The BrilliantWay This Couple Hides Their Ugly Kitchen Trash Can

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Don’t you love free stuff? I know I do! What I love even more is when I get free stuff from someone else that I can turn into something unique and functional for my household. This project is just that! My mother-in-law gave me this little cabinet she had purchased from TJMaxx several years ago and no longer needed. It definitely needed a major facelift, but I never got around to it, so I threw a pile of books in it, a lamp on top and it sat in our living room for a year or better until this week when I decided it needed it’s long-awaited overhaul. I absolutely love how this came out — it’s not perfect, but it now serves an everyday purpose: holding my scrap vinyl (Rob and I have a small apparel business and I have a small decor & gift business where I/we use vinyl). This little cabinet fits perfectly against my new work station, and I’m so happy with it!

Time: 2 Hours Cost: $20-30 Difficulty: Moderate

Isn’t it cute?! The only thing I might add is velcro on the bottom of the trash can because it tends to fall over when it’s empty and the door is closed — this way it will stay put when it’s opened or closed but can still be removed if need be.

Supplies:
-small cabinet
-small trash can
-knob
-handle/pull
-1″ hinges (comes 2 in a pack)
Not pictured:
-1 piece of 1×12 common board
-wood glue
-Kreg jig
-pocket hole screws
-measuring tape
-drill (aka: screw gun, as Rob calls it)

STEP 1: Make a base
Create and assemble base for trash can & sides for tilted cabinet door.
Using a piece of 1×12 common board from Home Depot, Rob started by cutting a square piece to be slightly smaller than the width of the door.

Next, he fastened the board he cut to the door to form the base that the trash can would sit on. He used wood glue and pocket hole screws to do this. He recommends buying a Kreg jig for this type of work — it is easy to use and comes with instructions and some basic hardware to get started. You could also use trim nails if you don’t mind filling and sanding the nails holes later on.