A few years ago I made an amazing discovery. The Habitat ReStore. When I lived in Omaha, I had a fixer-upper house, that was constantly in need of something. The ReStore was a lifesaver. For those of you who have never heard of the ReStore, let me tell you about it. It is run and maintained by Habitat for Humanity. Most every metropolitan area in the country has one. If you need cheap appliances, lighting, plumbing fixtures, furniture, doors, tile, windows, paint, tools, nails, nuts and bolts, not to mention a bazillion other things, this is the place. Some of it is used, or salvage donations. A lot of the items are new. I know that many contractors donate their leftover stock to ReStore, as a way to get a tax write-off. Some retail stores will liquidate their overstocks, or scratch and dent items through ReStore. Upgrading to stainless steel appliances, but your white appliances are still good? Donate them to the ReStore. Painted your wall, but only used a fraction of the gallon of paint you bought? Donate the leftover paint to the ReStore. Need a small amount of paint or stain for a project? ReStore it. It's a total community experience.
Recently I was at the ReStore in Davenport, which is a virtual handyman's playland. I saw that someone had donated some gorgeous woodwork, salvaged from an old house. I salivated over the antique crown molding, and the newly liberated built in cabinets. Sadly, I don't have a need for these things right now. But I envy the person who will get to make use of this beautiful woodwork in their home. I think the best thing about going to ReStore, other than it is so much cheaper than any retail outlet, is that it is a green alternative. I can actually feel like I am helping the environment by shopping at ReStore. By buying used or overstock, I am keeping useful items from go to a landfill. Saving money is just a by-product of this process. So I can be frugal, and green, at the same time!
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