This may be one of my fastest turnarounds. Do you remember the medicine cabinet I showed you last week’s recent finds Yard Sale Leftovers? It took me awhile to figure out that it wanted to be a portable craft organizer.
I got right to work on the craft organizer by removing the light bar and the (shelf) divider pieces. The light bar just unscrewed, the divider pieces resisted a little as I used the hammer to bang them out of place.
I spent some time trying to figure out what I wanted to do with it, and what it should be.
I decided to flip it around and leave the bottom as the bottom.
However, it wouldn’t sit by itself, it sort of wanted to lean backwards. I used a scrap board to fill in the negative space so the cabinet will now “stand on it’s own two feet”. I used my Kreg Jig® K4
to make pocket holes to keep the board in place.
A good craft organizer needs a pegboard
You can see this will make a perfect craft organizer. I hunted down a piece of pegboard in the basement, and luckily it was large enough—practically perfect. I just had to trim it a little on one side on the table saw.
Pegboard needs a spacer to allow pegs to hang
You can see in this picture that I added some scrap pieces of plywood (with Gorilla Wood Glue and staples) to secure the pegboard and allow room between the pegboard and the backing for pegs. Near the top, I added a 1x (ripped and cut to size) where the light bar had been.
Add cork board for notes
I cut a piece of Contact brand cork board to apply to the 1x board (where the light bar was). Next, I adhered the peel and stick cork to the board.
Then, I used a box cutter to trim the cork to the edge of the board.
I drilled pocket holes on each end of the board to secure it on the empty spot of the light bar.
This is how the cork board looks now in the original place of the light bar.
Paint the former medicine cabinet craft organizer
I used some Scotch Blue painter’s tape to protect the wood finish of the craft organizer cabinet. I mixed up some white DIY Chalky Paint. Because of the slick nature of this hardboard, I did have to do a light sanding to get the chalky paint to adhere. The bottom of the picture represents the bottom of the cabinet.
Pegboard craft organizer
I forgot to take a picture of the craft organizer cabinet finished. I was so excited to stage it! This piece can rest on a craft table, or be hung on the wall.
related content:
Craft Station made from a Kitchen Cabinet
I love how it turned out and wish I had a place to utilize it. How do you corral all of your craft items?
gail
Featured here: Roadkill Rescue
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Gail Wilson is the author and mastermind behind My Repurposed Life. She is obsessed with finding potential in unexpected places and believes that with a little hard work and imagination, any old thing can be made useful again, including herself!
Gail reinvented herself during a midlife crisis and has found purpose again. She hopes you will find new ideas for old things and pick up a few tools along the way.
Pam Z
AWESOME!!!! Being a paper crafter, I am in LOVE with this!!! I don't have but like 2 1/2 walls [using the breezeway between the house and garage .. live in hubbies' 1842 one room school house converted into a house [who the hell thought of this?! LOL ugh...my pants are BIGGER than this house!! LOL] .. have a huge window we put in in the front and dbl windows that were there in the back [need to change that to a WALL !! Hell hubby? Did you hear me?! LOL] so, I have 1 WHOLE wall..with a cubby some one built [great idea !! Ugh!] and no other wall space...but guess WHO is going to be looking for junk,er, stuff to alter like this next summer!! Waahoo!! Thanks girl !!... Your new fan....Pam Z !!
Jen S
That is awesome! Great job! I'm pinning this one.
Patti Boose
What a wonderful transformation! Wish it was hanging in my sewing room.
barb macaskill
This has moved to the top of my favorites!! LOVELOVELOVE it! Such an incredible transformation!!
Julie @ follow your heart woodworking
How ingenious of you, amazing! Who would have thought of doing that? And I have the same unwanted medicine cabinet.
Holly
Looks great Gail!
Kate
You are so clever! Are you going to put some kind of lip on the bottom to keep the paints from tumbling out?
Jill S.
Another home run for Gail! It's super as a craft station but it could also make a dynamite "command center" in a kitchen or office. With all the cool containers and bins you can get for pegboards, you could have quite a complete mini office to keep a family or home business organized. Gail, you are a home project magician :o)
Kimberly crooms
I wish I could vision items like you can. I can make just about anything but have to gain inspiration from others like you. I use spice racks for paint bottles. I use a kitchen utensil lazy susan for scissors and paintbrushes and such.
Mindi
Fabulous! I could use this! And I didn't know there was contact cork board, super cool! Love it, and pinned!
Pat
Ok! Now that ... IS A GREAT IDEA! I love that cork strip!!!! and peg board. I'm just now working on getting my 'crap-ft' together... I'm going to have to steal this cute idea... 2 thumbs up and a google+ for you!
Patricia
Mary
Great organizational tool!! I so like it!! Makes me think I can do it! Chuckle, Chuckle. (in a good way)
the cape on the corner
great idea!
b
Bliss
No way, no how I saw that upcycle coming! Your mind works in mysterious ways.
girlfromwva
that looks really good; what a great way to repurpose a medicine cabinet! most of my craft supplies are in decorative shoe boxes...
Terri
This is genius...I would love to have this in my craft room!
Nancy
I love this cabinet, it would be very handy to have in the sewing room.