Reduce, reuse, and recycle – a common phrase we have all probably heard at least once, and a phrase most of us make an effort to incorporate into our daily lives. Purchasing goods like clothing or furniture second hand are one of the best ways to make an eco-friendly lifestyle choice. You can take your sustainability to the next level by upcycling and creating repurposed furniture. There are many benefits to DIY furniture, and having the skill to upcycle furniture and thrifted goods, can be an extremely fruitful asset. Here are a few reasons why people have gotten on the DIY furniture bandwagon, and you can too!
Eco-Friendly
For many, one of the main draws of repurposed furniture is how environmentally friendly it is. When you upcycle furniture, you are actively choosing to give life to a piece of furniture or materials that would otherwise be unused or stored away. When repurposing furniture, you can also choose to use eco-friendly materials and paints including paint that is low in or has no VOC.
One-Of-A-Kind Pieces
There is no better way to have a unique home, then by creating your own furniture! Personalized pieces make your
home special. At your local thrift store you can find mid-century modern, vintage and antique furniture that can truly be turned into a work of art. Upcycling furniture and taking it from generic to something that is truly an individual work of art, is a special thing unique to DIY furniture. There are tons of great resources to help you get started and get the creative juices flowing. For example, visit @Courtneydiy on Instagram for tons of great inspiration on how to upcycle furniture and thrift finds. We also love this incredible repurposed furniture DIY by @KristinLiaRestoration who purchased a walnut credenza from a Habitat HMD ReStore and restored it into a fantastic new piece!
Rewarding
Last but not least, DIY-ing furniture is an extremely rewarding experience. From picking out the perfect piece to repurpose, putting in the time and effort to revive it, to giving it your original spin and signature, the repurposed furniture process is personal and one that pays off in a big way. You now have a work of art that is completely true to you!
Save Money
One of the best reasons for beginning your DIY furniture journey is that you can save a lot of money, and still find and create pieces of sustainable furniture that you love. A lot of furniture can come with a hefty price tag, but when you shop second-hand you can find incredible deals that make it more budget friendly to upcycle furniture. Head to your local thrift store to find beautiful pieces of furniture that can easily be transformed into unique pieces using paint, new knobs, or whatever else you want to do with it for a portion of the price.
About Habitat for Humanity Halton-Mississauga-Dufferin ReStores
The Habitat HMD ReStore is an amazing place to shop for unique furniture, antiques, appliances, used kitchens, paintings, home décor, doors and more. The Habitat HMD ReStore has locations in the Halton Region (Burlington, Halton Hills, Milton and Oakville), Mississauga and Dufferin county (Amaranth, East Garafraxa, Grand Valley, Melancthon, Mono, Mulmur, Orangeville, Shelburne). Every visit to the ReStore is different, and every purchase helps support our home building projects in our community.
About Habitat for Humanity Halton-Mississauga-Dufferin
Habitat for Humanity Halton-Mississauga-Dufferin is a proud member of our national organization Habitat Canada and is one of 50 local Habitat affiliates across our country. Habitat for Humanity brings communities together to help families build strength, stability, and independence through affordable home ownership. We provide a solid foundation for better, healthier lives in Canada and around the world. You can find out more about Habitat Canada at https://habitathmd.ca/.
Written by: Mahyn Qureshi