New Uses for Old Kitchen Cabinets

Looking back on our 2005 kitchen renovation, there's one thing I wish I'd done differently: salvage the cabinets. Were they truly ugly? Or did I have vintage gems right under my nose and just not realize it?

So, before your old kitchen cabinets are hauled away, consider how you might be able to repurpose them elsewhere in the house. Maybe they could be relocated to the garage for general tool and odds-and-ends storage, for example.

If you boast a little DIY know-how, you can get even more creative. You can refinish and reinvent individual cabinets in endless -- and endlessly exciting -- ways! For starters, some adjustments and refinishing can produce "new" bedside tables or display cabinets for collectibles.

How about taking the doors off and turning them into bookshelves? Or leave the doors on larger cabinets and use them to corral toys or for craft and linen storage.

Are your cabinets super-sturdy? Here's a really clever idea: flip one onto its back, add rolling casters and you have a handy rolling storage bin. Use it to hold toys, magazines, blankets -- whatever you need. Add a cushion and it can serve double duty as a convenient ottoman or footstool.

Cabinets also make cozy sleeping quarters for rabbits, guinea pigs or other small animals. Just place it inside your pet's hutch or other enclosure. Caution: be sure to thoroughly strip off all the paint first and remove the cabinet entirely if your pet is a hard-core chewer. Also, remember that small pets should live primarily indoors for their safety and well-being.

Discover new functions for old cabinets outdoors, too. In a relatively weather-proof spot such as a front porch, back patio or greenhouse, cabinets can be a convenient place to stash those small garden tools you use most often. Secateurs, trowels, plant tags and fertilizer, for instance, could be stored here to save countless trips to the garage.

How about repurposing cabinets for mudroom shoe and boot storage? Or as handy recycling containers?

Finally, here's one tip especially for frequent online shoppers: turn a leftover cabinet into a front porch delivery box for large packages. Your orders will be protected from wet weather and the prying eyes of passersby. Just make sure to label it so your mail carriers know what it's there for.

Any other ideas for reinventing kitchen cabinets? I want to hear your crafty ideas!