Curb Sale Finds in the Living Room

Heaven is comprised of three days in which to relax at home and work in the garden. Is that a contradictory statement? I do not care. I am just happy that I do not have to go anywhere this weekend and that I have a lot of time to work on my projects. Hopefully, next week I will have some fun updates for you.

Today, I am going to share with you some of the pieces that I found in the trash and used to decorate my home. When people come to visit, they are always amazed and maybe a little grossed out to discover that so many things in my home came from the garbage. The truth is that there is nothing to be disgusted about as long as you clean things properly.

Right now I will focus on the living room, but in the future I will write about the curb sale finds in other rooms as well. You can also search my categories for “Curb Sale Items.” Looking around the room, can you tell what came from the trash?

One of my favorite finds was this drum. Someone had put an entire set by the side of the road. I took as many pieces as could fit in my back seat. For the longest time, this drum sat in my living room under a table until I decided how I wanted to use it. I cleaned it up and converted it into a side table on casters. It is easy to move around, and I switch out the pictures and fabric periodically to give it a new look. You can read how I turned it into a table here.

Above the drum, there are two lamps that Douglas found in the trash this winter. My sister calls them my yoga lamps. We have yet to rewire them, but I love them even if they are not functional.

Across the room there is an entire wall of things that came from the curb. The bird cage was a disgusting mess when I picked it up in the Bronx. My roommate at the time was horrified that I would bring it into our apartment on the Upper East Side. It was covered in feathers and bird crap, but it cleaned up nicely. We used it to collect the cards at our wedding. I am sure that most of our guests guessed from whence it came.

The little table it sits under also came from the trash in near perfect condition. I wiped it down with vinegar when I brought it home, but I do not think that it needed it. It looked as though it had never been used. It was originally a computer table with a pull out tray for a keyboard, but I have always used it as a side table. I tuck magazines where the keyboard would go.

The mirrors about that table are also from the trash. They were found about a year apart. Mirrors are the most common item I find in the trash, but I can never resist them. I have an addiction to shiny objects!

This horseshoe over the door did not come from the trash, but that is where most people would have put it! I picked it up on a hike in Costa Rica, and it is one of my most favorite souvenirs.

This little glass slipper bottle also came from the trash. I find it adorable.

I love all of these pieces, however, the pièce de résistance is my chaise lounge. It did not look this great when we brought it home, but new upholstery gave it a refreshed look.  It always had a great shape, and I could see the potential.

Slowly, piece by piece, my living room is coming together.

Happy Homemaking!