Thrift find reused for storage

[goodaim]

With a studio of ever-growing art/craft supplies, I'm always looking for  storage items to corral everything in!

At our Salvation Army yesterday, I spotted a small rolling cart - I assumed it had been used in a medical setting. It's made of heavy plastc, with metal legs on wheels so it can be rolled around.

It has five drawers that slid open and shut just fine - the top one is all one section, while the others are divided into four sections.

I took one look at those drawers and declared "Rubber stamp storage"! And the price was right: $7.99 - at least, that seemed reasonable to me for something that was in good shape, clean, and offered a good amount of storage in a small space (about 3' high, 14" long, with drawers all about the size of a 13x9 cake pan)

I was curious about its prior usage, so I googled the company name (labeled on the front), Kayline, and learned that my rolling storage cart would have been used in a hair/nail salon.

I'll admit that a rolling cart for rubber stamp storage may not be everyone's idea of a useful item - so, what have you found at the thrift shop that you've put into use for storage around your place?

goodaim

[Mattie]

Great find!  I recently bought a six-drawer plywood cabinet at Thrift Town that will be used for art-supply storage.  I've also found closet organizers that work in my studio.  You can never have too many shelves and drawers in an art studio. 

[Other People s Junk]

Good for you!

I recently bought a cabinet that was still in the box, never assembled.  I think it is Closet Maid or something like that.  Anyhow, it is the perfect size for bathroom storage.  (5' tall x 3' wide and 1' deep)  I had to pay $30 for it, but I needed it badly, and it would have been 2x that in a retail store. 

Just this last week I picked up an old green metal tool box for my craft room.  It looks neat and will hold craft tools perfectly. 

Other storage items for my craft area that I have thrifted:  Large glass candy? cantainers (the kind that look like goldfish bowls on their sides) with metal lids and red knobs... I have 3 of those, perfect for buttons/yarn/small craft supplies.  A couple of different old enamelware 9x13ish pans for misc papers/magazines.  (One green splatterware, the other is white with red trim.)  I also thrifted two old metal coolers- One is a Coleman and the other is a Therm-a-Chest, but they hold quite a bit of stuff each.  And since one is green and the other red, they go with all the other red and green storage things.

[goodaim]

Glad that other people use thrift store stuff for storage too! New-in-box but much cheaper than retail is great, and the older stuff like toolboxes and cake pans are super as well. 

I've also seen where artists store buttons and such in vintage muffin tins, which looks cute but I'd be worried about the darn thing tipping over and spilling its contents.

Great finds and storage ideas - now I'll be on the lookout for closet organizers as well. Thanks for sharing!

goodaim

[foutchie]

I repurpose lots of things - a Scotty Dog planter to hold sunglasses; vintage metal carpenter tool box thingies for magazines (or small ones for lotions); Tin buckets for body wash on the back of the tub; hobmail vases for utensils, colored glass refrigerator boxes for jewelry, etc.

[Big Daddy Audio]

The storage item that I am required to thrift (because they don't sell them anymore) are wall-mounted cassette racks.  It's been slim pickings lately, so I'm glad I bough so many when I did.  I also have a bunch of carry cases (not as convenient for stuff I'll listen too frequently) so I have alternate storage in case of emergency. 

I also have a bunch of smaller shoe boxes from a Bostonian/Clarks outlet that I use for storing tapes as well, although that storage is for the blanks and pre-used high quality home tapes that I pick up when I can.

See you next time
bye for now

[Mattie]

I forgot another cool thrifted storage item:  vintage suitcases!  I have a stack of them in the living room, filled with cassette tapes and videos.  I also use them in the studio to store picture frames.  They look good and they're so handy!

[AlienEeeter]

I've got a thing for vintage tins printed with flowers and birds--one in the kitchen for tea bags, one in the living room for pennies, a couple in my workshop...except I forget what I put in them. 

[goodaim]

Great ideas - I love the mention of vintage suitcases and tins - so fun!

goodaim

[valleythriftshopper]

Ditto on the tins & suitcases, I have many of both around the house.  Also great are old canning jars, the ones with the glass lids & metal handles.  I put some in the bathroom, a smaller one for q-tips, and a large blue/green colored glass one full of beach rocks.  They also make great hanging lanterns with tea lights, like on a shepard's hook, for outdoors.

I wanted a vintage enamel tray for shampoo & stuff, found a repro one for .99 cents the other day- good enough!

[thunderthrift]

Hi,

I am always using various types of utilitarian shelving units I find at thrift stores for bookshelves and other purposes.  I use metal and wooden wineracks that I find for storing flashlights in my "vintage" flashlight collection. 

For the metal wineracks, I purchase velvet squares from arts and craft stores, cut into strips and staple them around the metal pieces that intersect.  This adds color and protects the flashlights from damage. 

I also use those very narrow wicker vanity shelf units for a storing a variety of items.  Two of these fit at the ends of wooden cabinets in my galley style kitchen. 

I also have lots of pottery crocks in which I store various items.  I keep various nonfood items such as miscellaneous wires and lightweight electrical components in Tupperware canisters in closets.
Needless to say you can also use old towels, velvet, etc. to protect items that need protection.  If I put hard materials in the pottery crocks, I like to cushion the crocks by using cloth, towels, or velvet to line the interiors in order to protect the pottery.

Thanks,
Bob

{Edited 3 times for grammar}

[alexandra]

I have a real weakness for metal tins -- but they have to be quality.  They can't just be any tin (I dislike faux vintage, and will take a real aged tin over a new one any day).  Vintage appeals to me the most.  My favorite tin is a big orange and yellow one, with an orange kitten on the front who is playing with a ball of yarn.

I store my vintage hankies and doilies in them.

Thriftily,
Alexandra
www.livingwithoutmoney.blogspot.com

[Jay2TheRescue]

I have a real weakness for metal tins -- but they have to be quality.  They can't just be any tin (I dislike faux vintage, and will take a real aged tin over a new one any day).  Vintage appeals to me the most.  My favorite tin is a big orange and yellow one, with an orange kitten on the front who is playing with a ball of yarn.

I store my vintage hankies and doilies in them.

Thriftily,
Alexandra
www.livingwithoutmoney.blogspot.com

You'd be interested in something my mom showed me today.  She was cleaning out the house of an elderly friend of hers that died last month.  She found a tin that looks very 40's in style marked "Gril Scout Peanut Crunch" I guess it was peanut brittle?

-Jay

[Krisathome]

My lastest purchase:  an old metal cupboard which I proceeded to fill up with all of my tablecloths.   I didn't realize I had so many until I got them all in one place.  Not much room for any more but I can always fill up the wire basket on top. 

Plus I found a couple of really nice Longaberger baskets too.

[foutchie]

Wow, you have quite a collection!  I'm still seeking out one for the kitchen table that really screams "me" at me!  LOL
BTW, every time I read your posts, I picture the woman in your little picture talking - if I ever saw you in person, I'd probably have a hard time believing it was you, I've become so ingrained with her photo and your posting.....