Five Repurposed and Crafty Storage Solutions
I just moved in to my new home two and a half months ago, and the one thing that has haunted me this move has been the amount of junk I have acquired! Unfortunately a bunch of stuff got thrown away in the process of moving, and even now as I still have the last bit of boxes to unpack I’m wondering why I buy and hold on to so much stuff.
One thing that is so American is figuring out ways to store things. I mean, hell! There are like entire stores just devoted to storing stuff, like the Container Store. Plus there are storage options outside the home for when you just can’t bare to throw things away. It is so easy to just go out and buy a bunch of plastic bins. I have always stored my fabric and scrap materials in bins to keep everything dust and bug free, and when we moved into this place we bought even more bins to hold linens and blankets. My husband and I talked about it last night, because we had been considering buying even more bins to store things away in the basement. I asked if we could think of other ways to deal with our stuff besides stuffing it all in bins. He said, well we could throw stuff away instead of keeping it.
It feels challenging to go green because as an American I have acquired the hobby of buying stuff I don’t need. The USA is responsible for the majority of greenhouse gas emissions, even though we only make up a small percentage of the world population. I know I am not alone in shopping just for fun and buying stuff I don’t need. I cringe to think there could be millions and millions of other people out there doing the same damn thing! Obviously the first major solution is just to buy less and buy smarter. Pondering the impact of purchases on the environment takes a really strong commitment to putting the environment first. Fortunately there are so many eco friendly options out there, it just takes some research and time to discover what they are.
Here are five ideas for storage solutions you can make at home with stuff you already have!
Sew fabric baskets! This is a great one for seamstresses because you probably already have everything you need to do a project like this. I found a website with links to twenty free patterns to choose from at Sew Can She.
Get crafty and cover some cardboard boxes with paper. I did this years ago, because I had tons of cardboard boxes and wanted a cheap option for storage. You can print out photos or artwork and glue the paper on with glue sticks or Elmer’s School Glue. I found images of cats online and printed them out for my boxes. Find photos of your favorite animal for a super cute look! Or use wrapping paper or artist paper if you have some on hand!
Make some braided rag baskets. I mistakenly discovered how to make a rag basket because I was trying to make a braided rag rug but the braid was wrapped too tight at the start and so the fabric curved into a basket shape. Follow a basic braided rag rug pattern to start but pull the braid tight as you sew around the shape so that the edge curve into a basket. Cut up old t shirts or knit fabric into 1 1/2 inch strips, and sew the strips end to end to form the strands. The wider the strips, the bigger the braids will be. Here is a tutorial I found on Capper’s Farm website for a braided rag rug. Experiment and have fun with this one!
Use old handbags and purses to store items! Backpacks and purses with lots of pockets are a great storage solution for things like art supplies, craft supplies, and more! Use larger lap top bags to store magazines and artist papers, and smaller bags for paint sets and colored pencils. Display the bags on an over the door rack and you will always be able to find those items you use the most.
Sew fabric drawstring bags to hold items. Drawstring bags make great storage for toiletries, jewelry, fabric items and linens, etc. Drawstring bags are super simple once you get the hang of sewing them. Woven, non stretch fabrics work best to make them, so upcycle an old dress or table cloth and make a bunch! Here is my basic laundry bag tutorial, you can make these bags any size you need.
