How often have you been driving home from work, and seen a lonely piece of furniture sitting on the curb of one of your neighbors home, waiting to be picked up with the trash in the morning? All too often, when someone is done with their furniture, it gets thrown out. And then that old furniture gets replaced with a brand new piece of furniture. Although there isn’t anything inherently wrong with this, there is a considerable amount of accounted for waste every year in the form of furniture. When it comes time to replace a piece of furniture, think about upcycling instead.

Check out your local thrift shops

Although some people leave their old furniture on the curb, a lot of people take their old furniture  to the closest thrift shop, instead. One man’s trash is another man’s treasure, and it has never been truer than in this instant. When you need a new couch or coffee table, head to Savers or Goodwill and see what they have in stock. People are donating every single day, so it shouldn’t take more than a few days to find something you like!

Keep an eye on Craigslist

Another great place to get inexpensive used furniture to upcycle, is on Craigslist and other virtual yardsale websites. Be careful when you use sites like this, and bring a friend along with you to help you transport your new-to-you furniture.

Update your furniture with a coat of paint

A little bit of paint or wood stain goes a long way when it comes to old furniture. Something doesn’t necessarily have to be new to feel new. If a coffee table is sturdy, but a little dingy, paint it or stain it, and it will be like new. Or reupholster that couch that has a few questionable stains on it you got off Craigslist. This is an amazing way to give a new life to a perfectly functional piece of furniture that was otherwise going to be thrown away.