Good Things come from Dumpsters

I love dumpster diving! Or at least, dumpster perimeter scouting! I don't actually dive into dumpsters, that would be unsanitary. But fully 3/4 of my furniture comes from junk I've gleaned from alleys and side-streets and had that lovely word "FREE" taped to its body!

For instance this really ratty old cabinet. It was perched outside my own apartment building in the alley near where I park. I saw it and thought it looked like a filing cabinet but that perhaps it had potential. I liked the brass handles so I determined if it was still there when I came home from running errands I'd take a look at it.

It was there and I decided upon inspection that it was worth salvaging, and so I hoisted it up my stairs and onto the plastic for a make-over. Not wanting to invest a bunch of money I don't have in paint or stain, I just used the Cherry Chocolate I had left over from my pie safe re-do.

This is what the finished thing looked like in this morning's light. As always, you can click on the picture to get a higher resolution, better-lit look at it. I can't decide whether I really like it or will have to get rid of it at the first opportunity but for now it is the perfect home for all my table cloths and linens.

And another good thing?

DAIRY PRODUCTS. Why do they get such a bad rap?