And The Winner Is?
Make A Rustic Sawhorse Table For Under $40
Photos: Charles Walton IV for Southern Living/Deborah Ory for Woman's Day
I'm willing to bet that you have an old step ladder in your garage or basement. You know the one -- covered in old paint with the wobbly leg. Too bad it's useless, right? Wrong! You can reuse that old ladder without stepping on a single rung. Here are a few fun ways to re-purpose that ladder and put it to good use around the house, without spending a dime.
If your ladder is a bit dingy, clean it up, scrape or sand off the old paint unless you're going for that shabby chic look. Tighten up that wobbly leg, and try one of these nifty ideas:
1. Bookshelf. You've seen ladder-shaped bookshelves, right? Well, obviously, they were inspired by the real thing. You can use an old ladder as a bookshelf and save yourself a lot of cash while still getting the same look.
2. Pot rack. How fun is this idea we spotted over on Woman's Day? Just take an old ladder and place it on its side, affix to the ceiling and use it to hang your pots and pans!
Do these gallery inspire you to dig up your old ladder? Photos: This Old House/Living, Etc
An instant purse rack! Photo: Holly Becker, decor8
5. Closet organizer. Ladies, do you want somewhere to hang or rest your purse collection? What about sweaters, or maybe you need somewhere to hang your pants or rest your shoes? An old ladder in the closet is a great place to organize your clothing and accessories.
6. Nightstand. If your ladder has flat rungs that are like small shelves, you can use a ladder as a nightstand. Simply place the ladder next to the bed and use the rungs to place your alarm clock, books or magazines and phone (or whatever else you keep next to the bed).
7. Wall decor. Hang an old ladder on the wall as art! Paint it a fun color to match your room, or affix family memorabilia to the rungs and use it as a wall display.
Want more repurposing ideas? Check out 5 things you can do with an old t-shirt.
Reader comments (Page 1 of 1)
These are all good ideas for an old ladder. How about laying an old ladder directly on the ground and planting a different herb in each section. Chives in one ,bassil in the next and so on. It makes a nice focal point in any garden.
ReplyWhen I was kid, I used my dad's extension ladder to visit my girfriend in her second floor bedroom window. It worked really well. Thanks dad.
Replywe used to use dad's to sneak out of our house to meet boys. Oh the good ol days.
Ladies... make SURE that the ladder is of no more practical use. A six foot tall ladder can cost $100 or more. Just because it LOOKS dead doesn't mean that it is. Open it fully...push it sideways with 2 fingers. Does it move side to side easily without lifting a leg off the floor (not a good sign) or do both legs on the one side lift off the floor almost immediately? (Might well be good for its intended purpose) If it's made of wood ( I don't actually see anybody wanting to use a fiberglass or aluminum ladder here) does it have a metal rod directly under and against each step? Does that rod have a nut that can be tightened at either end? These nuts, when tightened will usually stop the wobble and thus extend the life of the ladder several years in normal household use. If it can't be tightened and it wobbles easily, by all means turn it into a bookshelf or whatever. Better that it be used for this than to have someone fall off it and break their neck. Cracked steps, or worse, a leg that has a crack or break running up and down its length is definately a candidate for alternate use, maybe even firewood. As for using one to hang pots and pans overhead....ummmm...do you really want to risk wood shavings or splinters or old, possibly lead containing paint chips falling onto your food prep area or directly into the food you are preparing? Designers are all about the LOOK (and a lot of that is questionable) and not about practicallity.
ReplyMy friends use a small stepladder in place of a Christmas tree. ???
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