I’m an official dumpster diver.  Also known as trash digger.  Whatever you want to call it, when I see usable stuff in the trash in my neighborhood, I pick it up & try to give it new life.

Now don’t get me wrong…I’m not rooting through people’s trash cans – that is not my style.  However, I’ve picked up plenty of larger pieces on trash day, often with a friendly heads-up phone call from my sister who lives on my street.  She’ll give me a call on her way to work to tell me that so-and-so has a such-and-such out on the curb and that she thinks that I should pick it up.

Some things I keep and refurbish, while some things have been in good enough condition that I’ve resold them.  Like a Shaker-style high-back bench…made $40 on that!

I’ve made early morning trips to pick up a chair from the house by the railroad tracks or a footstool down the street (both items awaiting refurbishing in my garage).

One evening I got a gorgeous vintage headboard in perfect condition from a neighbor who was moving out of state.  It was her parent’s headboard from when they were first married.  She didn’t want to just dump it, since it had sentimental value to her, so she was thrilled when I said that I would take it.  It’s in perfect condition, so no refurbishing is required.

My latest project was also the product of an early morning call from my sister who told me that there were 2 lamps on the curb down the street.  She thought that I should pick them up to resell, but when I saw them I knew they were too dated to fetch much.  However, they would be perfect to paint and reuse.  And I had a hankering for a new look in my bedroom.  A perfect storm!

These were the lamps before the transformation…

Looking a bit frumpy and worse for the wear.  Five bucks for 3 cans of spray paint and one lampshade from my basement later, voila!

Looking fab & oh so classy!

I did spend $12.99 + tax to buy a 2nd lampshade, but less than $20 for 2 lamps with shades is still a steal!

What projects have you retrieved from the curb & revived?