# Hand-me-down furniture, anyone?



## NancyNGA (Aug 1, 2016)

Just realized looking around my house, that almost all of my furniture is either hand-me-downs or things that I bought at yard sales years ago (to furnish a duplex I was renting).  I have one bedroom suite that was mine when I was living at home, bought when I was 6 years old.  

How about you?


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## fureverywhere (Aug 1, 2016)

Oh absolutely!!!!! I've always had cats, children and dogs. The chairs and couches can be pretty but ultimately have to be disposable. Everything else is from treasure hunting church sales, consignment stores. Around here the township has "clean up" days. People can drop unwanted things curbside and the county comes around to take it away the following morning. 

From sunset into late night everyone shops their way down the blocks. By morning there often isn't too much left. Upcycling ya know? It's great fun actually. Some paint or nails and you can make anything new again. Besides you have an original. It's not like Target has six more on the shelf.


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## Ruth n Jersey (Aug 1, 2016)

Yes, I have hand-me-downs also. Wouldn't trade it for the world. Only thing new in my living room is a rocker my son made me,he is a cabinet maker by trade but did a beautiful job on the rocker. I have a jelly cabinet my Grandpa made for my Grandmother. I repainted it and put 4 tin punched inserts on the door. She kept it in the basement. I think he turned over in his grave when I decided to put it in my living room. My Dad made a lamp out of an old water pump I found under our first house. and yes Fur, it is great fun!


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## SeaBreeze (Aug 1, 2016)

No, all of our furniture has been bought by us.  Some of it, like the living room furniture was bought in the early 80s and we still have it, solid wood and super heavy.  My family always lived out of state from me, so it was never convenient to take any of their furniture.  After my mother passed my sister wanted me to have a nice old carved wooden hope chest from my mother, but I always traveled there by plane and there's not much room in my house for any additional furnishings.


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## AprilSun (Aug 2, 2016)

I have a cedar _chifferobe_ that used to belong to my grandparents that was passed down to my mother and then me. Everything else we purchased or my husband made it. He loved to work with wood and was very good at it!


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## NancyNGA (Aug 2, 2016)

Ruth n Jersey said:


> .... Only thing new in my living room is a rocker my son made me,he is a cabinet maker by trade but did a beautiful job on the rocker.


Ruth, the one bedroom set I spoke of as being new, was custom made by a carpenter here in town. A wanted a rugged heavy-duty boxy sort of style, rather than ornate,  which also made it easier to do.   In addition to the bed, there are two matching highboy chests (no dresser), a bench to go at the foot of the bed and a matching night table.  All were designed just to fit the room layout, which is very difficult to furnish.  I even had it stained to match the floor in that bedroom. 

I really like the way everything turned out.  He did use plastic drawer runners, which I think were a little too flimsy for the weight of the drawers.  I may replace them with heavy duty metal ones one day.

Gee, I didn't mean to type that much.  Ha!


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## Redd (Aug 17, 2016)

Now that you mention it I have had a look around. The only thing bought new are my appliances and a sofa.


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## Marley (Aug 18, 2016)

When I down sized to a single wide trailer, it was packing a tape measure with me. With only X amount of space to work with this meant  two love seats instead of a sofa. And having four cats and one dog the material had to be leatherette. All my furniture was bought at Goodwill other then some appliances.Clothes washer, wore the dickens out of it, Paid, 100.00, only had to pay 30.00 the other day for a timer. Bought at Salvation Army. Our Goodwill sells brand new mattresses and springs. Bought two sets. Wardrobe for son's room was a break-down from Big Lots. So when he came in from New Mexico he had something to put together. I can't have all the fun.... My poor Yukon :love_heart:


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## Manatee (Aug 20, 2016)

If you move enough times you end up with "eclectic" furnishings.  In our 2BR condo we have 4 pieces that we bought new.  We are quite comfortable with what we have.


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