Redo that Junk!

Even think painting it, then sanding it to make it look old and used. Often broken items that cost next to nothing can be fixed. Neat pieces of furniture don't have to be antiques; they just need to look like it. If an item is really old, their carved designs, only add charm, or they may have an unusual look. Country colors in spray paint can make an old piece of furniture look wonderful.

When you are shopping look for items like switch plates, wire, hinges, paint and brushes, etc. This can save you a lot of money when you are redoing a room or item. Brass, copper or bronze objects can be cleaned with a little toothpaste.

Buy as you see different parts of items, i.e., a wicker chair (you will find more pieces as you go each week and soon you could furnish a whole room), material for seat covers that you like and is in just the right colors (even though you haven't gotten the chairs yet, get the material now and find the chairs later - get the bargain when you see it) - these aren't large investments but if bought new they could be.

Different pieces of furniture, i.e., chest, bed, dresser, bought at different times can look like a matched set with a new coat of paint and by switching out drawer knobs with new ones that match

Buy old "home fix-it" magazines, they have lots of ideas. When you are out looking, keep in mind that items can be used for other purposes other than what they were meant to be used for. Like the buffet I repainted, old antique picture frames can become beautiful mirrors. I found a picture in a very ornate frame that was about 4 feet wide and maybe 2 feet high that probably went over a sofa. I took the picture out, painted the frame and took it to a glass company who put a mirror in it, then I placed it long ways on a closet door for a neat place to check appearance before work. An old window with the small glass panes makes a neat picture frame and if the window is old it is even better. Just put your pictures on the glass and hang it. A bunk bed ladder with some chain added makes a great hanging pot holder in the kitchen. Take an old door with a window, put a scenery poster in the glass part and screw it to the wall in a room and it looks like an outside door. You can even add wreaths for the different holidays. Think out of the box...so to speak. This can make your find even more unique.

Re-painted wheelbarrows, tubs, wash buckets can make neat flower planters. Even an unpainted old watering can looks neat with a plant in it. Anything that will hold dirt and water - plants are great even in the bathroom. An old window (with panes of glass) can be hung as a picture frame, with a scene poster glued to the back can make a blank wall very interesting plus it makes it look like you are looking out at an outdoor scene. An animal poster behind the glass can add delight to a child's room. If you find a neat old window without glass you can make a neat mirror by adding mirror glass where the glass was.

I just recently took an old fashioned metal glider swing (it looked really bad, weathered, paint chipped and rusted) that seats two, sanded all the chipped paint off, repainted it to match the metal awning on my home, sat it by my mini pond in the front yard and it looks brand new.

Old trunks can be repainted and make great storage. Get old wallpaper books or wallpaper and cut different shapes, then collage the inside of the trunk to make it clean and fresh looking. (If the trunk has a musty smell, fill it with crumpled newspaper, and then close it up. Just change the paper every 2-3 days until the odor is gone.) An old wooden buffet can become a neat storage chest if you cut the legs down to about 3" to 4" and repaint or re-stain it. They make a great TV stand in a country room. An old wooden storage chest can become a great cabinet in a child's room to hold toys and books. They can be painted multi colors and you can have a lot of fun decorating them. Think decoupage with paper cut outs or material cut outs.

Spice racks and jars (usually some jars are missing) make great catch alls for nails, tacks, pins, etc. Picnic baskets can make great sewing baskets or storage for blocks, Legos and other children's toys. An old milk can be painted with a stencil or painted design can be used for an umbrella holder or can add fun to a child's room for baseball bats, yards sticks and other tall skinny objects.

Take a section of wooden lattice or one of those "Y" shaped wooden pieces that roses climb on, add some cup hooks and hang on the wall of a child's room. This can hold hats, sweaters, even play jewelry or stuffed animals. Birdhouses painted with bright colors and set on a shelf can add charm to any room. Throw pillows in different colors and shapes are abundant at garage sales and look great scattered around a child's room.

Instead of paying a fortune for twin beds or a small bed for a child, a plain bed frame can become a very special bed by using a piece of plywood cut and painted as a castle, as the headboard. A cheap wooden bed can be found at garage sales and can be spruced up with a coat of paint and you could try a shape of plywood and paste quilt filling on it and cover it with material, add buttons and make it look quilted. How inexpensive is that.

Another secret, if you have a small child about 3 or 4 years old and have a hard time getting them to take a nap get this. I found small camp cot for $2 at a garage sale. I got one of those fluffy mattresses that people buy for their dogs, put it on the cot and guess what...my grandson loves to take his nap.

A hand me down baby bed is often a family treasure. It might be worth fixing up and a lot of the older, well-worn beds are much sturdier than new ones and look absolutely marvelous redone. BE SURE FOR SAFETY that the bars are not so wide a child can get their head stuck. Some really old beds are not safe. Check standards to be sure!!

Old footlockers, repainted can become not only a storage chest but also a place to sit by adding a pillow cushion the same size as the top. A large country size, brightly colored, mailbox can become a special holding place for a child's favorite toys and add something unusual to a room.

One of the things I love to find at a garage sale or auction are old liquor bottles. Some of the bottles have the most beautiful cut glass designs. Take them home, clean them up, add water and put a drop or two of cake coloring in them, set it in the window and see what a beautiful display they make!

I got a neat old night stand with three drawers, repainted it and it makes a perfect stand next to my washing machine to hold washing soap, clothes pins, scissors, and all those things you need in your wash room. It is doesn't take up much space and I love it. My daughter and I have gotten several small three drawer stands, painted each drawer different colors, changed knobs and they've ideal in kids rooms.

You can find a lot of footstools at garage sales and they make great seats for the grandkids. They'd rather sit on those than expensive kids chairs and I got several for about $2.00 each. (They don't take up a lot of space either) Speaking of kids, have you ever seen those huge oblong wicker chests at a garage sale? Well let me tell you that they make a really good toy box. If the lid falls it won't hurt a child and they hold an immense amount of toys. Tall wicker display shelves make great kids book cases.

Also abundant at garage sales are fake trees that would cost you about $40 or $50 at the store and I have paid as little as $5 for them. I found a huge, I mean huge, (real) painting with my exact colors and only paid $30 for it. I am also a wind chime collector and garage sales is the place getting them for 50 cents!! My granddaughters love to find purses, shower clogs, t-shirts and perfumes. They started going with us to sales when they were 3 and they still go. A hint: Garage sales are the best place for paying very little for toys such as Little Tykes items that are very expensive new, tricycles, bicycles, slides, see-saws, sand boxes, play houses, play kitchens and play workshops, etc. Usually all they need is a scrubbing with soap and water to be like brand new.