00:00Here's a few unique ways to use an old shelf without building a thing.
00:05Wow, what a score! If you ever come across a bookshelf similar to this,
00:10I'm going to show you a few unique ways on how you can use it.
00:14First up was cleaning the shelf with soapy water to see what was underneath.
00:18It needed painting, but before I do that, here's a couple of outdoor ideas where I
00:22wouldn't have repainted it first. A bunch of garden tools always seem to clutter up my garage,
00:28so I cleaned out the space completely, then placed the shelf on the floor on its back.
00:33I then stacked all the garden tools back into the sections,
00:37leaning them against the wall for added support.
00:41If your shelving is tall enough, you can even install some nails along the sides
00:45to hang on your garden tools. However, since mine is so short, I'm just going to use a weed bucket.
00:51My garden tools are now sorted and easy to access. The shelving sections keep the tools from sliding
00:57into each other while leaving everything within easy access and plain sight. Here's another idea
01:03if you have too many boots. This time I flipped the shelving on its side. After adding a few hooks
01:09to the wall for keys and such, I filled each cubby with boots and shoes. I now have an instant
01:15boot
01:15bench. The cubbies make for easy and accessible storage for extra boots and shoes, teamed up with even
01:22a place to sit to put your shoes on. Such a simple way to store all that extra footwear. Now
01:28let's bring
01:28it inside to use it in other special ways. Here's a great paint tip. If you apply hand salve or
01:35some kind
01:36of lotion to your hands before painting, it's much easier to wash Fusion Mineral paint off. But because
01:42I'm filming today, I'm just going to use gloves so I can do it quickly and efficiently. I repainted the
01:48shelf
01:49in Fusion's casement, then using a small brush to cut in the corners, then a little roller to paint all
01:55the flat areas. Once dry, my mind was reeling with possibilities. However, I immediately thought of a
02:01pantry extension. How often do we have kitchen appliances and other larger items we need to store?
02:07I loaded up the shelves with pretty white kitchen accessories, which helped so much with emptying out
02:13my cupboards, as well as adding a pretty look. I can get on board with this idea. Everybody wants a
02:25cute coffee station in the kitchen, but space can be limited. This way you just need a few inches to
02:30create the coffee station of your dreams for this very delicious idea. And here's one more. My entry
02:38always turns into a major dumping ground, and with a closet too far away from the door. Let's fix that.
02:44After emptying out the space and repainting the long bench, I placed the shelf on one side of the
02:50bench, then attached it to the wall. I then cut down some wood I had on hand to line each
02:55shelf to give
02:56it more of a woodsy vibe. I have wanted this update for such a long time and we're nearly there.
03:05Then after arranging front door accessories such as gloves, umbrellas, and added cup hooks for keys,
03:12my new entry storage was ready to work hard while looking super cute. The shelf helps organize seasonal
03:18accessories close by the door so they become easy to grab and go. I love how the baskets coordinate with
03:24the space while hiding all the clutter, and they also limit what I can stash, so I'm forced to keep
03:30only the things I need in this space. I really hope these videos encourage you to look at shelves in
03:36all
03:37new ways because you can do so much with them. Which one's your favorite? This is mine. This is staying
03:43here.
03:45If you too have some shelves that could use a fresh look without breaking the bank,
03:50let's head to the thrift store to stock up. I'm on the lookout for neutral accessories that would go
03:55well with my rustic wood shelving. I'm first measuring the lamp then readjusting the top shelf
04:02to make sure it fits. Next up I'm going to do a small mini makeover on the bulletin board. Choosing
04:08Fusion Mineral Paint in Coal Black with a small angled paintbrush, I'm painting the inside of the bulletin
04:14board black which really freshens up the look quickly. Next up I'm measuring the height and width
04:20of the top part of the shelving unit to create an interesting feature. Grabbing an old bulletin board
04:26for my stash, I'm transferring the measurements onto the board then cutting it with an exacto knife.
04:32You can also use foam core board or even paint directly on the wall if desired. I'm now choosing
04:38to paint the board with the same color wall paint so the two blend flawlessly. You can also go bolder
04:44with a totally different color if preferred. To quicken up the dry time for the next step,
04:49I'm propping the board in front of a fan. Now that the board is dry, I'm positioning a stenciled
04:55called Retro Star from Funky Junk's Old Sign Stencils in the middle of the board. Choosing Fusion
05:01Mineral Paint in Coal Black once again, I'm prepping the stencil brush by offloading it until the brush
05:06feels dry. This ensures your images are left with no paint bleed. I'm now tapping the paint through the
05:12stencil until the desired coverage is met. I find spreading the paint all over best to start with,
05:18then doubling up the coverage second, which offers the crispest images since the brush becomes a little
05:24drier. I'm working the pattern from all directions until the entire board is filled. I'm now outfitting
05:31the stencil board onto the back of the shelving by slipping it inside the wood gaps to hold it in
05:36place. If your bookshelf is solid, you can even tape the board to the back of yours. Now it's time
05:43to
05:43decorate the shelves. With all my thrift store finds on the floor, I'm arranging the shelves in an
05:48attractive way. The lamp is being placed at the very top so it casts more light in the room. On
05:54the
05:54bottom shelf, the books are being stacked inside a vintage drawer. And the end result is a charming
06:00shelving arrangement that really draws your eye in. The stencil backdrop really adds a splash of added
06:07interest, which is of course super easy to remove when desired as well. And keeping all the arrangements
06:13super neutral themed with wood, white, black and plants keeps the shelving look cohesive and clutter-free.
06:20If you like the idea of storing things in unique and affordable ways, you'll want to head to the
06:25nearest thrift store or shop your own stash after you see these ideas. For a cohesive vibe, I'm selecting
06:32some like-minded metal pieces that can store things. Now I'm transferring an unorganized pile of office
06:39supplies into the metal pieces. The pens and writing supplies are going in a taller creamer so they stand
06:44up. And the smaller loose office supplies, such as paper clips, are being organized inside a vintage mini
06:50muffin tin. And you end up with a unique and productive office caddy that offers everything
06:56you need within an arm's reach. Next up, my paint studio that houses my boutique paint and a small
07:02amount of indoor tools is in desperate need of a cleanup. Landing a metal caddy at a thrift store,
07:08I'm first organizing the messy work table creating groups of like-minded tools. This helps make sorting easy.
07:15Bringing the tools over to the caddy, I'm grouping all the wrenches and screwdrivers into the caddy
07:20sections separating their sizes and types. For the smaller tools, I'm first selecting some containers
07:26that will fit inside the caddy spaces such as the jar, antique measuring cup, and cardboard toilet paper
07:32rolls. Once in position, each container is being filled with drill bits and shorter screwdrivers separating
07:39the different types. And I am now the proud owner of a well-organized tool caddy that is a breeze
07:45to move
07:45around where desired. I'm now unwrapping a brand new spice organizer of glass jars sitting in a wooden
07:51stand. After washing each jar, I'm bringing over a screw caddy that is overflowing with mismatched
07:57screws and hooks and such. I'm now selecting the smallest like-minded screws and nails, organizing each
08:04type into separate jars. The clear glass jars make it so easy to see what they hold. I am now
08:10sorting out the
08:11larger screw caddy as well so everything will be perfectly organized for my next build. Now that
08:17everything has its own organized home, I'm screwing the caps back onto the jars then transferring the
08:22jars into the spice rack stand. And I have myself a super organized row of separated nails and screws
08:29I can move all together or as single jars as desired. Now on the work table, the tool organizer and
08:36organized screws look beautiful and so tidy even though every piece is on full display. The tools
08:42in the caddy can be selected individually or picked up all at once to cart to my next project. And
08:48now
08:49selecting smaller screws is a breeze. Each glass jar proudly displays what's inside while sitting right
08:54above the bulk of the screws. The screw jars can either be individually selected or placed inside the
09:00large caddy to carry the works to wherever I am needing them. Now I really can't wait to build something
09:05new.
09:06A row of white mugs sitting inside a wooden tray was a lucky find and is loaded with storage
09:12potential. While the works can be used as is, I'm going to style this with an antique vibe.
09:18After removing the cups from the tray, I'm setting the tray on wood planks and butcher paper,
09:23then reaching for Fusion's coal black paint. The tray is getting painted inside and out, requiring two coats.
09:30Once dry, a wooden yardstick is being measured against both the long sides of the tray,
09:35then is being cut to that size with a miter saw. I'm now placing the ruler into position on one
09:41side of
09:42the tray, then adding hot glue to the underside of the ruler. The ruler is being flipped over and
09:47attached to the tray sides. I'm now placing the cups back into the tray and organizing all the stencil
09:53and artist brushes into each of the cups according to size. And the result is a super cool looking
10:00paintbrush caddy with building charm, thanks to the added wooden yardstick. I love how each cup
10:06easily houses different sized stencil brushes, making them effortless to select either separately or by
10:12cup or by the entire tray. Now I will have everything I need within an arm's reach for each stencil
10:18project.
10:19I hope this inspires you to head to the thrift store to create some unique storage ideas of your own.
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