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I have a bone to pick with many home renovation shows: I'm really sick of seeing people destroy perfectly good furniture, cabinets, and materials just because they can.
Sure, it might feel good to vent a little by smashing things, but then you have a huge mess and you've wasted an opportunity to reuse items. With a little effort, people can save items such as countertops and cabinetry, reusing them in another part of the home.
1. Recycling Station
Are you taking out a double vanity? Keeping the unit intact, remove the unit and install it in your garage or utility room. Remove the sinks and place recycling bins in the cabinet below the holes where the sinks used to be. Just like that you have a custom station that allows you to effortlessly store and sort recyclables.
2. Garage Storage Unit
Kitchen cabinets make a fantastic storage system for your garage. If you want workspace, install the lower cabinets and countertop, adding the upper cabinets above for extra storage. If you're just looking for storage, you can easily stack three or four upper cabinet units from the floor on up.
3. Woodshop Workbench
Used kitchen counter surfaces are a great work surface for a woodshop or workshop. Carefully remove the countertop and the kitchen cabinets, then install the cabinets in your workshop and reaffix the countertop with an adhesive. You may also want to remove the cabinet doors to allow easy access to all materials.
4. Laundry Room Workspace
Make your laundry room function better by installing a portion of your old kitchen cabinets and countertop. Even a few feet of counter space will help you organize laundry, and you can store laundry detergent, stain removers, and other supplies in the cabinets below.
5. Garden Workstation
Use a portion of your countertop and cabinets to create a garden workstation. A small section of cabinets can fit in an alcove, or you can bracket the unit with lattice and plant a climbing flower or ivy to conceal your work area. Paint all interior and exterior surfaces of the unit with low-VOC waterproof paint to protect it from the elements.
More on reusing in the home:
Daily DIY Project: China Hutch to Bulletin Board Makeover
Make a Desk From a Door, and 3 More Found Object Furniture Projects
Daily DIY Project: Box Spring Wine Storage
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