Trash to Treasure

I.                    Inspiration/Philosophy

a.      Lovely, yet affordable décor for your customers

b.      Themed, in an attractive setting

II.                  Sources: flea markets, thrift stores, garage sales, estate sales, and best of all, curbs!

III.                Inventory: diversify!

a.      Smalls: mark up should be more than double

1.      Inexpensive (the bulk of your smalls inventory) antique dishes for mix and match table settings, esp. weddings and parties; boudoir items (things you would find on a dressing table, such as small table mirrors, ornate mirror and brush sets, long gloves, ornate jewelry boxes, etc.); lamps, especially w/crystal or ornate bases; birdcages or anything with birds or owls on them; cloches with vignettes inside; vintage suitcases/picnic baskets (flat-topped double as transport/display/storage); vintage hats, purses and jewelry; pictures to turn into chalkboards; mirrors; urns, statuary, garden tools; wire baskets, galvanized buckets; vintage camping gear, esp. in plaid; rotary phones, typewriters; vintage kitchen tools; coffee or tea-related items; vintage trailer themed items; linens

2.      Investments: a small percentage of your inventory, boosting the overall quality and attractiveness to passing customers. “Eye candy” that you don’t mind keeping around a while due to pricing it higher.  Cycle these out so customers won’t grow to used to seeing them: Vintage dresses for “backdrop”; more rare vintage purses and jewelry; crochet bedspreads, quilts, tablecloths; fancier rare or larger items like statuary, industrial light fixtures, lovely art, etc

                                                            ii.      Furniture (not too big to transport, easy to fit into someone’s décor scheme, as well as your storage): try to at least double your investment: small to medium-sized tables; children’s cribs and kitchen furniture; vintage lawn chairs; dressers with fancy mirrors; buffets; small China cabinets; dining chairs (easy to transform into pretty boudoir or desk chairs); carts with wheels

IV.               Staging

a.      Minimize anachronisms to your theme

b.      Layer heights to maximize small spaces: stack tables, use each as display; open drawers of dressers and display items on inverted drawer; hang things from ceiling hooks and L-brackets

c.       Vary textures: Softs, like clothing, linens, lampshades, upholstered pieces; Hards, like wood furniture, metal garden ware; Organic: silk flowers, painted branches

d.      Use lighting to set mood (when electric is available)

e.      Create a “room” or vignette. Pinterest can be very helpful for ideas: Adriane DeVries, Use the Studio Space board. 

V.                 Transformation Techniques

a.      Paint: latex household paint for furniture.  If the wood is very worn, you will not need to sand or prime first (the grit gives “tooth” to the paint).  If very glossy, it doesn’t hurt to sand a bit and/or prime.  I rarely do this.  Many people are using “Chalk Paint,” which is expensive so I don’t bother.  A similar effect can be achieved with various similar colors layered and sanded. I have heard that any latex paint can be turned into chalk paint using plaster of paris. I assume a recipe for this is easy to find online.  If you like a bit of crackle, use Elmer’s glue between a dark coat of paint and a light upper.  Spray varnish and/or clear polyurethane make a good sealant for those surfaces you feel will get a heavy beating and need protection.

b.      Sanding

c.       Stenciling

d.      Stamping

e.      Paper embellishments: wallpaper, scrapbook, decoupage

f.        Hardware: keyholes, escutcheons, wooden filigrees, door knobs, drawer pulls, number plates

g.      Transfers

                                                              i.      Monochrome items: print inverted onto transparency paper and press like a stamp while still wet. Retrace any rough spots

                                                            ii.      Multicolor items: print inverted, then glue printout onto item, let dry, use water to slowly peel paper backing off.  Not as good, but sometimes looks cool. Try it!

h.      Odd Combinations

                                                              i.      Table base with a suitcase

                                                            ii.      Lamp into a hat stand

                                                          iii.      Floor lamp into a clothing display rack

                                                           iv.      Non-functional clock faces into table tops

                                                             v.      Cloches made from inverted round glass jars and bowls, paired with pretty plate and vignette

                                                           vi.      Picnic basket or other type of basket with a collection of items for a tea party, or dress up

VI.               Business Tips

a.      Keep overhead low: Booth vs. Show

b.      Keep receipts for tax deductions, Schedule C. Also helps with mileage tally (I use Mapquest): Rent, cost of inventory, paint and other supplies, payment to helpers

c.       Overall profit margin, minus expenses, should average around 50 percent of your total sales.

VII.              Give! With what the Lord has blessed you, give back to Him a percentage for His glory! I find that the upcycling process is so fun and therapeutic from start to finish that I do not need the income for myself. 100% of my profits go to favorite ministries like Haiti Foundation Against Poverty, WAR, World Vision and World Hope, among others.