Saving The Landfills-One Antique At A Time

I was beating myself up for backsliding. I've been trying to go green, but old habits die hard, and when I get busy I revert to my "evil" ways. Life turned into a whirlwind, and I turned to convenience. I felt that all my efforts to conserve had been in vain. As I was wandering around the house, I glanced around and found a way to instantly make myself feel better. All of the furniture that I have is "old." I realized that I've been single-handedly saving the landfills for more than thirty years!

That's not to say that my house is a "dump!" However, you can walk through every room in my house and see that nine out of every ten pieces of furniture is "recycled." I like to call it "vintage furnishings," because that sounds a heck of a lot better than "used junk." I don't think we have bought any furniture or decor that was new in more than six years.

You'll have to believe me when I tell you that folks like the look I have created. Our friends say that our house is "amazingly eclectic." They aren't just trying to find ways to be polite, because some of them have offered to buy furniture we have (and when refused are now looking for pieces like it on Craigslist.org). They will have to look long and hard to find furnishings similar to mine.

This "shoe" was once a display rack at a department store. I found it under a pile of junk at a thrift store. Now, it dominates my kitchen as a spice rack. It's only one of the pieces that people envy.

Why am I bragging about all of this? Because every piece of used furniture that we bring home to "adopt" is one less item in a landfill. How many times have you seen used couches sitting by the curb waiting for a trash truck to take them to the dump? It's hard to sell a used couch and get money for it, but an ad on Freecycle might find a very grateful person who would love that orange plaid!

Our own neighbor decided to re-do the dining room and hauled a set of six Queen Anne dining chairs to the curb. The seats needed to be re-covered, there were a few nicks in the wood (which gave them character), but they were in very good condition. Did we haul them away before the trash truck came? You betcha.

I'm not opposed to going through someone else's trash to find the treasure. I have a wonderful redwood chair, a fountain for my garden, wooden apple boxes with the logos (they are perfect to hold a stack of books), and much more that I gleaned from the curbside.

Garage sales, antique stores, flea markets, thrift stores ... they often contain wonderful discoveries. You can get nearly anything you need "used," if you have the patience to look for it.

Although my house will never look like a magazine spread, it is comfortable, it reflects our personalities, and I have the satisfaction of knowing that I recycled without realizing I was even doing it. Call that old junk "vintage" and you are in business! You can decorate your house and help me in my quest to save the dumps by recycling old furniture. I'll see you Saturday at the sales!

I feel so virtuous now.

© Shelly Tucker, 2009