Up-cycled PVC Storage: Phase I

One project I've been meaning to get done for a while is the incorporation of some extra storage in our front closet. I tend to re-use and refashion certain odds and ends throughout each season and they are starting to accumulate. Plus, the open space at the bottom of our closet might as well be put to use, right?


When I started researching a few options, something like this seemed to be the best fit.

But $70 seemed a little steep and I was willing to wait for a better deal. This is where Ben comes in. The smart guy that he is, he knew when a bunch of pvc showed up at work and was up for grabs, I'd want to use it for something. So, using some ratcheting pvc cutters we took a few pieces that I thought I could up-cycle.

PVC Jungle

Ben showing me the correct way to saw.

And me giving it a go. (I've had that sweatshirt since 6th grade and clearly wasn't thinking about blog photos. Oops)

Plywood, ready!

From there we used some plywood and these storage bins from Home Depot. I measured the inside poles of the unit and then placed the pieces of wood on each shelf area. Four bins later, we had our shelving unit!

Not too shabby!

This is just phase one to make it work for us now. In the future, we plan on using a jigsaw to make two pieces that fit perfectly on each shelf and then screw them into the plastic. For now, we certainly have something that works and adds a great deal of storage to an otherwise open space.