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Clementine Crate Become Nifty Bathroom Storage Container

January 14, 2010 By: Anna10 Comments

Repurpose clementine storage

My kids love clementines (okay devour clementines.)  So what is the harm with this?  Their packaging.  They come in a wood crate with a plastic net.  I HATE the packaging.  I can’t recycle the crate but have been giving them away to be reused.   People sure love them.

My cousin uses them to store her arts and craft materials.  Others use it as an organization unit.  No one seems to refuse me when I ask them if they want the crate.  In fact, people look at me funny when I give them away.  As if to say, why are you giving this to me.  Keep it.  I bet you can use it.

Over time, I started to wonder why was I giving them away?  I have my dense moments. I admit it.

Since I am stuck inside with no gardening chores (*sniff, sniff*), I have turned my creativity towards cleaning up my sorry neglected house.  I noticed that my bathroom drawers are a disaster!  Everything is tossed around in the drawer.  What a mess.

I looked at my clementine crates and they looked at me with a puzzled look as if to say

“why are you giving us away? You could use us…look at your drawer, for goodness sakes. ”

Now when did my crates become my mother?  Better yet, why would I ever think they are talking to me?  Spring, please come quickly.  My crates are speaking to me.  I must be losing it.

repurpose clementine crates

Back to the crate story.

So off I went to Michaels to buy felt.  Heaven forbid the staples on the crates would scratch my drawers.  (See the staples above?)

I cut the brown felt  and glued it to the wooden bottom.  Ah, so Martha…but then again, she probably hand picks her clementines and would never have a wood crate to deal with.

I found Eco-Glue  at Michaels.  (A non-toxic alternative that can be used on wood, ceramic, and other materials.) Lucky me.  It made up for my guilt of buying non-organic felt.

Then I cut the brown felt for the bottom and applied glue to the felt. (Not the best cutting job, but it will do.) Wa-lah! Instant non-scratching bottom.

re purpose old clementine crates

Put the orange netting on the bottom of the inside of the crate for a little cushion.  Since these crates were going into my bathroom drawers with products that could spill, I used old grocery bags to line the crates.  Wasn’t loving the plastic part but had no idea what to put in it to prevent any spills.  Any ideas?

I wrapped the plastic handles around the raised areas and torn the other side to wrap around the other side.  It isn’t pretty but it does the trick.

So here is to a neater bathroom drawer. If you really want to be creative you could decorate the crates.  A fun idea for your kids when the weather is lousy.  You can also use a leftover plastic  container or aluminum pan that you don’t want to use anymore to be the bottom rather than my ugly yellow shopping  bag.  (If you are really a good greenie and don’t have any shopping bags, then take one from the grocery store recycling bag bin or get one from your neighbors.)

Now, the good news is the Clementine food distributor is no longer using wood but SFI cardboard that can go right in the recycling.  (Or to become an additional organization unit.  A win, win for the environment.)

Readers, how have you re-purposed common items?  Send me pictures for me to post.

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About Anna

Anna Hackman is the editor of Green Talk, and owner of The Naked Botanical and a avid (okay obsessed) gardener. She also loves video and podcasting and hosts Green Talk TV and Green Talk Radio. Her most important role is being a mother of four boys.

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Comments

  1. 2

    Condo Blues says

    January 14, 2010 at 8:56 pm

    I like the wood clemintine crates because they are more useful than the cardboard ones! I use a wood clemintine crate to corral washclothes in my linen closet on the same shelf as the hand towls. Two clemtine crates hold my various teas on a very high shelf in the pantry. I have a lot of tea.
    .-= Condo Blues´s last blog ..Ditching the Disposables – Furnace Filters =-.

    Reply
  2. 3

    pools design says

    January 18, 2010 at 10:02 am

    the only problem with having these in the bathroom is they might start to steam their contents, I would think, if the bathroom got steamy… or am I just crazy?
    .-= pools design´s last blog ..Find out best Swimming guide =-.

    Reply
    • 4

      Green Talk says

      January 18, 2010 at 1:35 pm

      pools designs, that may be true but they would be inside your drawers. Anna

      Reply
  3. 5

    Amish Furniture says

    July 30, 2010 at 4:27 am

    Not so crazy dear lady! What a clever use of materials. I am impressed with your creativity. Though I would say it is now time to get back in the garden.

    Reply
  4. 6

    IAQsource says

    January 6, 2011 at 11:27 am

    Hey this is pretty cool! I’d actually say instead of grocery sacks, you could probably just use Saran wrap or some similar type to line them — it would look a lot better, and probably fit the shape even better, but work just as well.

    Reply
    • 7

      Anna@Green Talk says

      January 6, 2011 at 4:24 pm

      IAQ, I was trying to use something for the second time. The old reuse principle but I bet you can reuse your saran wrap again too. Great idea. Anna

      Reply
  5. 8

    Henry Fenton says

    June 27, 2011 at 9:56 pm

    We love to find solutions for our waste. It is a positive aspect of the now thinking green community. Well done!

    Reply

Trackbacks

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  2. FOOD SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY: Sanitation of Plant Exterior | Food Health Wisdom says:
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