Turn bargain baskets into stylish storage

Around my house there is never enough storage, how about you? I'm feeling inspired to organize and beautify and this means I need places to put things. Preferably darling little baskets and cute totes to stash all the stuff. While the decorating spirit is willing, the budget is weak.

Dollar stores to the rescue! They have lots of great (and cheap!) plastic storage solutions with only one drawback: rather intense color. Although the colors may be perfect for a child's room, I imagine most of us would prefer a more sophisticated palate for our personal space.

So, I started experimenting with spray paints and craft paints on plastic. It's really fun and easy to transform any plastic container into something so pretty you can display it in any room of the house. For a little cash and a dash of creativity you can perk up your powder room, coordinate your closet, add some kitsch to your kitchen and de-clutter your desk.

Since we'll be changing the color, when you select containers just look at the shape and size. If you have a specific spot for your beautiful container be sure you take measurements for a perfect fit.

Here's How:

Be sure your spray paint will bond with plastic. Protect your working area with a plastic tarp or newspaper. Follow the manufacturer's directions regarding ventilation and temperature guidelines. Paint drips can be a problem so several light coats are much better than one or two thick coats of paint. Allow the base paint to thoroughly dry before you add any embellishment. Be patient, some of my containers still felt tacky after 24 hours.

If you use a stencil to add decoration, be sparing with the stencil adhesive. The adhesive can leave residue on the painted bin.

Here are some ideas to get you started:

Spray paint a variety of containers black and use gold paint with a stencil for an elegant vintage look.

Use metallic spray paints to make baskets and buckets look like metal. Hammered copper and brushed nickel paints work especially well. Very industrial chic.

Use spray adhesive to glue pretty tissue, wrapping paper or thin fabric to bins. You could also cut pieces out of the design to glue to the bin. Seal with an acrylic spray coating or clear acrylic sealer like Mod Podge for durability.

Choose one color to unify different styles of basket. Or choose several coordinating colors for the same style of basket to harmonize with your color scheme.

For less than $10 you can craft a bunch of baskets and totes that are pretty enough to be shown off, not relegated to the closet or the kiddies' rooms. Every time I look at these stylish new containers they make me so happy. I'm certain no one would ever guess they started out as dollar store specials.

DÃ©cor on a Dime contributed by Patti Diamond, from Divas On A Dime – Where Frugal, Meets Fabulous! www.divasonadime.com. Join us on Facebook at DivasOnADimeDotCom.