Milk Crate Magic: Neat Things You Can Make With Upcycled Milk Crates

Behold the humble milk crate: sturdy, chunky, strong and portable, lightweight, versatile, and—hello 80's—not just for record albums anymore. 

Plastic milk crates are one of the most reused shipping and storage items ever. Ah yes, way back in old timey days of recycling and reusing (I'm talking back before the DIY and upcycle revolution) milk crates were pretty much standard teenage bedroom decor. We used them as bedside tables, book cases, storage for albums and VHS tapes—later transpiring to DVDs and CDs of course—as well as for many other household chores such as garage and basement storage. 

But now, with the blossoming creativity of the 2000's, milk crate recycling and reusing is now upcycling and repurposing (the differences are subtle, but they're there) and creative folks are thinking up even more ways to use milk crates in their lives and homes. Check out this collection of cool upcycled plastic milk crates and see all the different ideas that creative folks have come up with.

DIY milk crate cart from Inscrutables

Milk crate turned DIY kayak cart by twiceayear at texaskayakfisherman

Here's another DIY kayak cart from Instructables

Milk crates + boards + plywood = Outdoor milk crate table

Milk crates lined with heavy duty felt make great outdoor garden planters

Milk crates lined with burlap bags used as garden planters

Milk crate-turned bicycle rack with ample space

Folding milk crate as rear-bike storage

Milk crate hen house

Milk crate bench/reading corner

Milk crate as kitchen wall storage by Penny Wincer, Alice King

6 milk crates + 3 stained boards = nice game storage. Spray paint milk crates to coordinate with your home decor.

These milk crates make for great mudroom shoe storage

Getting fancy with plastic milk crates: add spindle legs and a sanded and painted plywood top

These large sized milk crates were woven together with cording to create a sturdier book storage space

Balancing act: try using plastic zip ties to attach milk crates together at precarious angles

I like this one a lot: 9 milk crates on a sturdy wood base with caster wheels or cart wheels

A mishmosh milk crates with table legs & top in sleep black = eclectic  from Design Sponge

Milk crate chandelier overhead lighting = industrial elegant? Not sure.

How to make a DIY woven milk crate stool from Sam Henderson HGTV

More eclectic milk crate furniture. This one is a bench with cushion top and table legs

Use mollys or sturdy wall hardware to hang milk crates for laundry room storage

70's style milk crate wall assemblage

Easy closet storage for rolled up t-shirts and sports wear

A wall of milk crate storage for books and magazines

Use rope to cover a milk crate to create a foot stool with hidden storage

Milk crates used as grocery store shelving

Large plastic crates stacked and secured are used as a room divider

Milk crate stairs

Milk crate stools, tables, lights, and wall

A towering milk crate arch

Milk crate sculpture

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Laura

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Article copyright ©Laura Beth Love 2019 and may not be republished in print or other media without express written permission from the author. For any link corrections please leave correct info in comment area.