3 Things a Spouse Should Never to Say to a DIY Hoarder

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I bet no DIY blogger ever shows you the totally UGLY side of their homes, do they? Maybe a few of them do. But it’s rare. Maybe they don’t even HAVE an ugly side! Bloggers are supposed to the oh-so-creative and oh-so-organized people that are supposed to INSPIRE others–not make them shriek out loud, “Dag!! Their house is jacked up, yo!” LOL

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Well, this is one of those moments, where I show you what my garage looks like, as we speak. It’s sort of a hodge podge of (mostly) thrift store deals, with a few roadside “junk” finds, and a sprinkling of estate sale and hand-me-downs from family members. Really, it’s a catch-all for everything you’ve seen me post here on Thrift Diving!! Consider it the “triage” of Thrift Diving! LOL

 

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It seems I can bring it IN faster than I can turn it OUT.

But when I DO turn it out, look what becomes of it! Here’s a pic of my thrifted craft room that I’ve been working on (still in progress, more to come later). Everything in this craft room has come from the thrift store or second-hand! With the exception of that white wool rug which was $80 from Home Goods (which I can’t stand–it sheds like a dog, but was soooo affordable I couldn’t pass it up!).

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So, as you can see, I may be slow to get it OUT of the garage, but people just have to have the same vision that I do! Look past the junky garage to see the magic that can happen with just a little money, a lot of creativity, and a desire to make a home feel “homey” and functional! Just consider it a temporary holding storage while I make our house pretty, one room at a time 🙂

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But, when hubby sees the garage, he angrily shakes his head and tells me, “ENOUGH, Serena! Stop hoarding furniture!!”

Poor hubby. LOL. Do any of you guys have a hubby that lashes out at your DIY hoarding??  Please tell me it’s not just me!

But the problem is that hubby can’t see all these beautiful pieces that are scattered and toppled and piled on top of each other!

And let’s just be honest–he really doesn’t “get” any of my hobbies! To him, it’s just piles of hoarded stuff!

So I put together this list….

3 Things a Spouse Should Never Say to a DIY Hoarder

3 Things A Spouse Should Never Say to a DIY Hoarder:

1. THEY SAY: “You don’t need all this stuff!” ……YOU SAY: “Honestly, dear, you really don’t know what I need when it comes to my DIY supplies, for a hobby of which you know nothing about. If you’d like, we can sit down and I can drone on and on for hours about all the different tools, supplies, finishes, paints, etc. so that you’ll understand, but you probably wouldn’t be interested.”

 

2. THEY SAY: “You should be on that show ‘Hoarders’.”…….YOU SAY: “Dude, really?? Those people have psychological problems, and a real mental condition! Ooooh, on second thought, if I wasn’t doing my DIY and crafting, I might go crazy, too. So you should seriously support my habit to protect my emotional and psychological well-being.”

 

3. THEY SAY: “You’ve wasted so much money on your DIY stuff!”……YOU SAY: ‘Yes, I have spent a pretty-penny, but do you realize that I’m developing a valuable skill that, in today’s market, someone would pay me to make this for them?? See! I can EARN money from this! I just choose not to……yet. But just you wait……”

 

And this is the reason you shouldn’t listen to your spouse when they scold you for dragging things home….

…because we DIY’ers create gorgeous pieces. I know it takes up space and clutters parts of our house that hubbies just want to keep clean. But where else are we going to store it??

Here’s a look at some of the stuff that has taken up prime real estate in my garage, and ended up being totally worth it!

Vintage Dresser

This is my absolute favorite piece!! I found this piece awhile ago, and I still haven’t done anything with it. But I was tenacious in getting my hands on it, and who cares if it’s just been sitting? Quality furniture like this doesn’t come around often, and when you see it, you must snag it!!

My absolute favorite dresser!

 

Vintage Chair

This vintage upholstered chair…..my gosh, it’s been almost a year for it, too…..There were 10,000,000 tacks, and when I counted all of them and realized that was another expense in making over this chair, I temporarily gave up. I’ve decided I can find a cheaper alternative, so I’m going to be finishing this one soon!

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A Vintage Chair Makeover

And I picked this awesome dresser today for 50% off at the thrift store!!!

BEFORE

My new dresser!

Look how the edges jut out on this piece! How unique is that?!

 

I bet my husband never thought it could look like THIS, did he?? (Click the pic for full tutorial).

AFTER!

Ombre Mod Dresser

 

I picked up this beautiful bench from an estate sale! That whole trip taught me a few lessons in how to shop estate sales, too…..**shaking my head** What an experience…. You can see the total transformation and YouTube tutorial for this upholstered bench here.

BEFORE

This thing is beautiful! Don't love the fabric, but the style is amazing! I think it's going to be in my basement!

 

AFTER!

 

I picked up this French Provincial from the thrift store for just $12! Sure, it sat in my garage forevah, but the “AFTER” was so cute!

 BEFORE

French Provincial dresser

 

French Provincial dresser

 

French Provincial Desk Makeover

 

The custom wood carved front added to this piece makes it one of the most unique I have ever seen. I love it! I haven’t started working on it yet. It’s going in my son’s room!

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This vintage buffet was serving as a holding station for an old sewing machine and a Christmas tree for the longest time in my garage.

BEFORE

vintage buffet

 

But my husband can’t deny it was worth the storage, huh! LOVE this piece!

AFTER

Vintage Buffet Thrift Diving Blog

 

When I hand-painted a pretty blue flower on this outdoor table that I found sitting next to the trash at my job (!!!!), I couldn’t wait to use it in the backyard! But as you can see, it’s still in the garage. LOL.

Flower painted table

 

I found these two matching nightstands at a yard sale over the summer, for super cheap! The one on the left??? FREE, from the side of the road 🙂 My husband scolded me for dragging them home, but how could I not??

End tables?

 

 

AFTER!

…because they turned out so cute! (Click here to see these French-inspired bedside table nightstands).

Thrift Diving Bedside Tables AFTER

 


I still have tons more pieces in my garage just eagerly awaiting being stripped, painted, tufted…..

But what about you? Do you have this same addiction, and does your hubby or significant other complain about your hoarding? Leave a comment below and add to the discussion!

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39 Comments

  1. My husband is definitely not crafty or a bargain hunter and he’s always had a problem with my finds and stash. I feel like this will always be a battleground, so thank you for those extra snippets of verbal ammunition I can break out next time he gets cranky about my hobbies 🙂

  2. Love all the dressers. The vintage look is so fantastic and I think it’s awesome you have the skills and patience to fix them up!

    1. Thanks, Beth! It’s my passion! And yes, the vintage look is so hot right now!

  3. You have just given me an idea. I have 2 wooden file cabinets that might be converted to nightstands, which I need. Maybe that long bookcase would fit in the kids room to hold toys??

    1. Yeah, that’s a great idea about the file cabinets! Maybe that’s what mine are, too, and I just got confused with using them as nightstands? LOL. I’ll have to go check now!

      Ooooh, yeah, that’s right, I DO need a storage area for the kids’ toys! I’m thinking about moving my oldest into a room of his own, and that would be a great bookcase/toy shelf for the boys!! Thanks for reminding me!!!! 🙂

  4. Kimberly Listrud says:

    It is funny because at our house anything I bring home or stock up on, I get the whole eye-roll and sometimes the man thinks it is all just junk that I will never use; but he brings home old file cabinets or desks and adds to his video game collection then that is valuable stuff. LOL. I do get rid of stuff and I have a policy of 1 year squatting max. If I haven’t gotten around to it in one year, then I need to get to it asap or let it go to someone who can/will. One thing I think you should never say to a hoarding spouse is “What the heck did she bring home now.” or make a point of telling everyone you know that “She brought home a whole load of junk again.” As a stay at home mom, I rarely go out and when I do get the chance I am usually in a hurry so I don’t have a lot of time to hunt down really good deals. So my guy can be quite dramatic. Luckily people know this and usually admire the good deals I get or what I turn found objects into (and tease him about his file cabinets and bike parts- although they do have value at the scrap yard). I know he is only teasing and he is glad I am thrifty, but it does sometimes amaze me that stuff he gets is great to him and stuff I get is junk and vice versa. 😛 I love all your stuff but my favorite is the French Provincial Desk.

  5. Nice to know it’s not just me.

    I had briefly toyed with the idea that I should photograph each item as you have and make some notes on what I want to change on it (paint color ideas, what needs repair, where it would go when finished, how much would I sell it for, etc.) Now I think I just need to get them clean enough to sell and get them gone. Simply put, I have no room to do anything because all of these “someday” projects are crowding me out.

    1. Yep, it’s called (according to Peter Walsh, Oprah’s organizing “GURU”) it’s called somehting like “One Day Clutter.” Things that you will get around to “one day.” And yeah….that’s true enough. I mean, if you truly don’t have space to work on stuff because you’re crowding yourself out, by all means, get to movin’ and either turn it out or get rid of it. Selling it is rewarding because you either recoup some costs, or you make a profit. I think if you just buckle down and MAKE TIME for projects, you’ll easily move through them.
      At least…that is what I would like to believe. LOL

      I’m actually planning some pieces for a flea market this spring,so I HAVE to get painting! Now there’s a pressing deadline that has put a fire until my bottom!

  6. I just picked up a 5 drawer dresser and two different end tables…all solid wood…at my local thrift store during my lunch hour today…ALL THREE PIECES FOR A TOTAL OF $22.00…could not pass them up!

    They are ready to be transformed and repurposed into something so beautiful that will be worth every single hording comment I get.

    I think we could have much worse, more expensive habit…that’s for sure! You are not alone!

    1. Jenni, HA! The fact that you’re going to the thrift store ON YOUR LUNCH BREAK makes you a certified thrift diver 🙂 HAHAHA. Sounds like a great find! I know there’s a chemical reaction in my brain, like some release of dopamine or something, when I find an amazing deal like that! And I totally agree with you, the fact that it’s such a good deal and so beautiful makes the backlash from the spouse WORTH IT.

      Earlier in 2012 I found this AMAZING vintage buffet, and I even called hubby beforehand and said, “OMG, there’s an amazing deal here! Should I get it?!” The phone call was more like a heads-up that I WAS going to get it. LOL. Of course, he vehemently said, “NO!” Guess who pulled up in front of the house with it?? HAHAHA

  7. HAHAHA, you’re right! I love when hubby neglects the yard work, because then it means he keeps the garage closed and doesn’t see what I have snuck in there! HAHAHAH!!!

  8. oh my that is alot of furniture but I am excited to see what becomes of it….I think everybody has a garage that can get out of control, they just keep the door down, haha

  9. Oh boy, do I understand! I to have some unfinished and ongoing projects in my garage and in the house. It can be a bit overwhelming sometimes.

    Btw, you may want to think about putting that paper slicer arm down before it takes an arm. ♡

    1. OMG, I didn’t even notice the paper cutter arm! Thankfully there’s no room out there for the kids to even maneuver, so I think we’re all safe until I can get out there to put it down! HAHAHAH

      And yes, it’s overwhelming, having so many projects to get to, and so little time. I was getting overwhelmed inside, too, and decided that I would just start in ONE ROOM and do everything in that ONE ROOM first ( in this case, the craft room). Next, perhps the basement??

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