Save Money and the Environment with Repurposed Furniture

Repurposing furniture is a great way to decorate your home without much impact on your wallet or the environment. Successfully repurposing furniture requires thought about both the piece you intend to incorporate and your current decorating scheme. Finding new uses for old furniture can be fun, rewarding and a great way to show off your creativity and tastes while reducing the amount of garbage in landfills.

Don’t Donate or Throw It Out

That piece you no longer like clearly caught your eye at one point or another, otherwise you wouldn’t have purchased it. Do not throw it out or give it away, even if you do not need it at this particular moment, because you never know what will happen in the future. If the piece was never your favorite but served a purely functional purpose, it may still be useful in the future. If you cannot think of an immediate new use, store it for later in a specific, out of the way place and remember to check there anytime you seek a new item. You could maybe even let a friend use it in the meantime, with the understanding it is yours (to take back) until (if you ever) say otherwise. Best done with only good friends you trust (and with which you clearly communicate) of course.

Consider Alternative or New Uses

Repurposing furniture means to dedicate it to a new function or put it in a new place. Walk around your home and make a list of what is missing or what you’ve always wanted but do not currently have. Measure the item you intend to relocate and make a list of its other possible uses. For example, an old table may serve as a desk, a rug as a wall hanging or a chair as a nightstand. Think outside the box and make a list of ten possible uses for the new item, no matter how crazy or farfetched they may seem.

Next, compare the two lists and see if there are any overlaps. If the item is small or otherwise easy to move try out potential new locations to determine whether they are useful. Should your first repurposing be unsuccessful try placing it in another location. It may take several tries to find it the perfect place.

Consider Minor Modifications

You may have completely changed your decorating and the item no longer matches the color or theme. This, however, does not mean that it cannot be altered to make it flow with the room’s new style. Oftentimes new paint or a slipcover will make it blend with its new surroundings.  For example, painting each section of an old chair a different color will make a neat focal point in a bedroom and make the piece less like an old chair and more like a bedside table. Recovering or repainting an old piece of furniture is a great way to create an entirely new piece without breaking the bank.

Consider Major Modifications

A quality piece of furniture may prove more difficult to modify and therefore more difficult to repurpose. Consider whether reupholstering or restaining the item will permit it to serve another function. These options will cost more than merely repainting or purchasing a slip-cover for the piece, but will still save you money.

Repurposing furniture is a great way to redecorate, decorate or just change it up a little without spending a lot of money. In doing so, furthermore, you will also have the added bonus of helping the environment by adding less garbage to a landfill. Have fun with changing around your furniture, redecorating is a great way to show off your personality!