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HOw DOES IT WORK?
We're back baby! For the second year in a row, Habitat for Humanity Peterborough & Kawartha Region is hosting “The Big Flip” — a furniture flipping contest in honour of EARTH DAY! This Kawartha-wide event aims to promote sustainability by reimagining and reviving used furniture. We're talking about giving old furniture a fresh new lease on life to keep it out of the landfills. Here's how it works:
Step 1
FIND a pre-loved piece of furniture
A great place to start is a Habitat ReStore!
Step 2
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SNAP a pic to capture the "before" glory
(YOU need to be in the photo too)
Step 3
GET CREATIVE and revamp your piece of furniture. Document the process with one photo (YOU need to be in the photo too)
Step 4
STRIKE A POSE with your finished masterpiece and enter this contest before April 30th, 2025!
(YOU need to be in the photo too)
You need
One BEFORE pic
with YOU in it
One picture of you working on your piece!
One AFTER pic
with YOU in it
HOW TO WIN
There are TWO categories that will each have a winner:
"Big and Bold" Transformation is for larger furniture items: dressers, bedframes, desks, couches, coffee tables. The winner of this category will be chosen by votes! Come back to this site from May 1-8, 2025 and cast your vote! Tell your friends too!
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"Small but Mighty" Transformation category is for smaller projects: birdhouse, stools, things that hang on the wall, lights/lamps, chairs. The winner of this category will be chosen through voting by the staff at Chemong Home Hardware Building Centre.
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PRIZEs
The winner of the "Big and Bold" transformation will receive:
$500 gift card
to Chemong Home Hardware Building Centre -- the regions first choice for builders and DIY customers
$100 Gift Card to the ReStores
(Peterborough, Lakefield, or Lindsay)​
A Year-Long Membership to
Peterborough Tool Library​
Access to over 600 tools you can borrow for up to two weeks at a time!
The winner of the "Small but Mighty" transformation will receive:
$250 gift card
to Chemong Home Hardware Building Centre -- the regions first choice for builders and DIY customers
$50 Gift Card to the ReStores
(Peterborough, Lakefield, or Lindsay)​
A Year-Long Membership to
Peterborough Tool Library​
Access to over 600 tools you can borrow for up to two weeks at a time!
Rules
Eligibility: The contest is open to legal residents of Peterborough City, Peterborough County, the City of Kawartha Lakes, and the Haliburton Highlands area. Employees, agents, affiliates, and immediate family members of Habitat for Humanity Peterborough & Kawartha Region and Chemong Home Hardware are not eligible to participate.
Photos: You (the person entering the contest) must be IN ALL THREE photos you submit.
Cost: There is no cost to enter.
Prizes: Prizes will be delivered to the address provided by the winners within three days following the winner announcement.
Intellectual Property: By submitting an entry, participants grant Habitat for Humanity and any additional sponsors the right to use, display, and promote their submitted content for marketing and promotional purposes.
Publicity Rights: By participating, contestants agree to allow their name, likeness, and project details to be used for promotional purposes related to the contest, without any compensation.
Ownership of Submissions: Participants retain ownership of their submitted work but grant the contest organizers the right to use and display the submissions for promotional purposes.
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For a complete list of rules, click here.
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FAQS
What does 'flipping furniture' mean?
Flipping furniture is the art of transforming a preloved piece of furniture in a way that makes it usable for longer. It could involve refinishing, painting, reupholstering – whatever it takes to give it new life instead of heading to a landfill.
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How does flipping furniture help the environment?
Well, here's the deal: Furniture makes up a decent chunk of the junk piling up in Canadian landfills. Because furniture can be made from numerous materials, such as glass, wood, and plastics, it has a varied impact on the environment. Biodegradable parts of furniture (think textiles, wood) will degrade, but release methane gas into the atmosphere and the non-biodegradable stuff just sits there, leaching harmful chemicals. Plus, a whopping one million tonnes of furniture trash gets dumped in Canadian landfills every single year. Flipping furniture keeps it out of the landfills and contributes to a circular economy (where products and resources are managed in a way that promotes sustainability, minimizes waste, and reduces our environmental impact).
Does the piece of furniture have to be from a Habitat for Humanity ReStore?
Habitat ReStores are a great place to find used furniture but it doesn't have to be from there. It just must be a used piece of furniture. Nothing new!
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Do I need to be in the photos that I take for my entry?
Yes. It’s how we know that you were the one to do the work. YOU need to be IN all three photos.
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Do I need to paint the piece?
No!​ Absolutely not! Flipping doesn't just mean painting. You can also restore a piece of furniture to its former glory through simple tasks like cleaning and minor cosmetic repairs such as sanding scratches, repolishing wood, and removing stains from fabric.
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***Just a heads-up: When dealing with antiques, original finishes, patina, and craftsmanship are valued. Sometimes, it's alright to paint them, especially if it helps protect the piece. But if you're unsure, take some time to look into it and make sure you're respecting the history and craft behind it before diving in.
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How do I vote for my favourite flipped piece of furniture for the ‘People’s Choice’ category?
Come back to this website on May 1, 2025. Voting will take place here from May 1, 2025 until May 8, 2025. So tell your friends!
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And what's the deal with ReStores and Habitat for Humanity?
Habitat for Humanity Peterborough and Kawartha Region operates three home improvement retail stores – the ReStore – selling donated new and used appliances, furniture, kitchens, building materials and home supplies. And here's the cool part: Every purchase you make there helps fund Habitat's mission of building affordable homes and promoting homeownership for folks right here in the Kawartha Region! We're all about giving people a hand-up, not just a handout. Check out www.habitatpkr.ca for more information.
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Where are your ReStores?
We have three locations in the Kawartha Region:
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PETERBOROUGH NORTH (open from Mondays to Saturdays 10am - 5pm)
​300 Milroy Drive, Peterborough ON K9H 7M9 ​
LAKEFIELD (now open from Wednesday to Sunday 10am - 5pm)
3001 Lakefield Road, Selwyn ON K9J 6X5
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LINDSAY (open from Mondays to Saturdays 0am - 5pm)
55 Angeline Street North, Lindsay ON K9V 5B7
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Any more questions?
Send us an email at natalie@habitatpkr.ca.
RESOURCES
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If you are new to furniture flipping, here are a few great resources to get you started:
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BeautiTone PAINT
A fresh coat of paint on a used piece of furniture can go a long way to give it more life! Discover BeautiTone Paint, Canada's premier retail paint brand, proudly Canadian-owned and made and found exclusively at Home Hardware stores.
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PTBO TOOL LIBRARY
Sometimes, a little paint and some elbow grease are all it takes to breathe new life into furniture. But if you need tools for your project, consider hitting up the PTBO Tool Library.
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It's like a regular library, but with tools instead of books! Pay a small yearly fee, and you get access to over 600 tools. Borrow up to 10 tools for two weeks each time – it's a total game-changer.
And hey, think about it – borrowing tools means less waste in landfills and fewer resources used up in making new ones. It's a win-win!
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CHEMONG HOME HARDWARE BUILDING CENTRE​
Whether you're a seasoned DIY enthusiast or just starting out, Chemong Home Hardware Building Centre has the products and expert advice you need to bring your furniture flips and creative projects to life. Our selection offers everything from high-quality hand tools and powerful power tools to make your work easier and more efficient. For those intricate details, stock up on sandpaper, thinners, strippers, and other essential supplies to ensure a smooth and successful transformation.
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Don't forget to explore our wide range of paints and stains, perfect for adding that finishing touch to your projects. With various colors and finishes available, you can customize your creations to match your style. Your BIG FLIP DIY creation awaits—visit us today and let our team of experts guide you every step of the way!