Free Furniture Art

Happy July 31st!

In college towns like Bloomington (home to Indiana University), where most apartments rent yearly from August to August, this is the day off-campus students move out at the last minute.

And leave their furniture.




When I was a kid, retrieving said furniture was called Dumpster Diving. Fortunately, generations of green-conscious people have reduced the stigma of re-using and recycling. There is an entire industry devoted to refashioning and refurbishing. Goodwill has become Vintage Vogue on Kirkwood Avenue. We have shows on TV like American Pickers.

So what does today's treasure (pictured above) have to do with an arts blog?

Have you ever told a kid artist that she could paint the dresser and refurbish the ottoman? My daughter was ecstatic when she discovered the day's spoils. Reuse. Recycle. Refashion into art.

I will post before and after photos of her art projects as they are painted.

If you decide to go picking today, travel with a group and stay out of the dumpster. It is unsanitary and a safety hazard. In college towns, people are good about placing furniture on the ground nearby (because they know it will be picked). And please don't have a rummage sale today, as it might be mistaken as free loot!

Here is a list of Bloomington apartment complexes. This morning, I saw 8-10 other people out picking, but it's ok if you missed the starting gun. There's still time to make a great find as people move throughout the day.

Good luck, and happy hunting. If you know of any crafty websites devoted to refurbishing furniture, please post the links in the comments.