my other blog email flipt@att.net, I'll take a look and give you some helpful hints.
yukirei
Wow I'm so glad to find your blog- I'm a newbie to thrifting- especially furniture, but these are great tips! I did recently find 2 pairs of upholstered chairs for less than $100 per pair, but they need to be reupholstered and I've received estimates from $700- $1000 per chair... which now makes them not such a great deal, um... am I right?
ModHomeEcTeacher
Definitely check out the tables that are in good shape. Some are sooo 1950's/1960's.
ruajennie
My husband and I have replaced all my pre-marriage Ikea furniture in our living room with good quality mid-century thrift store finds. Luckily no one around here seems to know what they're actually worth! Other than that, I have a newly-discovered weakness for tacky vintage travel plates and oddities. Thanks for the tips--I usually avoid the sewing machine tables--too bad since I've seen lots of shapes I've liked. I'll have to give them a second look!
ModHomeEcTeacher
I'm thrilled to hear I'm not the only addict out there. I have it under control now, I really do, I promise, just the essentials and that's it. (HA!)
leslieinbham
Oh, I have to add my personal can't-pass-up--I have a collection I call my "Bolts of Neutral-ish Upholstery Fabric and Various Good Sized Tableclothes and Such that I've Gotten at Thrift." My husband hates that collection. Almost as much as he hates my Finial and Drawer Pull collection and my "Xmas Glam Every Day" collection. I swear if he ever finds out that I am a veritable lending library of curtains for our friends, he will be livid.
Goodwills are a bit pricey down here, but we have lots of church sponsored shops.
Ah well
leslie
DesigningMom
I love thrifting, but my hubby dreads my finds. Especially since I buy just because it's cool and I can do this or this or that with it and sell it! So far I've I've done is collect and repurpose things for us. I wouldn't even let myself go this week to look at books cause there's always something tempting.
I absolutely love your aqua chairs. I agree, if you can get two in chairs and lamps go for it, cause it can take a very long time in the search for a match for either if you ever get lucky enough.
DIY Maven
Dude, you have made a haul over the years! I'm afraid the closest thrift store to me closed a while back, but I hear tell of an excellent one near my in-laws. You've inspired me to make a special trip!
ModHomeEcTeacher
Yeaa! Thanks goodness Goodwill is thriving and expanding like Starbucks, at least around here.
missjess
Great thrifting tips! I'm a bit of a thriftstore junkie, but I've found the most beautiful furniture (most of the stuff in my apartment) at charity shops/Goodwill; which I almost always alter or recon to fit in. And yes... I am often sidetracked and purchase ridiculous things. But these are great rules to live by! Thanks!
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