DIY Laundry Hamper using a Thrift Store End Table
The Farmhouse Hens Do Thrift Store Makeovers
This month the Farmhouse Hens are collaborating to share thrift store makeovers. My talented friends have been busy upcycling on a budget. I am excited to see what they have designed and created. Their links are located after my post on a DIY Wire Hamper using an Old Thrift Store Table.
Have you seen those gorgeous retro wire laundry baskets? I certainly have and as usual, I wasn’t able to convince myself I needed one enough to pay more than 150 dollars for a laundry hamper. I finally got around to making myself a DIY laundry hamper for about $80 including the 50 feet of wire fencing.
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This table was a $10 thrift store find, that I dropped carrying into the house, putting a nice big hole on the top. The table was supposed to go to the curb for over a year and for whatever reason it never did. While searching through the cut wood pile for scraps to make the bottom of the laundry basket I saw the table and realized it was perfect. For today’s project, I am using the top of the table, and plan on making a second smaller basket using the bottom round.
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Making the Base
First of all, I needed to repair the damage. I used wall putty then sanded it down. As it was damaged on the edge, it needed three applications and sanding so that I could build up the corner. It then received two coats of turquoise paint that I had leftover from doing an outdoor bench last year.
Once it was painted I went to add the casters. I bought four casters checking for colour and size etc. and brought them home. Only one of the four were swivels although they were in the same bin. Hubs went back to the store and got the casters I needed. You want to make sure you have matching casters that all swivel and at least one should have a brake on it.
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Make the Wire Basket
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The wire portion of the DIY wire hamper is made using simple galvanized wire gauge fencing. I measured around the circumference of the bottom and then added an inch before cutting the wire the full width of the 36″ fencing. I then cut off the first two rounds, leaving it at 28″.
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You can leave the metal as is, but I spray painted mine white and let it dry before continuing.
Wrap the wire around the base and seal the back together like on our dog fence. I looked at both Home Depot and Lowes and could not find what I wanted, so I ended up just wrapping the existing wire around the ends as nicely as possible.
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Doing the wire this way was time-consuming, but the wraps look pretty neat and tidy. I used a pair of needle nose pliers to twist the wire and regular pliers to pull the wire and pinch the wire together.
Place the wire over the edge of the bottom. Laying your hamper on its side, line the wire along the edge of your base, making sure it is even all the way around. This coffee table had a ridge along the side that I followed to fill it in, instead of using the top.
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To finish the DIY laundry hamper all I needed to do was cut and then wrap the wire around the underside of the base. I cut the wires using a small pair of wire cutters.
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Some of the wires needed to be trimmed and twisted, but most of them I could just bend and wrap over the edge of the coffee table top using my fingers.
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I finished my hamper off by sewing a Laundry Basket Liner to match the curtains in my laundry room. If you don’t want to make one, you can purchase a fabric liner, or use the wire laundry basket just as it is.
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Farmhouse Hen’s Thrift Store Upcycles
Enjoy! I am sure there will be several posts here to inspire you to make something beautiful and one of a kind.
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How do you make the liner? To make it the right size?
Hi Debra. Thank you for reaching out. The liner is a separate post, here is the link. http://prettydiyhome.com/2018/04/13/how-to-make-a-wire-hamper-liner/
This is such a creative idea Leanna! I love the fabric you chose. So pretty!
This is super. I love the fabric you used. It looks so high end, and chic.
Totally digging this upcycled hamper. Nice work.
You are so clever and talented! What an amazing project, Leanna!
Leanna – Congratulations on being featured at My Soulful Home Sundays at Home Link Party! I was so excited to see you on the list of featured posts! That is awesome! You’re not afraid of anything, are you? I would now even know how to begin with iron fencing! That laundry basket is an amazingly creative approach!
Hi Kristine. It true that I am pretty much willing to try anything frugal. I tend to avoid sewing with expensive fabrics, for example, preferring to use sheets etc, but if it’s inexpensive I figure whats the worst that can happen lol. Thank you for commenting, I love hearing from you.
Beautiful basket! Love the bloggers who are getting back to basics so the rest of us can relate. Some have beautiful new and expensive tastes (which is easier to afford with the vendors help..and I don’t resent it, but hard for us regular people to relate). Thanks for your creativity and I am signing up for your newsletter.
I am very touched by your comment. It is so encouraging to hear your appreciation and frankly its comforting to hear. A heartfelt thank you!
This is SOOOO CUTE!! And what a GREAT idea to have a hamper on wheels!! LOVE IT!
Thank you Myriah. The wheels are really handy for moving it out of the way.
Wow! Cool idea! I love how it turned out.
This is such an awesome project! Such a fabulous repurpose of an end table! Love the fabric you chose!
Wow! I am speechless! AMAZING
Oh wow, what a great idea! I absolutely love the look of this hamper, well done! ❤️
Thank you very much, I am quite excited about how it turned out.
Love how this turned out! It’s amazing how you can transform things that are junk into something so wonderful. You saved a lot of money too which is always awesome! Great work, Leanna!
Thank you very much Carolann. The wire hampers are gorgeous but any that I saw are either way too much money, or too small. I am excited with this project and your sweet for commenting.
How clever is that! Wow, I had no idea the hampers were that expensive. Well done making your own, it’s gorgeous!
Where do you get these ideas???? Sooooo smart! You are amazing!
Thank you, Bon Bon. Like no one else in the world you know its from all those years of making a home with what we had. Hugs Lea
That’s a great example of thrifty and creative, Leanna! One question: is the wire that you used stiff enough so that the top of the laundry basket isn’t likely to be pushed down or mis-shapen? I’m not familiar with that type of fencing so I wondered whether it would need to be strengthened in some way. I really like the liner you made, too. Thanks for sharing your very creative project!
The top of the wire is pliable because I only reinforced it with the material. If you fell on it, I think it would bend, but I expect it to hold up very well to everyday use. Alternatively, I thought of using a dog fence but then the wire is too hard to bend circular.
I hope that answers your question. Thanks for commenting.
Wow did you knock it out of the ball park. It is fabulous!
Thank you Debra. I am so happy to have it in my laundry room. I had this awful plastic bins for eons and the lids fell off and they tipped over etc. I think this will be a much loved addition.
What a clever idea, Leanna and the hand sewn liner is so pretty! This is a great example of why ya DIYers never throw anything away
Honestly, Marie, I meant to toss that table several times, annoyed with myself for breaking it. I am really glad I didn’t.
What a great idea Leanna! Love how it turned out so bright and pretty and that’s not normally something you would say about a laundry basket lol!
Wow! That’s thinking outside the box. Love this idea. And it’s giving me so many new ideas for things. Pinned!
Thank you Stephanie, I really appreciate the pin. This project was fun to do and it’s so nice to chuck out the old plastic hampers that won’t stand upright.
OMG…this is crazy clever. I love this hamper and the liner you sewed is perfect.
Thank you Denise, I have just a little bit of that fabric left, so I save it for my basement projects. I so enjoy posting with the Farmhouse Hens, you talented ladies challenge me.