DIY Christmas Gifts from Second Hand Furniture Stores
Are you stumped finding a gift for the person who already has everything? There is still time for you to create a Christmas gift using items from second hand furniture stores, or items that are just taking up space in your garage. Surely there is a family member or a friend who will treasure a personally handmade gift from you.
Repurposing dressers is one of the easiest of DIY projects
Second hand furniture stores almost always have an abundance of gently used dressers and chairs, and these are some of the easiest projects. You will need these items: A dresser that is approximately 30-34 inches high, a piece of butcher block wood and molding purchased from the home improvement store, sandpaper and paint.
Cut, sand and paint the dresser, attach the molding onto the back of the dresser and place the butcher block sheet on top of the dresser. Voila’ you just turned an old dresser into a kitchen island. Follow the directions here and you too can create a personalized gift for a dear friend or even for yourself.
[Image source: Traer Loves]
An additional way to repurpose a dresser found at second hand furniture stores is to buy used decorative tiles. These can be the size of drink coasters or as large as one of the drawers in the dresser. Paint the dresser a vivid color, then mix and match the coasters on the front of the drawers. It makes for a beautiful, eclectic design and is certainly a one-of-a-kind piece. This particular project can be completed in an afternoon, but the usefulness and memory of you as the person who gifted it will last a lifetime.
Wall décor as art or that serves a purpose
Another easy-peasy gift idea that won’t take very long to accomplish is to pick up a wooden twin size headboard or cabinet door, paint or stain it, add metal decorative hangers and you’ve just created a towel rack for the bathroom or a jewelry hanger for a bedroom. It can be as intricate or ornate as you choose, but it was handmade by you, not store-bought.
Repurposing a used chair into a work of art
Find a vintage or modern chair at your local second hand store and pick up some used National Geographic Magazines with maps inside. At your local craft store buy some decoupage glue. There are very few ingredients in this recipe for a makeover that will delight the perfect person on your gift list. No need to paint the chair if it is vintage, part of its charm is its condition. Decoupage the maps on the chair back and seat and you’ve just created decorative seating for one of your friends. Don’t stop at one chair; give two, the price of the chair is bound to be less than $10 at one of the Arc Stores in Butte County. Find complete instructions and more ideas here.
[Image Source: www.myalteredstate.co]
After making a few of these DIY projects for friends, you might find that you’ve become the neighborhood expert on repurposing and the go-to guy or girl on your block. Finding bargains at second hand furniture stores may become your new passion. It’s never too late to discover your talent and creative DIY skills. When you need ideas for projects, come back to the Arc’s website and read all about how to create treasures out of used furniture.
Have fun and delight yourself as well as your family and friends!
