A summer DIY project

One of the great things about my mom is that she can see the potential in almost anything. You show her a run down, crusty, old, beat up house and she can see in her mind how it could turn it into your dream home with a little work. She's the queen of fixing things up and turning trash into treasure.

So with that being said, lately I've been in the market for a new dresser. I've had the same one since I was a child, but we recently sold it in a garage sale when we moved to Vegas so I've been temporarily using a tiny antique thing with only 2 drawers and cramming all my clothes into it....and under it, on top of it, and on the floor. It's been a mess and I've really been itching to replace it for a while now.

Recently we started looking for a replacement - something cheap that we could fix up, and after months of searching, finally found the perfect thing! Only it wasn't perfect by any means. The wood was cracked and chipped, the drawers didn't quite sit right, the hardware looked like something from the late 1800's, and the wood desperately needed a sand job. But as soon as I laid eyes on it, it was like I inherited my mother's mind: I could instantly see how great this dresser could be with a little TLC. It was exactly what I had been looking for and it was only $40 so we bought it and took it home that day.

I spent the entire weekend putting my blood, sweat, and tears into restoring it, pretty much all by myself. I removed all the old hardware, sanded down all 11 drawers (4 small, 3 medium, 4 large) and the dresser itself TWICE, put on three coats of paint, replaced all the hardware with brand new handles, and installed contact paper into the bottom of the drawers. It took the whole two days, but I threw myself into it and worked my little butt off to get it done by weekend's end.

And I think it turned out pretty great! I'm really proud of how I took this piece of furniture from a run down piece of junk that nobody wanted anymore to something clean and efficient that fits perfectly in my room. Ever since the car accident I've been feeling a lack of purpose and accomplishment in my life, so this little DIY project was really great for my mental state. I'm feeling refreshed and accomplished and proud of myself for what I did. And my reward? I now have a place for all my clothes. Happy restoration!