upcycling basement treasures

Upcycling: the process of converting waste materials or useless products into new materials or products of better quality or a higher environmental value.

When my parents built their house, I'm sure they never imagined that the unfinished side of their basement would eventually be filled with their kids' and parents' unwanted belongings. In an attempt to avoid being called in for an episode of "Hoarders," they have started to pawn things off on unsuspecting victims. 

Before my eyes were opened to the DIY and upcycling world by the invention of Pinterest (and living with Kylie), I would have never thought twice about taking anything that ended up in my parents' basement. Because, ew... old stuff. As fate would have it, I've grown to appreciate a good vintage piece, especially if a coat of paint can transform it.

When my grandma moved into assisted living, a lot of her things ended up in my parents' basement. Even though a lot of the good stuff had been picked over by the time I got to it, I still ended up with some great vintage pieces for my house. 

See those green floral chairs? I've spent countless hours sitting on those with my grandma playing games like Monopoly, Pig Mania (anyone else ever play this?), Chinese Checkers, and Battleship. Not only are they awesome, they serve as a reminder of my childhood and how lucky I am to have such a great grandma.

LOOK AT THAT PYREX. Just look at it. No, I can't cook or bake to save my life, but it is nice to look at and sometimes I put cereal in the smaller bowls when our other dishes are dirty. Guys, don't all line up at once.

That yarn art piece was made for my dad back in the day and now hangs proudly on our wall in the retro room. I'm still trying to convince him to give me his Farrah Fawcett shag rug.

Vintage coffee table came from my grandma & that nice
blanket (which we repurposed as a rug) was my late uncle's. 

This rolling cart was my grandma's and was in need of some serious love.
After adding a couple coats of spray paint, it fits perfectly in our kitchen
and is a great showcase for my new-to-me Pyrex collection.

What I'm trying to say is... if you feel like going shopping for free things, I know a couple of people who would be more than happy to let you in their basement. In a non-creepy way.