Another feel-good way to thrift shop and recycle: visit the Colorado Springs Habitat for Humanity Restore. They sell new and gently-used home improvement items, furniture, building materials and appliances. There's always a varied selection and, best of all, the proceeds are used by Habitat for Humanity building projects.
You can find entire kitchens-worth of cabinetry, sold as a set at a great discount. There are loads of new tile, linoleum, and wood flooring. You can also find light fixtures, plumbing supplies including tubs and sinks, and all kinds of shelving, hardware and pipes. I was surprised to see furniture: desks, chairs, china cabinets, and even bedroom sets on the day I was there.
Bonus: If you like to decorate with architectural salvage, it's a great place to find doors and windows -- even some antiques!
Before you go, bring along measurements and specs for your projects, just as you would before visiting a traditional hardware/home good store. There are always plenty of volunteers on hand to help you find what you need, and carry it.
The Restore is located at 411 S. Wahsatch (at Cimarron) in Colorado Springs. They are open Monday - Saturday, 9 am - 5 pm. For more information, check out their website.
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