You guys. I was going to toss out some crappy bookcases and an old saddle stool. Before I could finish that project, I had to sit down and browse tiktok for an hour. When the non-specified guilt finally sank in, I looked up at the mess I was avoiding, and saw something wondrous instead.

Do you see this wood?

Look at iiiiiiit. LOOOOOOK.

Do you see what I see?

Clearly, these are MEANT to be a coffee table.

And I, with little experience and big expectations, am going to make it into a beautiful coffee table.

HOW FANTASTICALLY FRUGAL AM I

The grand reveal:

DOESN’T IT LOOK JUST LIKE A COFFEE TABLE? IT TOTALLY DOES RIIGHT? I proudly displayed out front. Taylor came home and told me how amazing it was. This is normally a red flag, for Taylor has zero design sense, but I was reveling too much in the “LOOK HOW MUCH MONEY I SAVED” euphoria.

As the rose colored glasses began to dim, I realized that the coffee table looked a little odd. For one thing, it’s much too tall. Which is ideal for playing cards. Buuuut it’s difficult to play cards because of the square block on top.

“Is there a purpose for that thing on top?” politely asked a friend.

Aside from holding the whole thing together, nope. No purpose at all. The rosy lens were starting to fog up a bit. I had to squint to see the beauty.

My grandmother paid a visit and noticed my funky table. She praised me on my frugal abilities #yassss and asked if I had made my own construction table.

Friends this did not hurt my feelings. The glasses had slipped off my nose entirely. I finally saw what my coffee table for what it was. And you know? It looked like a perfect workshop table / stand / whatchamacallit. This puppy was moved to the garage where it belonged.

All was finally at ease in the universe except for one tiny detail:

I still did not have a coffee table. I realllly wanted a coffee table. I did not want to spend money on a coffee table but I realllly don’t know how to build my own from scraps.

Well, by sheer luck, I went thrifting in search of plastic totes and found this lovely, slightly dented & chipped thing listed at $15:

By sheer willpower alone I WILL have my cake and eat it too.

I ❤ saving money.