Repurpose Your Furniture

Photo used with permission from morgueFile free license

Each time you purchase a used item, you're not only helping your pocket book, but doing your part to help the environment. Just think of the energy used and emissions released when items are manufactured, transported and then discarded. Be creative before you buy. Every item has several uses.

Just because a piece of furniture is sold for a certain purpose doesn’t mean you have to use it that way. One of the best deals I ever found was a layette constructed of wood.  It stood out from the other items at a garage sale I just happened to drive by. Always on the lookout for a bargain, I pulled over.

The beautiful piece didn’t have a pad, and as the woman who was holding the rummage sale came over the first thing she did was apologize and offer me a discount. I didn’t show my surprise, and I was surprised. I thought it was a dresser and was looking for something for my bedroom. The piece was priced at $50.00.

I commented that it seemed like an unusual size and wondered if a replacement pad would be easy to find. The woman said that she had never found a replacement pad for it, and that was why she was selling it. She also pointed out a scratch on the side that I hadn’t noticed and offered it to me for $25. I smiled and accepted.

I used the layette for several years in my bedroom. It had 3 rows of nice sized drawers. I especially liked the 4-1/2 inch lip on the back and sides. They kept all of the odds and ends that end up on the top of a bedroom dresser from falling down behind the piece.

Repurpose

A few years later I found another great deal on a chest of drawers at a rummage sale and the layette was transferred to my entry way. I hung a mirror over it, placed a colorful bowl on it to hold my car keys, and it was a convenient place to drop my mail and purse when I came home. The drawers offered me additional storage space in an area that would otherwise be wasted.

From the entry, the piece was moved to the dining area to serve as a side board. I installed a shelf above it and filled it with greenery, candlesticks and at one time it even showed off pieces of my salt and pepper shaker collections.

Repurpose Again

I don’t have the piece anymore. I gave it to a friend when I moved. She had just decided to provide day care for her new grandbaby while mom went back to work. The layette is back to serving its original purpose. By the way, she had no problem finding a replacement mat for the piece.