Multi tasking storage, and DIY storage.

16 years ago

So I love using plastic bins. But, they can get expensive, if you need a ton like we do. However, I hate carboard boxes for storage on shelves. They get wrecked if something spills, over time they fall apart. And saving boxes 'just incase' ends up with boxes everywhere!

Add to that, a lot of my shelves are NOT square, or rectangular. They're very odd shaped. The front is straight, the one side is straight, and the other side is a large angled wall. Kind of like a right triangle, with a flat top. Thats my hall closet. Main storage on the main floor.

My MBR closet has octagon shaped shelves, that are closed off. The opening is far smaller than the actual storage space, and square things still dont fit! To fix either of these, it would mean knocking out walls, in the MBR closet, a load bearing wall. Not gonna happen.

Have any of you made storage bins/boxes to fit odd shelves, or other difficult spaces? What did you do?

Also, I love storage that doesnt LOOK like it's primary use is storage.

My ottomans look decorational. They aren't. Storage, end table and extra seating all in one. My bookcases look like they're meant for decorating purposes. Nope, the cabinet is full. My dining room table has bench seating, which lifts up.

I just saw slim, decorational shelving for the walls the other day, that had little drawers in them that were functional. I might buy some for the living room.

What kind of 'decorational' storage do you have in your home??

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Comments (3)

teacats
16 years ago
We do have an ottoman and a trunk (used as one of my two coffee tables) for storage in our one-and-only living space in this house!

And --- of course -- there is a couple of sideboards with drawers AND a buffet in the dining room and one in the kitchen too!

And our night tables all have drawers too -- very very handy!

As for boxes -- we just use plastic ones found on sale or at Big Lots stores ....
talley_sue_nyc
16 years ago
I've never made a big box, but I did glue foam board (or foam-core board, whichever you call it) together to make a smallish one.

The toughest part is getting square cuts so that it's easy to glue the sides together so they're straight.

Tacky glue is the best bet for making them stick, bcs it's really hard to clamp. Or, maybe contact cement, but I don't know how it will react on the foam core of the board.

You could probably add reinforcing strips inside each joint (just cut a 1/2" wide piece, and glue it to the bottom of the box, and to the side, pressed firmly in place.

One thing I *don't* like about plastic bins is that the sides angle down (so they'll nest during shipping and while in the store), and I'm so greedy about storage space that I keep wishing I had that space back. Plus square things don't sit well in the bottom. And the rims and handles take up space I begrudge as well.

The thing I don't like about cardboard is not that they break--they're sturdy enough in every instance I've dealt with. (in fact, plastic gets brittle & can shatter). But the corrugations can create homes for bugs. I haven't had much trouble w/ them, even though I live in the Cockroach Capital City of the World. But I'm always aware of it.
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munkos
Original Author
16 years ago
I guess I could have my boyfriend make ones shaped specifically for the shelves. It's just so much easier to be able to pull out a bin, then go rooting around things on the shelf. But without square spaces to put square bins, they'll have to be homemade.