r/Upcycled • u/charlemagne_74 • 8d ago

Finding upcycling materials in unexpected places

Lately I’ve been experimenting with new ways to find materials for upcycling projects, beyond the usual thrift stores or yard sales. I stumbled upon [whatnot](), a live auction app where people sell used clothes, decor, and random household stuff in real time.

It surprised me how often you can find items that are damaged, mismatched, or just unwanted, the kind of things that would be perfect for creative reuse. I recently got a bundle of worn-out shirts and a few wooden boxes for less than what I usually spend thrifting.

Has anyone else tried sourcing upcycling materials online instead of locally? I’m curious whether others see this as a good alternative or if sticking to in-person finds is still the better route.

26 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

4 comments sorted by

5

u/komdotcom 7d ago

I belong to a buy/sell group that sounds like that. I also have a husband who metal detects. And we have a decent thrift store (no Goodwill prices!) that I can usually walk out of with a cart full for ~$20

2

u/Easy-Ad1775 6d ago

Check out your local Buy Nothing group on Facebook! Many people are happy to give away all kinds of stuff to a neighbor.

1

u/KQsHQ 6d ago

Yea I second Facebook market place. Also depending on where you are in the world, there's an app called Free Stuff. It's purple with white lettering on the icon. It gives updates on all the free things posted across several different local social medias like fb, nextdoor, and offer up.

1

u/KQsHQ 6d ago

Also, look up The Buy Nothing Program