Don't Toss That!

My crazy neighborhood is at it again, tossing perfectly nice stuff into the trash.

The other day, I cycled past a Dumpster with a bunch of construction debris inside it, but also four slender legs sticking up in the air, as if something was waving in distress.

It was this:

A sweet little end table or nightstand, with pretty floral details:

Fluted, tapered legs:

And vintage-style glass knobs:

When I carried the piece out of the Dumpster, it had a nice heft to it, so I opened the drawer for clues about its background:

There you have it: It's part of Rachel Ashwell's line, "Simply Shabby Chic," which she developed for Target. That means it's not really vintage, but it has the look and feel of it, and at a very affordable price.

But it isn't junk, and it didn't deserve to be tossed into the trash, which is probably how it got this fresh ding:

The poor thing was a little dirty, but nothing that some elbow grease and cleaner couldn't handle. So I mopped up the dust and cracker crumbs, and did an all-over cleanup.

I couldn't get up the nail polish, but a determined DIYer with the right tools could. In just 15 or so minutes, I got a lot of dirt off the little table:

And now she's all set to go to Goodwill, where somebody will be thrilled to pay a few bucks for her, and a nationally recognized charity will gain a little more muscle to do its good works.

So, please, people? If you have working, functional furniture or furnishings that you simply don't want, don't be a lazy butt. Don't throw them in the trash! Give them to a reputable local charity, or at least set them out by the curbside where folks who need them can give them a look-see.

You don't even have to clean them up in advance, if you don't want to. Just, please, don't trash them!