DIY Or DI-WHY?: Repurposed Containers
Seeing as how I’ve been massively enjoying your comments to my query posts lately (Under Shelf Jar Storage: Neat-o Or Veto? and Over The Door Shelving: DIY Or DI-WHY?), I’ve decided to keep the game going with another round. Today’s take it or leave it: repurposed containers.
Let’s get down to the nitty gritty. What we have here are people taking otherwise disposable containers such as paint cans, six-pack caddies, oatmeal cartons and even cereal boxes and immortalizing them into permanent household fixtures a la legitimate storage canisters.
Those are some serious DIY lengths crafters are taking in order to transform their takeout cartons from crabby to fabby. So the question today is the ever so popular: what’s it all worth? Specifically, do you believe this to be a fruitful endeavor/ use of one’s precious life time? A case of “well I already had it, needed a container, and decided to put mine to new and environmentally friendly use.”
Or would you never even consider ensconcing your Starbucks caddy in layers of fabric, paint, and glue in order to rectify it as a home for your pens? A “You must be sh—tting me- there’s a dollar store down the street I’d happily spend my currency at before I went decorating a bud light case.”
Do weigh in! Your vote could make the difference! In what we don’t know but something big!
Image credits: Lowes, Martha Stewart, Team DIY, Family Fun, Cat on a Limb, Ashley Ann Photography x2, Summersville, Darling Adventures Blog, Curbly15 Comments
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15 Comments
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on October 2, 2012 at 6:26 am
I think the ideas are clever, but anything that requires more than one step to repurpose makes me lose interest quickly. I can be quite lazy, you see :-).
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on October 4, 2012 at 11:42 am
Haha, well these crafters certainly aren’t that, that’s for sure.
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on October 2, 2012 at 7:29 am
I think they look very cheap/chintzy.
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ahhaha love the honesty.
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on October 2, 2012 at 8:20 am
These can definitely be tastefully done but it would take time. Worth a try to a DIY junkie like me 🙂
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It would take time, indeed. I hereby challenge you.
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on October 2, 2012 at 10:26 am
I’m so torn on these! They look cute and I love the idea of being environmentally friendly by re-purposing but they seem like they would take an awful lot of time…
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on October 2, 2012 at 12:10 pm
I’m proud of myself when I repurpose something, but most of these projects look like they really aren’t worth doing. Except – I think using a paint can to tote my garden tools is something I will do. But no fancy-shmancy cover on it.
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on October 2, 2012 at 12:25 pm
I like the idea of repurposing things, however, some of them might not last a long time for the amount of work that is needed to make them. For example, the cereal box paper tray is cute, but wouldn’t stand up in my family very long.
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on October 3, 2012 at 6:02 am
I’ve never done it because I don’t really have the time but I think it you do have time, enjoy doing it and actually have a purpose for the container, why not do it. Covering stuff just for heck of it and saving containers is a bit much though. If you do it well you could end up with something unique and perfect for whatever you need to store.
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Not keen on the ribbon holder.
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on October 3, 2012 at 8:00 am
I’m okay with the repurposed cans, in fact I’ve made a few in the past for makeup brushes, pens and the like; but the 6 packs and the Frappuccino 4 pack?! Really! You’d have to be a DIY genius to make that look normal!
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hah my thoughts exactly. The potential these DIY-ers see is really quite impressive.
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on October 4, 2012 at 7:42 am
I think repurposing cans is a great and easy way to create storage but only if you need the storage. You can easily change them up if you change the decor of your desk/office space. I’m impressed by converting the carton 6-pack but don’T think it would be something that can easily be done by your average crafter.
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on January 27, 2013 at 7:48 pm
I have a cereal box-turned decoupaged magazine holder on my desk that I love. It takes an hour max (including drying time) to make. I have no problem changing it out every few months to update the color scheme on my desk, assuming I consume a box of cereal fast enough…
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I think the ideas are clever, but anything that requires more than one step to repurpose makes me lose interest quickly. I can be quite lazy, you see :-).
Haha, well these crafters certainly aren’t that, that’s for sure.
I think they look very cheap/chintzy.
ahhaha love the honesty.
These can definitely be tastefully done but it would take time. Worth a try to a DIY junkie like me 🙂
It would take time, indeed. I hereby challenge you.
I’m so torn on these! They look cute and I love the idea of being environmentally friendly by re-purposing but they seem like they would take an awful lot of time…
I’m proud of myself when I repurpose something, but most of these projects look like they really aren’t worth doing. Except – I think using a paint can to tote my garden tools is something I will do. But no fancy-shmancy cover on it.
I like the idea of repurposing things, however, some of them might not last a long time for the amount of work that is needed to make them. For example, the cereal box paper tray is cute, but wouldn’t stand up in my family very long.
I’ve never done it because I don’t really have the time but I think it you do have time, enjoy doing it and actually have a purpose for the container, why not do it. Covering stuff just for heck of it and saving containers is a bit much though. If you do it well you could end up with something unique and perfect for whatever you need to store.
Not keen on the ribbon holder.
I’m okay with the repurposed cans, in fact I’ve made a few in the past for makeup brushes, pens and the like; but the 6 packs and the Frappuccino 4 pack?! Really! You’d have to be a DIY genius to make that look normal!
hah my thoughts exactly. The potential these DIY-ers see is really quite impressive.
I think repurposing cans is a great and easy way to create storage but only if you need the storage. You can easily change them up if you change the decor of your desk/office space. I’m impressed by converting the carton 6-pack but don’T think it would be something that can easily be done by your average crafter.
I have a cereal box-turned decoupaged magazine holder on my desk that I love. It takes an hour max (including drying time) to make. I have no problem changing it out every few months to update the color scheme on my desk, assuming I consume a box of cereal fast enough…