Furnishing your home or apartment doesn't have to cost you thousands of dollars, as one thrifty renter recently found.
The tenant took to Reddit to share how they saved hundreds on a new couch by reusing and upcycling one from someone they knew.
The renter shared photos of the refurbished couch in the r/upcycling subreddit, saying they gave the piece of furniture a "colorful life."
"Free couch our landlord was going to toss brought to a colorful life," the renter said. "I know this probably isn't everyone's style but I am very happy with my fun colorful couch!"
Photos attached to the post show the couch's epic transformation from tan and bland to colorful fabric with flowery and artistic designs.
The renter revealed in a comment under the post that they upcycled the couch by purchasing cushion covers on Amazon and sewing velvet pillowcases. They also used fabric paint to beautify the base of the couch.
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Upcycling pre-owned furniture by upholstering the cushions or putting on a fresh new layer of paint is the best way to give chairs and couches a second life. At the same time, it can ease the strain on renters' and homeowners' wallets.
Large sectional sofas like the one they found currently sell for anywhere between $300 and $9,000 at big-box retailers like The Home Depot. All too often, these pieces of furniture are discarded or thrown away after just a few years, ending up in overcrowded landfills that release toxic air pollution.
Reusing furniture will not only decrease the number of items thrown away but will also help our ecosystems at the same time. Upcycling also decreases the demand for mass-produced furniture items that are shipped around the globe.
You can get furniture and other items like clothing to reuse from friends, neighbors, or, even in this case, landlords. However, there are also several organizations that sell pre-owned items at a discounted cost, such as For Days and ThredUp.
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Other Reddit users were left more than impressed by the upcycled couch.
"Woah that is such an improvement on such a boring couch!" one wrote. "Nice work!"
"That fabric is amazing! I want to cover my life in it," another said.
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