Could the holidays be the ideal time to have a good declutter?
Summer days (hopefully blessed with good weather!) are the ideal time to get into cupboards, attics, sheds and garages and have a good sort out, but does this mean everything has to be thrown away?
A neighbour was recently having a declutter and amongst their items they had some old wooden crates. The contents of the crates had become musty and mouldy as the crates did not have lids, but the crates themselves were in quite good order. I asked them what they were going to do with the crates as they really didn't offer much protection for storing personal items. My neighbour's reply? "Oh I think I will make something out of them".
This got me thinking. What could the crates be used for? I had seen some used as decoration in a supermarket, but there must be other ways they could be used. My curiosity led me to do some research on the Internet.....
Upcycling
My research on the internet led me to the wonderful world of upcycling. Upcycling is the process of converting waste materials or useless products into new materials or products of better quality or for better environmental value. I had heard of the word before, but I was amazed to find out just how much could be done - and how fantastic people's upcycling projects were!
Upcycling Ideas
I wanted to include a few of my favourite Upcycled Crates ideas I found on Pinterest. It was great to see ideas for inside the home, for outside the home/in summer houses or conservatories and for children (perhaps a great "keep the kids busy over the summer" project?)
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| Image from Pinterest |
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| Image from Pinterest |
A feature wall concept for displaying shoes. Great for all the family or for someone with a lot of shoes. Having them all on display can also help us work out which shoes we actually do wear, and can make decluttering easier (plus clears space for any additional shoe purchases in the future!).
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| Image from Pinterest |
An eye-catching crate bookcase that would look great in a child's bedroom or playroom. A friend of mine has something similar to this in her son's bedroom. It was his project to paint the crates and he lined the inside of each crate with superhero wrapping paper. He uses his personalized crates to display his toy models and they look incredible!
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| Image from Pinterest |
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| Image from Pinterest |
This lidded crate makes a beautiful side table. The photograph shows it being used on a porch/patio, but it could easily be used in a conservatory, summer house or lounge. The wheels on the bottom also make it easily movable. Alternative uses could be as a toy box for children/grandchildren or a place to store pet toys for our pampered pets.
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| Image from Pinterest |
A more grown up feel to the bookcase concept shown previously. Can be used as a bookcase, DVD or CD storage or as a display case for photos and ornaments.
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| Image from Pinterest |
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This crate table concept is stunning. Not only does it create a beautiful table that could be used in the lounge or conservatory (or even outside!) but the crates have been used effectively to allow additional storage space around the sides.
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| Image from Pinterest |
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| Image from Pinterest |
A beautiful Ottoman design - the material lid can be lifted to create handy storage space while the padding on the lid also enables it to be used as additional seating space.
All the images you see were found on Pinterest. The Crate Inspiration board on Easycrate's Pinterest is filling up with wonderful ideas for upcycling crates - take a look!
Have you had Crate Inspiration? If so we would love to hear from you! Tweet us @easycratehire and send us a photo of your upcycled crates!
Upcycling these old crates gives them a new lease of life when their life as storage crates comes to an end. For more practical, longer lasting and secure storage crate solutions, why not visit our website www.easycrate.co.uk or contact a member of the Easycrate team today on 0800 027 2665 or by using our online form.
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