Do-It-Yourself projects and refurbished items have become a hot new trend during these tough economic times as people are turning their old and outdated chairs, tables, and anything else imaginable into new and hip items. Television stations and the Internet are full of shows and sites that encourage people to be thrifty and to start fresh will their old possessions.
Refurbishing possessions is usually cheaper than buying new ones outright, and it allows the maker to be as unique and creative as he or she wishes. For instance, homemakers looking to update their house schemes led to a large growth in Do-It-Yourself websites and blogs like Pinterest.
Pinterest is an online pin board that allows users to “pin” items or sites that they like and then return to visit the link anytime they wish. Pinterest has many categories that are filled to the brim with easy ideas and crafts for the average do-it-yourselfer. The Pinterest Do-It-Yourself trend has crossed over into many areas of users life’s’, including birthday parties, weddings, and the home. Most pins on Pinterest are linked to some really neat blogs, where users can get more ideas from different blogs.
One of the best and most followed Do-It-Yourself blogs is Young House Love. Young House Love follows the story of Sherry and John Petersik as they completely redo their house. The couple enjoys refurbishing old furniture and they started blogging about their hobby in 2007on www.younghouselove.com. Their “hobby blog” soon turned into a big deal with over 2,000 posts and the couple now has a published book titled, Young House Love: 243 Ways to Paint, Craft, Update & Show Your Home Some Love.
The Do-It-Yourself revolution has also reincarnated the popularity of Home and Garden Television. HGTV features many television shows that are all about refurbishing old items and Do-It-Yourself crafts for the home. One of the most unique shows is “Junk Gypsy’s.” The show follows Amie and Jolie Sikes as they scavenge yard sells and junkyards collecting tattered treasures with the idea of repurposing them later. The two turn the cast-off pieces into unique, newly transformed items that combine vintage elements with hippie and rock and roll grandeur to illustrate Amy and Jolie’s unique “junk gypsy” style. Amie and Jolie Sikes have forged a friendship with country music superstar Miranda Lambert and even decorated the reception area for Miranda’s wedding to Blake Shelton.
The Do-It-Yourself revolution has captivated people far and wide. One man’s junk is another man’s treasure, if he is willing to see past the chipped surface to imagine what an item could be. Refurbishing items is a cheap, money saving option that allows the homeowner to capture his unique sense of style in a creative way.
