Thrift Store with a Twist

Those of us surviving in a dirt poor situation, you've read it in every post, make use of resources around you... and they can come in the most unexpected places.... like your dumpster. I wanted to take this opportunity to share with you some surprising finds from our dumpster in our park, and one find... really a gift... that was almost bound for the local dump. We'll start with simple to the big guy!!

First, I don't have a pic of this, but it merits mentioning. It's not so glamorous, but I was really excited about it. This discovery happened when there was some construction being done in our lil' park and the wood forms for the cement were broken apart and just dumped in the dumpster. Well later, I went to put our own little garbage bag in the dumpster. I raised the lid and that wonderful smell of fresh cut wood wafted up at me. All those concrete forms that were pitched were perfectly good 2x4's that were a complete waste to throw away. It took me three arm loads but I retrieved all that good wood from the dumpster and stacked it behind our trailer. I didn't know what it would be used for yet, but I knew when the use came about we would have the wood, without a trip to Home Depot!

My next find was wood related as well. Again taking the garbage out, I saw by the outside of the front corner of the dumpster this pile of beautiful gracefully shaped branches that someone had cut from their shrub and tossed. I couldn't let them go to waste. I thought they could at least be a support for some green beans or peas in the garden for the vines to latch onto. My hubbie Nut had a better idea. It was approaching the holiday season, and he suggested making it into a Charlie Brown Christmas tree. I was immediately in love with the idea. The silver pail we already had, and the gravel came from same construction mentioned above, only the pile had been in our for months untouched, so I thought I would not be a completely bad person if I snatched a little pail full.... so I did. Once the pail was full of gravel, we stuck the branches in to make the cutest outdoor Christmas tree. I still like it now even though it doesn't have lights on it at the moment. I will post a pic when we have lights on it.... shouldn't be too much longer... holiday season is right around the corner.

The next dumpster find was something Nut came home and surprised me with, and what a surprise!! He took the morning garbage out and it turns out, someone had thrown out this

darling table which has so many uses... check it out!!

It's a desk!

It's a game table!

It's a pillow!!

...or an endtable... depending who occupies that

part of the couch... LOL

The last item I wanted to share with you was actually a gift, but bound for the dump if I didn't take. However, it was offered and I took! This wonderful piece the organic look of wood and a homey look that we haven't had for a while. Three large drawers gave us much needed storage and the top half gave us a home for the tv and ...oops, some clutter, please excuse in the photo.

So the moral of this post? Keep your eyes open! You never know where your next treasures are going to come from. It might be in the most unexpected places!

From us here at the DPS club... Stay strong and keep surviving!