If you’re someone who spends too much time on Pinterest looking for new projects, you’re likely to find yourself in a swamp of abandoned leftovers from DIY projects. That old tin of paint, this screws that didn’t fit. The things you bought only to realise they didn’t work the way you wanted them to. The things you bought for some imaginary future project. It all builds up. We’re breaking down how you can create more space by storing them away well.
Consolidate your paints into one easy tub
If you’re recently done repainting a room, you might be looking at a collection of half-finished tins of paint, wondering what you should be doing with them all. There are a few projects that might take multiple colours and smaller tins, like painting an accent wall or an arch, so you might find yourself with a few shades and not wanting to throw them out. It would be a lot easier to transfer those different colours into food containers. The same ones that you take your lunch in to work. They’re stackable and take up less space than a half-finished tin.
Then again, if you didn’t use the entire rainbow to renovate your home, you can transport it all into the one tin to get rid of the rest.
A craft cart
Some people have a toolbox, you can grab a craft cart. Okay, so this idea has gained popularity for children’s rooms and art studios, but there is no reason you can’t incorporate it into your garage as a way of keeping track of all your tools. Sometimes you just want everything in the one place, on wheels so it’s portable, with an extendable desk to work on. It just makes sense.
This is especially helpful if you’re one of those people who has small projects on the go all the time. You’re creating a clock out of an art frame or making a small shelf for the bathroom, etc.
Repurpose, reuse, recycle
Maybe don’t throw out all those paint tubs. A little wrapping paper can turn them into some cute pen holders, paintbrush holders, etc.
Turn an old spice rack into a space where you can separate different sized screws and nails. Keep them all sorted in different spice containers and within arms reach on the spice rack, saving you rummaging through different drawers forever.
And, you know those “shoe holders” from Ikea that get offered as a way to store everything from cleaning supplies to coloured pencils on the back of a door? Guess what is the perfect size to hold a few hammers and screwdrivers…!
Be ruthless
If your goal is less trying to make sure everything has its place, and more, trying to make more space in general, you’re going to have to be cruel. Don’t look at that tub of paint that has a dribble at the bottom and tell yourself you’ll use it somewhere. You won’t. And it’ll just go dry in a tub that’s taking up space in your home. Anything less than “a good chunk” should go in the bin.
You can always donate tools, too. Tools are pricey, so if you’ve got duplicates, you can hand down your old ones to a niece or nephew newly moving into their own home, or a charity store. If you don’t need it, get rid of it. It’s not like a hammer has any sentimental value.
Store them in a storage unit
Of course, if you simply cannot get rid of everything for good, you might want to look into a storage unit. A lot of tools can be big and bulky, especially anything designed to make the job quick, like a motorized saw. Rent a garage and keep them in storage until you’re ready to use them again.
To read more on topics like this, check out the Home & Garden category
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