"But how do I start freestyling?"
If you don't know anything about furniture repair, disassembling picture frames, or dyeing textiles there are tons of resources on the internet. Start searching! The 'university of YouTube' is your best friend. I watch videos multiple times to make sure I don't miss important details, and also look for more than one tutorial, there is plenty of conflicting information out there. For anything that seems valuable or involves home repairs, consult a licensed professional. But when it comes to painting that ikea side table, or restyling fabrics into something new, you've got nothing to lose.
Mental Tools
1. An open mind2. An eye for the absurd
3. A willingness to carry objects back home even if you are not sure what purpose they will serve
4. Patience
5. A willingness to clean things
6. A willingness to learn about painting/refinishing/dis-assembly
Physical tools
1. Soap and water - once you get it home you'll want to clean that treasure2. Screwdrivers, including Allen wrenches and hex keys (especially relevant for Ikea furniture)
3. Bucket(s), for soaking things
4. Rags for wiping and cleaning
5. Vacuum (handheld is fine, or a larger with nozzle attachments for cleaning corners)
6. A sturdy canvas bag, for carrying your smaller finds
7. Tape, for fixing parts that no one will see
8. Glue, and maybe some clamps for larger repairs
9. Safety goggles (If you are doing anything involving drilling, breaking, or snapping this should be listed as #1), and other safety equipment like work gloves and a dust mask.
10. A camera if you want to document the before, the during, and the after.
11. A washing machine for any textiles or pillows, yes, you can machine-wash most pillows (they might require fluffing afterwards or drying on low heat). In my experience if something isn't up to being washed and dried in the machine, well, it probably isn't robust enough to withstand daily wear and tear that I expect.
12. Pliers are handy in case zipper pulls have broken off, needle-nosed pliers are good to have for pulling staples.
13. For rusty screws that won't budge, try some WD40, look for the cans that come with a precision spray nozzle
14. Goo gone, this is a petroleum solvent that is handy for getting rid of sticker residue from book covers or ceramics. I try to remove stickers before putting glass and ceramics into the dishwasher.
15. Dishwasher, after wiping off any visible dirt particles I like to run glass and ceramics through the dishwasher on the 'sanitize' cycle. If you don't have a dishwasher start with a long soak in hot soapy water followed by vigorous scrubbing.