theHword.com

We drive past these things every week. Normally we don’t think twice about it, we just drive past and continue on our way. The problem is that we miss out on some of the best items to be had for free or for little money. I am talking about the treasures that people leave on the side of the curb. I know they may not look like much, but to the right person they are pure gold. And yes, I am proud to say that I have stuck gold many times.

Maybe it is the artist/designer in me or just the fact that I am cheap and love to work with my hands, but I love taking someone’s old worn out items and making them new again in my own home. There is a certain amount of pride that comes from each finished piece. Not all of my finds have come from the side of the road, but if it wasn’t for the thrift stores that is where I would have to find them.

My list of repurposed items is fairly extensive, from furniture to bicycles to records. The possibilities are endless when it comes to making old new again. I am always on the hunt for something unique and it is amazing how a little bit of sanding and a can of spray paint can make the ugliest item beautiful.

Repurposing old items is relatively easy. The hardest part is to rethink the way you look at old items. You have to learn to look at these items as what they could be and not as what they are. Think of it as putting a uniqe piece of art in your home that you created.

The best part is, your friends and family will talk about the items and want to know where you got them from and you can look them in the eye and say: “from the side of the road, isn’t it obvious?” It pays to be resourceful. Plus who wants to have the same boring items in their home as everybody else. A little personalization goes a long way, especially if you have a bright, hot pink poodle in you living room that was spray painted. For the recorded I don’t have a hot pink poodle in my living room, though it could work. Really it could!

So the next time you are driving down one of the many streets in Hastings and you see an item sitting on the curb just hoping to go home with you, pull over, pick it up and introduce it to your home. With the right touch you to will have found road side gold.

Disclaimer:

Road side gold can be highly addictive and habit forming.

About the author: Scott Miller

Art, design, music, espresso and all things retro...these are the things that make Scott tick. A graphic designer who lives and works in Hastings. Scott has a variety of hobbies and interests he enjoys sharing. His ecletic experiences come from being an artist, creative thinker, child of the 80s and his brief stint as a bass player in a punk band. Scott is married to his wife, Kelly and shares "parenthood" of their tuxedo cat Dart.