Refurbished Metal Shelf

I'm not ashamed to pick up perfectly good items from the curb on my street.  At this point in time, my children are not embarrassed when I do this (that will come later I'm sure!), so I take every opportunity to turn my neighbor's trash into something useful.

For example, last week I left the house before my family awakened so I could pick up a few groceries.  On the way home, I spot this ugly metal shelf sitting on the curb beside the trash cans about a block down from my house.

 I have been thinking about getting a shelf for the back patio area so that various things that are lying around could be more organized.  So, I was a bit excited to see this shelf on the curb that day!  My first thought:  spray paint!  I must admit to having a love affair with spray paint this summer.  It's so versatile and can turn just about anything drab into something beautiful!

I tossed the shelf into the back of my van, rust and all, and brought it home.  When my husband went outside and saw it, he wanted to know why I picked up such an ugly looking thing.  I explained the method to my madness and then he understood perfectly.  He knows I just can't resist something for free!

I used sandpaper to remove the rust around the edges and then washed and dried the entire shelf to remove cobwebs and dirt.  

Here is the shelf with one coat of spray paint.  I used Krylon spray paint in the color "Nickel".

The transformation took the entire can of paint, but for $2.97, that's not a lot of money for a refurbished shelf!  I think it was roughly two and a half coats of paint over the entire shelf.

I love how it organizes my empty flower pots, candle holders, gardening gloves, and other odds and ends.  I purchased a few S-hooks for the side - they hold my trowels and tablecloth clips (well, at least most of them).

I'm tickled with my "new to me" shelf!  It's just what that back area of the patio needed for organization.

Have you found interesting things on the curb? 

I'm linking up with Amy at New Nostalgia for Anti-Procrastination Tuesdays.


All my best to you today,