It's that time again ... If you live in th City of Frederick, you'll be setting out bulk trash for pickup over the next week or two. (Click here for info and guidelines.)

Before you dump all your unwanted furniture on the sidewalk, consider donating usable items to a local non-profit. Many organizations are in need of office furniture and other necessities.

Just this weekend, we sent two truckloads of office furniture to the MET, who have recently expanded. It was a fantastic opportunity for us to get rid of some clutter, and it was a great way for them to fill their new space.

As far as I can see, it's a win-win-win situation. My house is clean, a local non-profit has more money to spend on the stuff they really need, and there's less crap in a landfill.

Here's more eye-candy from our Oregon trip. These vignettes are from Rejuvenation, a Portland shop that sells "classic light fixtures and restoration hardware," as well as furniture and housewares.

(As an aside, I should mention that I'm seeing this color combination popping up everywhere. If you like to follow trends, keep an eye out for coral and turquoise with natural wood tones.)

If you can handle even more inspiration from Rejuvenation, there are more photos here.

	Photo by Jessica Hibbard Just a little bit of paint completely reinvented this vintage dresser.

When it comes to low cost and high impact, it's hard to beat a simple can of paint. The right color in the right place can make something old feel totally new again.

Case in point: The dresser in my home office. I purchased it a couple years ago from the Antique Cellar (R.I.P.) and the drawer fronts were painted an uninspiring toffee color. I picked up a quart of paint -- a light shade of turquoise -- months ago, and kept putting off the project for reasons still unknown. My husband finally took matters into his own hands and painted the drawers for me. We really liked the darker color and worn look on the rest of the dresser, so we left it unaltered. What a difference! This simple, inexpensive project perked up the entire room.

So if recent tales of impending recessions and economic woe are getting you down, pick up a perky paint color and get to work on what you already have around the house. You'll save money and cheer yourself up at the same time!

	Photo by target.com

I was in Target this morning (yes, I'm one of the lucky ones with Martin Luther King, Jr. Day off), and could barely resist most of the merchandise in the seasonal section.

In what's become an annual tradition at Target, the back corner of the store is filled with products inspired by far-away places. They call it Global Bazaar. I call it awesome! In the past, it's been organized by geographic region, but it seems this year's collection is organized by color. Either way, it's fun to shop these limited-time housewares.

There's one more week to browse Global Bazaar. If you need more temptation, print out this coupon, for $5 off a $50+ purchase, or $10 off a $75+ purchase.

P.S. -- Though the end of Global Bazaar is sort of sad, it does make space for seeds & other gardening merchandise ... Which means Spring is not that far away!

	Photo by 2modern.com The Bruklyn Low Dresser from 2modern. Nice, but at $5800, it's way out of my price range.

The holidays are (almost) upon us, and everyone’s gearing up for a whirlwind season of entertaining. It looks like Domino magazine and Design*Sponge are getting in the spirit by offering their own roundups of credenzas and sideboards.

I love the inspirational eye candy, but luckily, finding the right piece for your dining area really doesn’t have to be complicated (or cost-prohibitive). There are so many great tables, dressers, and buffets out there.

In my own home, I’m using an old dresser that’s been in my mom’s family for years. I really love the piece, and it ended up in the dining room because it didn’t fit anywhere else in our house. It turns out to be the ideal place to store napkins, placemats, and serving dishes that we don’t use that often. Of course, I love credenzas, too. We found a "modern low buffet" at Antique Cellar last year, and we use it for a TV/media stand in our living room.

The point of all this? Furniture pieces are indeed designed for specific purposes, but that doesn’t mean you can’t break the rules a little bit. That secretary desk in your garage might make the perfect hutch, and your china cabinet might be a good home for office supplies and stationery. Before you break the bank on a new piece of furniture, it doesn't hurt to poke around in the attic or at a local used furniture store.

	IF YOU GO NoMa Lounge 7 p.m., Friday, November 23 15 N. Market St., Frederick $5, 18 and older For more information, call 301-662-4190 or email info@frederickartscouncil.org.

ArtNext, a Frederick Arts Council initiative, is hosting NoMa Lounge, on Frosty Friday at the Cultural Arts Center. Rock bands will play in the CAC theater, and the Market Street studio space will be converted into a lounge, complete with a DJ and a wine and coffee bar by Cafe Nola.

ArtNext is in need of seating for the lounge portion of the event. If you have a comfy chair or sofa that you can donate for the evening, that would be swell. Keep in mind that this is a public event, so there’s no guarantee that your furniture will come back in perfect condition. It’s probably best to lend donation-quality pieces. As long as it isn’t filthy, fragile, or flea-infested, we’ll take it!

Full disclosure: My band is actually playing in the rock show, but amazingly enough, self-promotion is not the sole intention of this announcement.

	Photo by Jessica Hibbard The retail space at 38 E. Patrick St. is empty.

Anybody know what happened to the Antique Cellar? I just noticed yesterday that the windows are papered and the space is for lease. I bought several pieces of furniture for my own home from this store ... It was one of my favorite spots to browse and shop downtown.

Here's hoping they moved to a new location elsewhere in Frederick. If you have information regarding the status of this great source for used furniture, please drop me a line.