How to Repurpose Old Furniture and Why

Relocations take a lot of planning, but above all, they are expensive. The moment you start wondering just how much money to save to move out of state, you may feel the anxiety about moving starting to kick in. But if you are determined to move to a new state, the price may reach over $5,000. And the things on your relocation expenses checklist just keep piling up, so how can you cut the costs a bit? We agree, it seems that creating a new apartment shopping list is the easiest thing to do, but with a bit of work, you won’t need to buy anything fresh out of the store, and you’ll make unique custom pieces by yourself.

The Benefits of DIY Remodeling

There are many benefits of moving. You may be moving for a job, so it means you’ll advance in your career. For those moving to another state alone, there’s a whole world to explore and get acquainted with. But there are also many benefits of refurbishing a used piece. First of all, you’ll save up on your moving budget because furnishings can get quite pricey, especially if you’re planning to invest in various long-distance moving services by a reliable cross-country moving company. The other advantage is that you’ll get a completely custom and unique piece that you couldn’t buy anywhere. And last but not least, it means you’re environmentally conscious because you’re recycling an existing object.

What Can I Make With Old Furniture?

Remodeling can be done even if you don’t have any available pieces lying around. Many people love to repurpose salvage and furniture found at a garage sale because they can give it new life with a fresh color, a bit of hard work, and a few awesome repurpose old furniture ideas. So, whether it’s a grandma’s dresser or a heavy wooden desk you wanted to get rid of, find a new purpose for it or just breathe in some sense of style and chic with some simple tricks. If you don’t own any piece that can be refurbished, you can check out Craigslist and see what you can find there. Perhaps there’s a piece or two that’s worthy of your attention kept in storage service that you’ve forgotten about?

How Do You Redesign Old Furniture? Find Basic Supplies for your DIY Projects

Whether you plan to start a hobby or you want to try to refurbish just one piece, you won’t be able to do it without a few tools and some supplies. If you do it correctly, the object will shine and show off all its glory. Here’s what you’ll need on your checklist for moving to a new state so you can have successful remodeling fun after you move:

• A few sponges, towels, and dish soap are probably among the stuff you already have lying around the house. It will come in handy while you work to make your projects shine.
• Paint remover is a handy thing for the quick removal of thick layers of color. It usually works on wood, metal, and masonry. It’s easy to apply, and it will not raise grain.
• Lacquer thinner is a must for using paints. It will thin lacquer and paints, but you’ll also use it to clean brushes, rollers, and any dishes you use for thinning.
• A power sander is a necessary tool you’ll use to get that smooth finish on a surface.
• You’ll also require sandpaper in multiple grits, and what you’ll need falls under the fine and very fine categories. It’s usually from 120 through 220 grit, although 320, 400, and 600 grits will be of use for special purposes.
• A paint scraper is particularly useful when you want to remove thick layers of color off of surfaces.
• Epoxy putty will be a lifesaver for damaged surfaces. It can fill gaps but can also be molded into a structural part that’s missing from an object you’re working on.
• If you want to know the difference between a long lifespan of a wooden piece or a really short one, the secret ingredient is varnish. It will help preserve the piece, as well as all that hard work you’ve put into it.
• Wood stain or various paints are the magic ingredients that will bring a completely different effect to the piece.
• Stock up on quality brushes and empty cans; these will be one of the most basic tools for your projects.

Also, ensure that the vacuum cleaner is ready, while you should also have a dustpan near, to clean all the mess you create while you remodel.

How to Repurpose Furniture With Wood Stain

So, how to repurpose wood furniture by using just a brush and some color? When you don’t want to change the piece you’re working on completely, simply place buying a few paint cans or wood stain packages on your to-do list. If you’re unsure which one to pick, you should know that stain penetrates the surface, protects it, and preserves its natural beauty. It will wear away gradually, so it needs to be re-coated periodically.

It Will Have a Complete Makeover With Paint

Paints will cover the texture completely, and it coats only the top of the surface. It will also do an excellent job of hiding any minor cracks and imperfections while also lasting longer. It’s a good solution if you’re wondering how to repurpose old worn-down furniture.

How to Repurpose Old Furniture Such as a Kitchen Cabinet

Many of us have dismantled at least one kitchen in our lives, but there’s no need to get rid of cabinets that are in a decent condition before you invest in cross-country moving services and leave your current home. A cabinet can have many uses – it can be simply fixed and repainted to give it a new life, or it can be remodeled into something else. You can cover it with water-resistant paint so you can hang it in the bathroom to have a place for towels or beauty products. It’s just one of those neat creative storage ideas.

The Cabinets Can Be Reused in the Kitchen

Remodeling a part of your kitchen will severely help your “moving out for the first time” budget. Another fantastic design in your search for DIY projects is to use the cabinets to create an island in your kitchen area. You can combine them and even add a rack for wine bottles, and it will be a fraction of the price of what it would cost to buy out of a store.

A Table Can Be Entirely Repurposed to Find an Unexpecting Place in Your Home

We all know how easy it is to make one of those moving mistakes of getting rid of things we should have kept. For instance, if you’re tired of your dining table or it has worn out so much you want to buy a new one, here are a few ideas you can steal. You can shorten its legs and create a coffee table. You can also repaint it and place a layer of protective glass on top; this way, it can be used as an office desk for two, and you can add shelves on the sides for additional storage space.

Use a Worn Out Table to Create Two Nightstands or a Bench for Your Home Out Of a Desk

Now, how do you convert old furniture to new and completely unexpected? Here are a few ideas. If you were thinking of throwing away your worn dining table, don’t. Depending on its size, you can create several things from it. If it’s smaller, you can cut it in two, repaint it and attach each piece to the wall on both sides of the bed. A larger table may be turned into mounted shelves used in the house’s interior or the garage, wherever you find it handy.

A shabby desk can be spruced up and wholly repurposed into a bench, DIY style. Besides doing a basic makeover of removing layers of color and polishing, you should cut out the top wooden piece to make space for sitting. The next step is to attach a wooden piece meant for sitting between the sides of drawers. After that, you can get creative with design ideas for your repurposed bench. You can remove the drawers to have additional storage space, and you can create an easy-to-reach compartment underneath the sitting area.

Build a Wall Shelf for Your Home Garden Using a Worn Out Chair

How do you reuse old wood furniture that’s been lying around for ages? Take a used chair, for instance – it doesn’t fit around the dining table because it’s mismatched, or it’s simply too worn out to be used for sitting. So here’s why it should go on your “moving out for the first time” list and not into a garbage pile – it can become a shelf to place flowers on if you’re handy with tools.

The trick is to remove the legs and place a wider wood board instead of the seat. After you repaint it, you can attach it to a wall to serve as a beautiful shelf for your flowers, to bring a garden into your home. You don’t believe a chair can be a shelf or anything else? See the video tutorial for repurposing your worn-out sitting piece.

How to Repurpose Furniture to Sell and Make Some Money for Your Move

No matter our reasons to move, we all strive to cut down on costs during our preparation time so we can pay the cross-country movers. If you plan on relocating from a small town to a big city, you’ll need all the money you can spare for rent or downpayment. So how to move, save up a bit, and perhaps earn a dime before you head out of your current place? The trick is to sell as much as you can, even those furnishing pieces you thought were meant to be thrown away.

By putting in some hard work, and some crafty ideas, you can make that ancient and bulky dresser look chic and stylish. Or give the dull brown shelves a new life. Even sewing machines can be repurposed into desks with some paint and a few tricks. Once you’ve remodeled everything, one of the best moving tips is to organize a yard sale and sell everything.

Even After You Move, You Can Begin a Hobby By Refurbishing Older Pieces

Relocations take much more work than simply finding “long-distance movers near me.” You may have remodeled some of your stuff with only one goal in mind, which is to save on costs so you can get an apartment out of state and pay for the auto transport and the packing service by long-distance movers. But it’s also a great hobby to have. It’s beneficial in many ways, especially since you can earn on it while environmentally friendly. And you’ll get to keep the grandma’s dresser she wanted you to have, just in another color.