DIY: Repurposed Popcorn Tins

After the holidays, I struggle with what to do with the leftover floating random things that we accumulate. Space in our house is sacred, yet I don't want to be wasteful. I've seen lots of cute painted popcorn tins on Pinterest, and always thought that was a good way to re-do them. But then I started working on the office re-do and was looking into some sisal baskets. Well, those run around $30 at Target, and I just don't want to spend that much for a basket.

Enter Home Depot - I got 50' of 3/8" sisal rope for about $8.50. That, and a lot (a LOT) of hot glue, and I had myself a sisal basket. I actually have two popcorn tins and this was my first attempt. One 50' roll was just barely too short for one, so I bought two more rolls and should have plenty for the next popcorn tin. Even then, it's still a savings over buying two sisal baskets.

I started at the bottom and hot glued the rope to the tin every couple of inches. I alternated each row between gluing the rope layers to themselves and gluing to the popcorn tin. I put the handles on the outside of this one, but I think I'll put them inside for the next popcorn tin. You could always cover up the spots where the rope ends with some leather or some nailhead trim, but it doesn't bother me.

 

I think these will go well in the office to collect random items - most likely things that a certain baby likes to carry around and deposit in dark corners. Namely - balls. What is it with boys and their balls? I don't mean that in the way you're thinking. The first basket is currently in Judah's room holding every ball he has of every shape and size. It's a nice catch all!

Mr. Bear seems to agree.

Dark Secret

I hope everyone had a wonderful New Year and enjoyed the holidays. We had 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6....yep SIX Christmases. And Judah was actually healthy during all of this, but I knew there was no way we were escaping the holidays without a cold. And now, lo and behold, everyone in our house is now sick. Fun. This has led to 5 nights in a row of crying, coughing, and runny noses.

To distract myself, I've been trying to concentrate on my New Year's Resolution: Re-do our office. This is the one room in the house that literally has not been touched. We have the same desks we had in college. There are cracks in the plaster walls, and of course the same paint color as when we moved in five years ago. This room gives me stress. It's a catch all for random crap as well as the place where Scott pays our bills and I attempt to paint every once in a while. It's like Monica's secret closet of clutter and crap from "Friends" - remember that episode where Chandler discovers what's behind that locked door in their apartment? Our office is just like that.

I'm about to reveal the "Before" photos - and I do this knowing that absolutely anything I do to this room will make for an impactful "After" shot.

Cue shower scene music from "Psycho"...

Now this room is TINY. But I have a plan. I hope I'm not crazy...but I think I want to go DARK on the walls. Here's what I'm thinking for the re-do:

I've already bought the rug and the pillow (both Target) and that framed art (Etsy). I have a similar chair to the one pictured, but it has a padded seat that I will recover. Also, I scored a freebie office chair from work that I will also recover, because Scott's large, ugly, black leather office chair goes with nothing. Granted, most of the work will involve decluttering and organizing. But I would eventually love for this to be a space that we can all actually gather in and work/play. Right now, Judah is not even allowed in the office because it is the "room of dangerous objects and cords."

What do you think? Any suggestions? Any experiences with going dark on the walls in a smaller space?