Waste-not, want-not.
The one thing I hate about fixing up the house is all the waste. I feel bad throwing out old counter tops, smashing vintage, massive cement sinks, tearing out old light fixtures: creating more garbage. I really do despair when I think of these things littering the landfill, taking up so much space, and being such a waste of money and materials that we will never recycle. Right now I have a dumpster full of guilt sitting in my drive-way and on my conscience.
This is all brought on by the fact that Husband and I are finishing our basement. In the end, this project will almost double our living space and give us a much needed second bathroom and extra bedroom. But of course, it all comes with getting rid of the old and buying the new...
So far, we have destroyed the laundry sink circa 1945 (sad, but thanks S and L), framed a couple of walls and a door, destroyed the concrete in the laundry room to move pipes around, hauled the concrete out, the plumbers have laid pipe, laid new concrete... and the fun only continues.
Today we took a trip to the Re-Use Center which is a place that is like a vintage clothes shop... only for everything you would ever use to build a house. Old toilets, cabinets, doors, windows, you name it. I suddenly felt better about throwing some of our stuff out realizing that it may make it to the re-use center. What a fun place- more things you could ever imagine- sinks in every color and shape- granite counter tops- doors of every size- like a great big garage sale.
I am really excited because today we left having bought ninety-seven 1 foot square tiles that we will use in the basement. Technically they are brand new, having been dropped off at the Re-use center by a contractor this afternoon (extras from a project). And the best part? We only paid $90. Buying the same tiles at Home Depot or the Tile Shop would be at least double the price we paid.
I was a little nervous buying the tiles, since obviously there was only one color choice and there is no bringing them back, but they will look pretty good in the basement. I had to remind myself that sometimes having a zillion choices just takes up time and energy- and that it can be good to have something to start with in terms of decorating.
Anyways, it is nice to know that in finishing our basement we can do some things inexpensively and that I am not just consuming when there are reusable items only a few miles from home! Hooray for the re-use center!
This is all brought on by the fact that Husband and I are finishing our basement. In the end, this project will almost double our living space and give us a much needed second bathroom and extra bedroom. But of course, it all comes with getting rid of the old and buying the new...
So far, we have destroyed the laundry sink circa 1945 (sad, but thanks S and L), framed a couple of walls and a door, destroyed the concrete in the laundry room to move pipes around, hauled the concrete out, the plumbers have laid pipe, laid new concrete... and the fun only continues.
Today we took a trip to the Re-Use Center which is a place that is like a vintage clothes shop... only for everything you would ever use to build a house. Old toilets, cabinets, doors, windows, you name it. I suddenly felt better about throwing some of our stuff out realizing that it may make it to the re-use center. What a fun place- more things you could ever imagine- sinks in every color and shape- granite counter tops- doors of every size- like a great big garage sale.
I am really excited because today we left having bought ninety-seven 1 foot square tiles that we will use in the basement. Technically they are brand new, having been dropped off at the Re-use center by a contractor this afternoon (extras from a project). And the best part? We only paid $90. Buying the same tiles at Home Depot or the Tile Shop would be at least double the price we paid.
I was a little nervous buying the tiles, since obviously there was only one color choice and there is no bringing them back, but they will look pretty good in the basement. I had to remind myself that sometimes having a zillion choices just takes up time and energy- and that it can be good to have something to start with in terms of decorating.
Anyways, it is nice to know that in finishing our basement we can do some things inexpensively and that I am not just consuming when there are reusable items only a few miles from home! Hooray for the re-use center!
posted by KLOU | 6:13 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home