Wednesday 22 February 2017

I love free furniture.

Hello. Question, where can you get free furniture? Answer, from a skip. I found these two bedside cabinets the other day, not a mark on them. The house had been empty for a long time, it has recently been bought and a skip appeared on the driveway. It's on my walk, I pass it every day, and when I saw these I was so excited. 
There was no one around so I asked my friend up the road if he knew who had bought it. Yep, go down the next street and knock on a red door, so I did. Permission was granted to remove said furniture. I immediately went home to get my car, as it was in danger of raining. 
They are smashing. My first thought was to find a home for them because they won't fit in my bedroom, then I had a look around and thought they would look nice in my living room. 

This is a bit of a messy spot, the brown stereo unit next to the chair is about forty years old, it was cheap and chipboardy, and is too big for the space. I think it's time to get rid of it. I have to keep the tall cupboard behind the chair because it has a false back in it, it was made to cover up the electric meter behind it. Stupid place to put a meter.

Hey, look at the difference, a lot better. I moved the coffee table next to the chair and the cabinets fit perfectly either side of the alcove wall. This room used to be two smaller rooms, the previous owner knocked them through. I'm chuffed to bits with this.

The moral of this story is keep your eyes peeled for any skips which appear on people's driveways, they might be throwing something useful out. Always ask permission to remove items you want. They will always say yes. I love free stuff. 
My dinner yesterday was very simple, tagliatelle and frozen vegetables drizzled with toasted sesame seed oil. Only takes a few minutes to simmer in one pan. My lunch today was a bit of a mishmash, iceberg lettuce, potato salad, Danish Blue cheese, and tagliatelle, with a splodge of tartar sauce. 
I was up late this morning so I am a bit behind. I'll get off now and catch up. Thanks for popping in, we'll catch up soon.
Toodle pip

28 comments:

  1. I love free stuff. I think 'skip diving' should become our national sport and can't think why the local council can't set a room aside once a month for people to bring furniture that they no longer want and give/swap it on the day.. Charity shops no longer sell items that don't have the 'fire retardant' label attached. I am sure that there is a whole load of lovely furntiure out there that could be rehomed.

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  2. Brilliant, and it fits your room too. Well done. Best find was a brown leather two-seater sofa that was being thrown out by a friend's-friend, gave it to me for free, a little scuffed but put a 'throw' on it and it's so comfortable, also fits the room perfectly. As it happened I was looking a few weeks before to fork out for a new sofa - the 'sale' prices were between £400 - £700 so struck lucky there. Amanda

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  3. Brilliant find! (Did you ask if they had anything else they might be throwing out??) Why is it that all the skips I come across only contain empty plastic sacks, bits of old ceiling or broken up plaster?

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  4. My parents have got the same little brown shelving that you've got your books on. Your new white ones look super - really smart. Natalie

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  5. They look great, what a find! SueM

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  6. What a good find. They look just right

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  7. I'm not surprised you're chuffed with them, they make the room seem lighter. I'd like to change some of our brown furniture for lighter coloured things, but it isn't a priority.

    Joan (Wales)

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  8. It happen here where I live. One charity upcycles furniture donated. In a nearby town they check everything over and then put it in their shop. Our Can do, can recycling place also now do bicycles! North East Scotland.

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  9. Well spotted.Like the handles.You could even stack them as long as they were fixed together securely.I love finding things or pre-loved.Much more fun.Some years ago I found a old torn gentlemans chairon a tipand dragged it up a steep hill.I don't know where I got the strength from.I like eclectic houses and clothing.Far more interesting.Dinner looks nutricous ,makes me feel hungry.x

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  10. What a great find. We have been looking for bedside cabinets for ages but they all want too much for them, am hoping I find some in the car boots in the summer. They look really good where you have them and no need to paint.
    Briony
    x

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  11. oh dear sorry about my dreadful spelling lowering the tone.when I text with my phone it does it for me.x

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  12. beautiful cabinets..Glad you found them. Hard to believe what folks bin.

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  13. In our street we put unwanted items out at the front for people to help themselves to. Have picked up/ got rid of many things this way :)

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  14. Brilliant find, they look great, I can't believe what some people throw away.

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  15. Really great find, I love to see stuff being given a new lease of life! I don't seem to see many skips in my area, I think because the roads are mostly flats now, and a lot of people in flats are very disciplined and don't seem accumulate much (at least my neighbours don't, they put me to shame lol).

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  16. Those are super Ilona, great find.

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  17. That is a cool finding! Good for you. The way it is arranged in your living room is wonderful. Giving life to stuff and helping them from ending on the landfill. Great work!

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  18. You're like me, my home is full of bits and bobs collected over 25 years or so. My favourite little two seater sofa cost just £20 in a sale and although the seat cushions are propped up underneath with my knitting magazines it is the most comfy sofa in the world. I don't like brash new stuff x

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  19. Love reading about your daily escapades and frugality. Those cabinets were a great find.

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  20. Great scarcity of decent skips round these parts but I get given lots of free furniture. Perhaps I am the local skip! There is hardly anything new in this house, most of it either free or pre-loved

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  21. Good find for you! Enjoy! I look for freebies too. Both our recliners are used but came from friends we knew. Also our sofa sleeper! I've always wanted one but never could afford one. I'd like to replace my recliner but that will wait for awhile. Not cheap. Your dinner looks yummy!

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  22. Those look great there!
    Nice pieces really.
    You have a nice home!

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  23. They look great and a good colour too! Doesn't it feel good giving a new life to abandoned furniture and nowadays I think the older stuff is often much better quality.

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  24. great find! I always look in skips i see. have also taken home quite a few decent cushions,toys,linen that have been chucked; cleaned the items up, and taken them to my charity shop.sometimes people clearing out houses just don't have the time or transport to find homes for stuff before skipping.

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  25. They are a real find Ilona, well done you.

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  26. Ilona they look lovely and fit in well in your room x

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  27. Lovely cabinets, I bet they'd cost atleast £20 at a charity shop or carboot sale and you got them for free, well done!

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  28. The cabinets are really lovely, very modern and probably would look great in most houses. Good find!

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