UPcycle | Old crates become new shelves

As spring begins to make its way back around, getting organized and cleaning up are on the horizon. For an inexpensive – and possibly free – organization project, reuse old wooden or plastic crates for a unique shelving installation.

See photos from Twinkle's project : UPcycle | Old crates become new shelves

This project was perfect for my own home. I’ve been reclaiming the landscape of the 2nd floor landing and transforming it into an office/craft space.

Shelving has definitely been a problem. The space is about five feet wide and about eight feet long and the ceiling slants down on the outside wall.

I needed an organization solution that would be kind to my wallet and not get in the way of traffic to and from the upstairs bedrooms. I also wanted it to look amazingly cool.

I used two vintage peach crates, a plastic milk crate, two metal milk crates and two shallow plastic crates used for delivering cola. I already had these crates on hand thanks to years of working in professional cooking.

I got by with spending less than $30 on my other project supplies, and came out with seven storage bins for all my fabric, sewing and crafting odds and ends.

 

 

 

 

Here's the How-To:

Project Time: 30 minutes to paint – 2-3 hours to dry – 45 minutes-1 hour to hang

Required Tools/Items: Spray paint, semi-gloss indoor wall paint, toggle bolts - 2 per crate, and cardboard for outdoor painting.

Project Cost: $20 paint, $5 bolts, price varies for crates (I already had mine)

_________

Step One:
Wipe down all surfaces on your crates before you begin painting, then lay the crates on cardboard outside your home.. Make sure you leave enough space to keep the crates from getting paint on the grass or on each other.

Next, spray paint or brush on desired colors.

The wooden crates soaked up the spray paint, so I opted for hand-painting with interior wall paint. The plastic crates, however, took one coat of spray paint and they were done.

*Pro-tip – Wear latex or vinyl gloves while painting to keep your fingers and hands clean.

Step Two:
While your crates are drying, measure off and level out where you are going to hang them. It’s good to have a plan before you go a-hammerin’ all over your walls. In my case, I have a low ceiling and limited space, so I needed to measure exactly where the crates would hang so people could walk by and not hit their knees or elbows.

Step Three:
Bolt the crates to the walls. Make sure you’ve hit a stud if you plan on putting anything of significant weight in your new shelving.

Step Four:
Commence with organizing!

________

This project hits on the easier end of the difficulty scale. It’s a great afternoon project that anyone can do.

The crates and color are completely up to you. I chose aqua, pink and green, with black as an accent.

After spray painting, drying and placing the crates on the wall, I give the project an 8.5 out of 10 on success. My little nook may be an awkward space to say the least, but it’s on the way to becoming extra-cozy and creative.
 

 

Find Twinkle on Foodspotting, Tumblr and Twitter and at twinklevanwinkle.com.

Twinkle VanWinkle ponders, creates and discovers cool stuff about music, movies, food, fashion and so forth. Her thoughtful writings and interactives give great advice about healthy food, cooking tips, DIY projects, fashion and more. She’ll teach you a thing or two about music as well. Along with producing dynamic entertainment content for LIN Media, she is a mother, musician and social media fanatic.