We had two crates, but I only used one for the book shelves, so we still had the other one to make work in the pantry.
They both received a coat of white paint at the same time, so that has been done for awhile now.
Our "green" shopping bag collection has been expanding. Since we tend to do our shopping a distance away {for better prices}, insulated bags just work best for us. They also work great for traveling to sports tournaments and picnics and road trips. For awhile now, they have been getting tossed on the floor of the pantry, but that wasn't the best solution {or even a good one!}
I knew the extra crate would be the perfect way to get those bags off of the floor and organized.
Since our pantry is a bit deep, we tossed a few casters on the bottom of the crate to make it easy to pull out without scratching the floor.
Yes, the crates were originally green. White was better.
And since I have been itching to label something with vinyl {it has been awhile after all}, and of course, to help the kids and hubs recognize the use for the crate, some vinyl was born.
Lovely and simple!
Then, I just placed all of the bags into the crate, and rolled it into the pantry!
It's the perfect size, and keeps goodies off of the floor.
It is nice to finally have a use in place for the second crate, and a simple solution for the floor of the pantry.
Don't you just love crates? They are so versatile! Anyone as obsessed with them as I am?!
This is genius!! I am envisioning skinnier crates like this to store my potatoes, and onions! Now to find some, maybe at a yard sale or Goodwill! BTW I freaking LOVE your blog I found it last week and nearly lost an entire workday just browsing and browsing.
ReplyDeleteIt's nice to know that there are other, greater lovers of organizing!
Where do you find these crates for cheap?? I love this idea.
ReplyDeleteHi there!
DeleteI find them at JoAnn and purchase them when I have a 40% or 50% off coupon {which I receive in the mail/email/flyers}
xoxo,
Jen
awesome idea!! I usually keep my bags by the door so that I (hopefully) won't forget them. But I still like your idea. :)
ReplyDeletewhat a great idea! I have serious pantry-envy over here as all of our food is stuffed in random cabinets!
ReplyDeleteAnd the walls in your pantry? oh. em. gee. i love them!
Love your idea! I keep my totes in a canvas bin in the back of my car. That way I always have them.
ReplyDeleteMe too!!
DeleteLove it! And I'm obsessed with finding a place for casters!
ReplyDeleteHow can you go wrong with crates AND labels??? Super cute!
ReplyDeleteI know right?! :) Crates, labels and casters! Love them all! <3
Deletexoxo,
Jen
I have a completely out of control "green shopping bag" situation going on in my kitchen! I have no idea how we acquired so many! You have inspired me to try to wrangle them all into a single container. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteVery cute! I keep mine in the car or else I forget them. I need to come up with a storage box for them. Where did you find those casters?
ReplyDeleteHi Veronica!
DeleteI typically find them at home improvement stores, such as Home Depot or Lowes.
xoxo!
Jen
I love this! I am now on the hunt for some crates that I can store the lunch bags in! Thanks for sharing this great idea.
ReplyDeleteI love this! I am now on the hunt for some crates that I can store the lunch bags in! Thanks for sharing this great idea.
ReplyDeleteThat's wonderful! I need a way to organize insulated lunch boxes and that idea would be perfect. Now to figure out how to organize my suitcases and travel bags...
ReplyDeleteMind telling us (me) how you attached the crate book shelved to the wall. They look great and I would like to try this. Thanks
ReplyDeleteBefore we moved and space was limited in our home I used crates just like those to make a bed for my boys who shared a room. 3 - 4 crates lengthwise of the bed laying on their side, 2 - 3 at the bottom (depending on bed size) and then we screwed a piece of plywood to the top of the crates and topped it off with mattress and box springs. It worked great for my boys to store books and toys under their bed in a neat way.
ReplyDeleteThat sounds incredibly creative and AWESOME! I love how much storage was added, such a great idea, especially for small space living!
Deletexoxo,
Jen
Super cute. Right now our are stuffed in the top of our closet into another larger bag. This is way cuter and more functional.
ReplyDeleteGreat idea!
ReplyDeleteSeriously!!! Now why couldn't I have thought of that!! Great idea! I will definately be doing that now!
ReplyDeleteGreat idea! I love crates and yours, now (with a coat of paint and the stencil) looks so stylish!
ReplyDeleteI Love your use of the crate as the bookshelves! I think I want to do something similar in my next house! I would love to do it now, but we are moving next spring and I don't want to make more holes that I will need to patch! lol
ReplyDeleteAwesome idea! I keep my bags in my car, otherwise I would forget them. But your idea is much cuter!
ReplyDeleteMy bags end up everywhere and it's NOT pretty. I need to figure out a place to keep them. This looks great! Maybe I can work out a solution like this!
ReplyDeleteThey are fantastic. I have been wanting to put two rustic ones in my family room under a bench for books/toys. I need to get crackin'! Hope you're doing great!
ReplyDeletelove it!!
ReplyDeleteLove your website thank you for sharing.
DeleteDo you have a template for the labels you use???
Thanks so much.
I just typed out the label in the Silhouette program on the PC using Eight Fifteen font.
Deletexoxo,
Jen
Oh, and if you are reffering to the other labels, I just whipped those up in Microsoft Excel.
DeleteThanks again!
Love it! What a great idea! :) Erin
ReplyDeletelove this! I am always looking for innovative storage solutions, thanks for sharing! Sarah :)
ReplyDeleteI'm not obsessed with crates, but I'm impressed with the uses you found for them.
ReplyDeleteKeep writing...
Are your insulated bags machine washable? I have been looking for some that are- or at least easy to hand wash. If so, where did you buy them? Thanks, I love your blog.
ReplyDeleteI haven't washed them in the washer, but I do wipe them down frequently since they are all lined. I found a few of them at HomeGoods, some at Walmart.com and another is from Real Simple.
Deletexoxo,
Jen
This is a great idea! I SO want a Silhouette...you make the most amazing projects with yours!!
ReplyDeletexo, Blair
blairsunderland.blogspot.com
Great!You have made good use of storage space. As in pantry I would like to use this kind of space for onion or potatoes and some space i could use for utensils.
ReplyDeleteLOVE it!! Off to get some now for my pantry and linen closet floor. Do you have DIY instructions on how to do the vinyl letters? Also, I saw someone asked above, do you have a template for your labels on your other bins, like your "produce" one, or can you share what program you use to make them?
ReplyDeleteHi there!
DeleteThe vinyl is all cut from my Silhouette machine and then just transferred over with transfer material {which typically can be purchased with vinyl}. The pantry basket labels are all created with Microsoft Excel using this tutorial: http://iheartorganizing.blogspot.com/2010/08/you-asked-label-me.html
xoxo,
Jen
I wasn't but I may be now!! That is the perfect place/thing for my pantry and everything below!!!! I agree what program do you use? I have a cameo I haven't hooked up yet....but do you use a certain graphics program??
ReplyDeleteHi Colleen!
DeleteI created the vinyl with the design studio that comes with the CAMEO. It is as simple and typing out a word and updating the font and size. You have got to hook up that machine, it's amazing! You will be labeling everything before you know it!
xoxo,
Jen
Great idea! Can't wait to try this idea.
ReplyDeletePS: Love the new background pattern :)
Sandra from www.simpleispretty.com
easy, effective... and the vinyl label simply takes it to the next level of being gorgeous!!! Ever since my no-cost pantry overhaul, I've been dying to do some more reworking! Fun stuff!
ReplyDeleteAwesome idea. You are a genius :)
ReplyDeleteI love the crate for totes, but does your label maker allow you to kern the letters? The graphic design geek in me is unhappy with the spacing between the e and the s.
ReplyDeleteThe Silhouette would allow me to update the spacing, however, I like it as is. It's the style of the font. :)
Deletexoxo,
Jen
Love the crates as book shelves! And the rolling reusable bag holder is genius! I just bought some IKEA spice racks recently to do the same (with books) and am building some book ledges for some longer book storage as well. I love how accessible they are to the kids!
ReplyDeleteI love crates! I have two that are hard at work right now, one is nicely tucked under a decorative chair in the living room filled with VHS tapes. And the other is tucked under our (open) bathroom sink corraling extra toilet paper, and laundry detergent. I've left them "naked" for years but maybe they need a cute facelift like yours!
ReplyDeleteLove the west elm ikat pattern!
ReplyDeleteThis is a great idea and something I think I could implement in my mom's pantry! We have tons of bags on our floor in the pantry! Especially plastic bags....do you keep plastic bags? If so, how do you store them? I hate saying we have plastic bags, but sometimes we are in such a rush and we forget the reusable bags!
ReplyDeleteI love crates. I love this idea of wheels. I store a lot of my stuff at school in crates under my raised bed. I will have to put wheels on all of my crates!
I (sadly) have lots of plastic bags too :( I have a big plastic container that I bought at Target with cheese balls in it and refused to throw away once the cheese balls were eaten. I mod podged some pretty scrapbook paper to it and voila! Plastic bag storage that fits neatly on my pantry shelf and looks cute too!
Delete~Dani C
So cool!
ReplyDeleteLove this idea! We somehow have accumulated quite the pile of totes and they are spilling over onto the floor of our pantry - not pretty. Cute and functional, especially with the castors! I will definitely have to try this.
ReplyDeleteTwo things I've become obsessed with today...crates and your blog! As a mom of 3 boys I am always on the look out for fun organizing techniques! Thanks!!!
ReplyDelete~Dani C
Just made a crate for the pantry today after being inspired by your blog! I keep my reusable bags in a storage section of my car, but I needed a place to store paper goods, my bin for plastic bags and my bag for used batteries (once it's full, I drop them off at Whole Foods). The crate was the perfect solution--thank you!
ReplyDeleteHow do you hang the half crates?! Love the idea of both usages!
ReplyDeleteYou can find all the details for the crate book shelves here: http://iheartorganizing.blogspot.com/2012/05/playroom-progress-great-crate-book.html
Deletexoxo,
Jen
Hi odd question here, what size screws did you use to attach the casters? I am afraid of drilling right through to the inside of the crate. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteI again totally love these ideas, and am definitely going to steal them in the near future. However, I am wondering if I'm the only one in the world with this problem... do you own a bunch of larger bags, like duffels or the like? I own a very large thirty-one bag and they all take up the floor of my already-too-small closet. Any suggestions? Thanks!
ReplyDeleteI don't have an answer but I do have the same problem.
DeleteCrates with casters! Just what I've been looking for my pantry. I recently told my husband that I wish I had "boxes or something with wheels" for the very bottom of the pantry. Duh! Thanks again for the idea. :)
ReplyDelete