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ail Wilson started her blog, My Repurposed Life, in 2009 after the school she taught at for 19 years closed. Wilson says she loves the idea of giving new life to items — not just by dusting them off and giving them a new coat of paint, but by reinventing them. “There is a difference between refurbishing and repurposing,” Wilson says. “Refurbishing is repainting; repurposing is taking a desk and making it into a media center. You change its use.” Wilson’s blog is packed with projects and detailed tutorials on how she made her transformations. She starts her projects by finding pieces on the side of the road, in thrift stores, or with items that have been donated to her. “Headboards are one of the items that can be easily found and repurposed,” she says. With some chalkboard paint, Wilson was able to transform one of her donated headboards into a memo board. She says chalkboard paint is an easy way to repurpose just about any item. One of Wilson’s favorite repurposing projects was transforming her daughter’s childhood desk. “It had identical drawers on both sides, so I cut the desk and stacked the drawers to make a chest,” she says. “Now I have the same amount of storage space with a smaller footprint.” Wilson has made repurposing a lifestyle that she shares with more than 300,000 Facebook followers.
clothing seems to be better quality — the kind of “Older quality you can only get out of high-priced pieces
today,” says Holly Jenkins-Evans, owner of the online clothing store Past Perfect Vintage. “Just don’t throw away your clothes. Always donate them to a thrift store or vintage shop.” Vintage and thrift store shopping are increasingly popular ways to repurpose clothing. Jenkins-Evans has noticed her customers buying 1940s- or ‘50s-style garments and matching them with modern pieces. “I just sold a ‘40s jacket to a lady who wanted it for work, and she will probably pair it with jeans or a modern skirt,” she says. Unfortunately, not all garments are salvageable. For instance, dry-rotted clothing cannot be repaired. But if the garment is not wearable, there are other ways to repurpose it. “Use the salvageable pieces to restore another garment or to make something like a pillow,” Jenkins-Evans suggests. “Don’t worry about the age of a garment,” she continues. “If it looks good on you, wear it.” TURN TO PAGE 24
22
MARCH
2014
TODAY’S WOMAN