You probably think this is going to be a deep post on thankfulness for neighbors. Sorry to disappoint! It is actually about the freebies we have gotten from our neighbors. It is common in the Spring for people to get rid of things and to put them out on the curb. They don’t really do garage sales as we all learned and most don’t have big cars to drive stuff away to donation locations so they often put things out for people to take.

Last year we scored this guy below. It is an old free standing kitchen cabinet with a counter top.  At the time I was in need of a higher changing table for Owen. We were using a dresser and not only was it getting scratched but it was breaking our backs. So I painted it a cheerful blue and made it nice and distressed and we have been using it ever since.   It is perfect because the counter top can just be wiped off and sanitized unlike the dresser.  I am thinking it may go in the laundry room of the new house or I may be on the hunt for a butcher block to replace the top and some fresh paint so I can use it in the kitchen as an island (shhh, Seth doesn’t need to hear all of my ideas just yet).

A couple of months ago I spotted this armoire up the hill on our neighbors sidewalk with a big old “gratis” sign. Seth wasn’t too thrilled because it is huge and required help but I think he is learning that my freebies are often worth it!

I actually didn’t mind the green but it needed to be freshened up. I couldn’t decide where to use it but then decided with the boys sharing a room that they could use some storage space for books, toys, etc.  So, we, I mean Seth, sanded it, removed the doors and the hanging rod and added shelves to maximize the storage. We painted it a bright barn red on the outside and refreshed the cream on the inside. I cut up maps of the places we have lived and pressed them into the back boards with mod podge. We love how it turned out! Here is a picture of it without the shelving.

(the map panels are of Bogota, Virginia, Texas and Bern. I think this piece will be a fun memory  with the maps as well as really practical!  It will house the boys toys in their *maybe* share room)

We also scored a coffee table but I forgot to snag a picture before it got packed!

In a place where things cost WAY TOO MUCH we have been so thankful to score some things for free! Thanks, neighbors!   And thanks Seth for humoring me with my freebie projects!

But for a real neighbor thank you, thank you to the neighbor that planted the poppies down the road, we have been enjoying them so much! I had to include this picture for my sister-in-law Claire! I know she loves poppies!