The Fammy Bidness

Background: Geary started a summer job with the Public Words department in a nearby town. His first few days were great and it looked like his major responsibility was going to mowing the lawns of all the city parks. But then he got a really bad sunburn and got super sick. We thought it was heat exhaustion but after a trip to the doctor we learned that he had a virus that was enlarging his liver. It was a stressful few days of decision making but in the end we agreed that Geary should quit his summer job so that he could heal properly. He's much better now and his liver is back to normal.

We still wanted to find a way to make a little bit of extra money this summer. So we started The Family Business. We've been hunting garage sales and craigslist for free or cheap ugly furniture and fixing them up to re-sell on craigslist. It has been fun, challenging, exciting, and profitable. The best part is that we get to do it all as a family. We bought a playpen at our local thrift store (for only $2!) for Toby to play in so he could be in the backyard with us. Noah usually plays in his dirt piles or with his trucks near Toby. And Geary and I set up an outdoor workshop where we sand, sand, paint, and sand. There is a lot of sanding involved.


I wish I had thought to take before pictures of our stuff. Some of the transformations are incredible! Here are a few afters. Some are things we've already sold. Some are currently for sale.

This bookcase used to be an old dresser. I found it on the side of the road missing all it's drawers and brought it home thinking we could just stick boards where the drawers would go and voila! Instant bookcase! But Geary took it to the next level. He removed some boards so that it wouldn't be so deep. Then he actually moved the drawer supports to make it a three shelf bookcase (it used to have 5 drawers.) The pictures aren't the greatest but this little bookcase turned out so charming! I am so proud of Geary's hard work. We sold it for $35.

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Here's something else we found on the side of the road for free. I painted it a brownish gray color and added a knob for character. It was an easy project and is currently on craigslist for $15.

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These two nightstands we bought for $5 each. One at a moving sale and one from craigslist. They were both pretty beat up and ugly. But with black paint and new silver knobs--they sold super fast! For $20 each.

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And this is my favorite. Geary told another teacher at Veritas about our little enterprise and she was very intrigued. Last weekend she found this little vanity on the side of the road and dropped it off at our house. It used to be dingy white with plastic knobs. It was cute but junky looking. I painted it black, lightly hand distressed it, and added pretty glass knobs. It should be a shabby chic treasure for someone! The best part is the little swing arms. You're supposed to put fabic on them so you can have a skirted table but still have easy access to your drawers and shelves. I think a black and white toile fabric would look darling. But wouldn't this also be so cute to hang towels on in a bathroom? Or necklaces in a bedroom? I hope it sells soon! But not before I get a chance to show the other teacher--she'll be shocked at how different it looks!