Given the nature of my business I move a LOT of furniture by myself. It’s amazing what you can do if you have the right tools.
*this post contains affiliate links*
I picked up these four smallfurniture dollies at Home Depot. They were a special deal, my store no longer has these. I put a scrap piece of wood on each of these small workhorses in order to move this huge table by myself. I would NEVER be able to budge this big ole table without these little guys.
This is another example of when I’ve used one of these. I can lay a large piece like this farm cupboard onto the dolly then move it anywhere, and set it back up.
Sometimes something will be very heavy, but low to the ground, so I thought it would be a great idea to configure a handle to help me wheel things around.
I had some pvc pieces, and bought a few extra pieces in order to make a handle.
I drilled some holes in the end of one of my dollies—I tried everything to get the pvc pieces to work. But it was a major.project.fail.
But!! Then I saw this wonderful swivel handle. I don’t remember if I saw it online, or in an ad, or if I actually saw it in the store when I went to buy a cart. With my upcoming show, I was concerned about moving all my heavy boxes of signs. So, I was looking for a better way. I found it!
This handle was less than $10, (Amazon is higher, but shipping is included) and worth every penny! It installed on my dolly in no time. After ALL of that time and energy I wasted on the pvc configuration, I happily spent money on this puppy!
It allows it to act sort of like a wagon. (look at the holes in my dolly!) The handle is adjustable, but not very easily. It doesn’t have those little tabs that push in, but screws and nuts that have to be done and undone.
The handle folds under the furniture dolly and clips in place for easy storage. I can tell you that since I got it, I have used it a LOT. I will be purchasing another one for another dolly I have. All together I have 4 of the small dollies, and three of these larger ones.
You can see the dollies and the swivel handle at Harbor Freight, and Amazon
While at Harbor Freight, I picked up this handled cart. I wasn’t sure the swivel handle was going to do what I wanted it to do. I haven’t used this cart around the shop much, but I figure it will be handy for craft shows.
They had different sizes, but I chose the smaller one, so that it’s easier for this old gal to handle, store, and pack around in my SUV.
My signs are all boxed up into the boxes that I got at the Salvation Army during the Spring Fling. These boxes will be easy to move with my new dolly and cart!
I also bought a couple of fold up tables. I have one 6ft buffet table, but I’m concerned everything won’t fit in my car. I will have two booth spaces in the fall at Glendale, so these tables will really come in handy for that.
I opened the tables to make sure they work right, and decided to do a sort of dress rehearsal. I will be setting up at my show from 1-2:30 am, so I want to get a good idea of what I’ll be doing.
Some of my signs don’t have hardware or stakes on them. In order to display them, I came up with this idea of tying some jute around the chicken wire that allows the sign to slip in and out easily.
The signs on the very top are examples, and not for sale. Therefore I won’t have to be removing them. My thought behind the screen door is this—I hope that people a couple of aisles away will be able to see this display and want to come check it out. I only hung a couple of signs on the tri-fold display for the dress rehearsal. It was HOT, and I was sweating profusely.
You can see on the (inset) photos how I am using the ornament hooks to hang the signs.
Here you can see that one table is longer, and the other is a 4 ft table.
I still have to gather all the stuff I’ll need, like zip ties, bungee cords, table cloths, etc. The show starts at noon on Friday! I hope I’ll be ready. 
whoa-I better get busy! If you’re local, or visiting Louisville KY this weekend, stop by the West Wing at the Kentucky Fairgrounds and say hi! Hopefully I’ll be easy to spot with this tall screen door!
gail
Disclosure: This is NOT a sponsored post. You know that when I love something, I like to share it with you. IF you do furniture makeovers on a regular basis, do yourself a favor and pick up some furniture dollies. It will save your aching back.
Gail Wilson is the author and mastermind behind My Repurposed Life. She is obsessed with finding potential in unexpected places and believes that with a little hard work and imagination, any old thing can be made useful again, including herself!
Gail reinvented herself during a midlife crisis and has found purpose again. She hopes you will find new ideas for old things and pick up a few tools along the way.
Deb
I am wondering about a tent for craft shows?
Have you purchazed any, where, recommendations?
gail@myrepurposedlife.com
I have 2, one is made by King, and it's very sturdy, but also very, very heavy. I recommend the brand EZup. I can haul it and put it up by myself. Please know that any of these tents are not water proof, but water resistant. I have waterproofed my tents, you can see that here: https://www.myrepurposedlife.com/2015/05/hydro-lok-waterproofing-tents.html
One last thing, craft show tents should be white. A blue tent will not let enough light through, and it will give a funny color to your items for sale.
gail
Tara H
Ohhh you are going to be in Glendale? Yahoo! We moved to Knox this summer.
You make the coolest stuff!
Di B
Harbor Freight is my go to now for so many things. I have this handled cart and it works for so many things. In summer I can pull or push all my pots to their locations and my soil and plants. I have loaded it full of gear and my heavy sewing machine from my trunk to indoors where my quilting retreat is held. Always snow on the ground and this saves many trips. I also use it to move heavier things around in my garage. It is sturdy and the handle folds flat to store in small places. My sister borrowed it to move with. Hold many boxes and moves well.
Hollie @ I'm Busy Procrastinating
I wish I had a flat place to wheel my furniture projects in and out of. My workshop is in my basement, and the two ways to get there are down the inside staircase or the long way around the outside of our house to the walkout door, through the uneven and hilly yard. 🙁
Carlotta
Thanks Gail, you have the most creative idea's. I also use dollies to move my furniture around but I gotta get me a handle like your's 🙂 Have a great weekend and best of luck at the Flea Market!
Mindi
I could use some dollies! Good luck in the craft show!
Laurel Stephens
Thanks so much for the info about the dollies. I gave up my plans for painting furniture to sell because I couldn't move the heavier pieces around myself, and maybe I'll give it another try now. I think you're really smart to do a dry run on your displays before the show. It looks like it's all going to work great!
nova c.
Hope you have excellent sales at the Flea Market! (i am hoping to come by there if i can squeeze it into all the stuff going on!) Good Luck!
chris from midwest cottage and finds
great ideas! i have my Market on Moss sale June 1st and will be using some of your ideas!! thanks for sharing..BTW-- I am now a Harbor Freight junkie thanks to you!
chris
lesley
I LOVE YOU! The swivel handle is exactly what I need. other dollies have handles that get in the way of the furniture but this one will go up and down and stores under making the dolly super small. All of our Fix A Bra stuff fits in a small SUV so we try to keep a really small dolly but I've been wanting one with a handle so I don't have to bend. AWESOME. These kind of post, while they may not be creative DIYs they are so super helpful! Thanks again.
gail@myrepurposedlife.net
SOOo happy that I have solved a problem for you Lesley! That's why I'm here! To share with my friends things that I have to figure out on my own. lol The price is right too! 🙂
yay!
gail
Paige @ Little Nostalgia
We moved our furniture back into the basement yesterday (yay!) and we used a blanket to slide things across the laminate, haha. We're high-tech!
Good luck at your show! 🙂
Sharon @ Elizabeth & Co.
Oh, I need some of those dollies! Looks like you are all set! I hope you have a wildly successful sale!
Terri
Wow...cool stuff! Those dollies are very handy and love that you found the perfect handle!
Good luck at the sale...I'm sure you will sell out!