A Small but Useful DIY

For a while now, I've wanted to try to find some kind of storage solution for all of the condiments that I keep next to the stove top in the kitchen.

For many years, I had a small plastic tray that I stood them all on, but during a purge on unnecessary clutter in the kitchen earlier this year, when I first embarked on using the Flylady system, I decided to donate the tray.

Instead, I started using a small wooden box with two compartments and a handle, that I had previously used to store stationary in my kitchen office area. Having disbanded this kitchen office, the box was freed up and put to good use.  I think I'd bought it at a car boot or CS originally and had painted it with white eggshell paint, but it was now looking a bit chipped and tatty and didn't really fit in all that well with the kitchen scheme, so I was on the look out for something more permanent to replace it.

After a couple of months looking in TK Maxx at possible solutions, I came to the conclusion that everything I'd seen was a little flimsy and what I was already using was probably my best bet.  The wooden box was solid and sturdy, just the right size for everything I needed to keep in it and was easy to carry across to the table at mealtimes, as it had a sturdy wooden handle too.

The only problem with it, aside from the tatty paintwork, was that it's bottom was a bit scratchy and I was concerned it might scratch the kitchen table.  As a consequence, I got to thinking how I might resolve both of these things in giving it a bit of a makeover.

As is often the case with my makeovers, I forgot to take a before picture of the box, but I proceeded to repaint it using some black chalkboard paint that I had left over from other projects. The paint has a nice matt texture and should fit in with any potential future kitchen scheme. It was also pretty quick drying too, which made it a very quick DIY, as I just painted it straight over the eggshell without any sanding necessary.



To resolve the scratchiness of the bottom of the box, after giving it a coat of paint, I glued some wool fabric that I had in my stash onto the bottom of the box, so there'll be no more scratchiness and no scratched kitchen table.



It's not perfect but the makeover cost me nothing save a little time, and I'm very happy with the results.  Just goes to show that what we think we need can sometimes be right there all the time waiting for a bit of inspiration to transform it.

Here's a picture of the finished box and it's contents both on the table and in it's usual place on the kitchen worktop: