Refurbish

What do you think of when you hear the word refurbish? 

When I think of the word refurbish, I immediately think of furniture – but it can be so much more.

Whenever I need a new phone (usually because I can’t keep jump-starting the old one with a power bank anymore or my storage is full), I prefer to trade it in. There are so many valuable components inside a phone that can be reused, so why let it sit in a drawer forever? At the same time, I like to get a refurbished phone instead of a brand-new one. Let’s be honest – tech isn’t great for the environment, but I am also not going to give it up completely. By swapping my phone in, fewer raw materials need to be extracted, and by choosing a refurbished one, only a few components – like the battery and casing – are new. But I still get that new phone feeling, so it’s a win-win!

Speaking of refurbishing, this photo is of my upholstered IKEA chair. The grey color didn’t match the rest of my space after moving house, but I loved the shape and style, so I decided to refurbish it myself. I have to say, I am really happy with the result, and I think the textured finish adds a nice touch.

Would you buy a refurbished product?