Trash or Treasure
Have you ever seen someone scavenging through trash the night before garbage pick up? Who does that?
Me. I did that. And I'm both embarrassed and proud of myself for doing it. As I was backing out of the garage this morning I remembered today was trash day. I pulled our can and recycling out to their designated spots and just as I was turning to go back into the garage something caught my eye. The neighbor put a small table and two wicker chairs out with their trash can.
I stood frozen for a few moments. Do I peek at the chairs or do I get in the car and take the boys to school? What if they are in perfect shape? You can't just throw out perfectly good chairs.
My mind raced. What if a neighbor saw me looking through another neighbor's trash? The shame.
After wasted moments if indecision I raced over grabbed the chairs and swooped them into the garage. They were in fabulous condition. They didn't have any cushions, but otherwise were in great shape. I tucked them away in the garage and got in the car.
Eli asked "Why are you taking their chairs?" Darn, caught by my 6 year old.
I replied "the neighbor was going to throw them away, but I am going to recycle them.
(The kids understand that recycling is good, so they easily bought into my explanation of stealing trash from the neighbor.)
I'm so excited about my "find". My friend Laura recently completed a few "trash into treasure" projects and posted the "before" and "after" photos on her blog. I was inspired by her creativity and hope to make-over my little treasures too. (Check out her "Extreme Makeover Florida Room" and "again with the furniture" posts for your own inspiration.) Her stuff was not actually trash, which makes her a bargain hunter and me a dumpster diver, but that is just a minor detail.
Me. I did that. And I'm both embarrassed and proud of myself for doing it. As I was backing out of the garage this morning I remembered today was trash day. I pulled our can and recycling out to their designated spots and just as I was turning to go back into the garage something caught my eye. The neighbor put a small table and two wicker chairs out with their trash can.
I stood frozen for a few moments. Do I peek at the chairs or do I get in the car and take the boys to school? What if they are in perfect shape? You can't just throw out perfectly good chairs.
My mind raced. What if a neighbor saw me looking through another neighbor's trash? The shame.
After wasted moments if indecision I raced over grabbed the chairs and swooped them into the garage. They were in fabulous condition. They didn't have any cushions, but otherwise were in great shape. I tucked them away in the garage and got in the car.
Eli asked "Why are you taking their chairs?" Darn, caught by my 6 year old.
I replied "the neighbor was going to throw them away, but I am going to recycle them.
(The kids understand that recycling is good, so they easily bought into my explanation of stealing trash from the neighbor.)
I'm so excited about my "find". My friend Laura recently completed a few "trash into treasure" projects and posted the "before" and "after" photos on her blog. I was inspired by her creativity and hope to make-over my little treasures too. (Check out her "Extreme Makeover Florida Room" and "again with the furniture" posts for your own inspiration.) Her stuff was not actually trash, which makes her a bargain hunter and me a dumpster diver, but that is just a minor detail.
Comments
How awesome! I can't wait to see the makeover- yours will be even more satisfying 'cause they were free!