Give An Old Bucket New Life And Turn It Into A Cutesy Home Storage Solution

Looking to upgrade your space with more functional decor like decorative baskets? Sure, you can buy a wide range of home storage items, from wicker baskets to fabric bins, but those products may take a large investment upfront. For a smart alternative, the creators behind YouTube channel DIY Home decor repurposed old plastic buckets to customize adorable basket-style storage containers. It's an inexpensive DIY that's also eco-friendly, since you're upcycling something that might otherwise end up in the trash. And the finished product will open up all kinds of creative ways to use baskets to organize your kitchen clutter and other rooms.

The basic idea is to cover a plastic container with decorative rope or twine to give it the look of a basket. You'll wrap and glue the rope around the bucket horizontally and finish it off with special touches. While the inspiration project starts with a small, round plastic bucket, you can choose a variety of containers. A square plastic ice cream container shakes up the design with a unique shape. Choose a larger bucket if you need extra storage space, or collect a trio of plastic containers in different sizes to use the rule of decorating in threes. You'll also need your chosen covering (such as burlap or patterned fabric), hot glue, and embellishments. If you repurpose a bucket around the home and use craft materials you already have, you can create a free, decorative storage container in a few hours — it might end up being one of your favorite DIY storage solutions for a small space.

Before you start, clean the bucket well, especially if it was used for food or anything dirty. Like many DIY projects, this one is flexible, starting with whether or not you cut off the top rim. Removing it creates straight sides, and if you leave the top intact, it makes a thicker edge.

Cover the bottom of the bucket and line the inside with burlap for a natural basket look or another fabric, such as gingham cloth, for a colorful design. Rope or twine is ideal for covering the sides to add texture. Consider the thickness, color, and texture of the rope — for example, Dollar Tree's Floral Garden Cotton Nautical Rope offers a chunky, light-colored option, while Floral Garden Decorative Nautical Rope is thinner and darker with a rougher texture. In the video from DIY Home decor, thinner twine creates the triangles around the top, an addition you can customize with different patterns or twine color combos that stand out against the rope covering. Glue single strands of the rope around the bucket (covering the plastic completely), or braid three strands together for a thicker version.

Reattach the handle from the top rim of the bucket after covering it with rope, if desired. A wire is a suitable substitute, or you could skip the handle completely. Thick rope, leather, or other materials running along the top of the bucket will create a clean finished edge. Add leather shapes, twine flowers, artificial flowers, ribbons, metal studs, or other embellishments to detail the sides, top edge, and handle. Whether you use it as office storage to declutter your workspace or an under-cabinet organizer, this basket makes tidying up cutesy and fun.