Take an old ladder to new heights with these fun craft-it-yourself ideas.
I'm willing to bet that you have an old step ladder in your garage or basement. You know the one -- covered in old paint with the wobbly leg. Too bad it's useless, right? Wrong! You can reuse that old ladder without stepping on a single rung. Here are a few fun ways to re-purpose that ladder and put it to good use around the house, without spending a dime.
Photos: Charles Walton IV for Southern Living/Deborah Ory for Woman's Day
If your ladder is a bit dingy, clean it up, scrape or sand off the old paint unless you're going for that shabby chic look. Tighten up that wobbly leg, and try one of these nifty ideas:
1. Bookshelf. You've seen ladder-shaped bookshelves, right? Well, obviously, they were inspired by the real thing. You can use an old ladder as a bookshelf and save yourself a lot of cash while still getting the same look.
2. Pot rack. How fun is this idea we spotted over on
Woman's Day? Just take an old ladder and place it on its side, affix to the ceiling and use it to hang your pots and pans!
3. Towel rack. You know those
ladder towel racks that run upwards of $50 or even
$75? Why not use your old ladder instead and save that money for some new bath salts or a towel upgrade?
4. Plant stand. You can actually buy
ladder plant stands, but why spend $99 when you have a free one collecting dust?
5. Closet organizer. Ladies, do you want somewhere to hang or rest your purse collection? What about sweaters, or maybe you need somewhere to hang your pants or rest your shoes? An old ladder in the closet is a great place to organize your clothing and accessories.
6. Nightstand. If your ladder has flat rungs that are like small shelves, you can use a ladder as a nightstand. Simply place the ladder next to the bed and use the rungs to place your alarm clock, books or magazines and phone (or whatever else you keep next to the bed).
7. Wall decor. Hang an old ladder on the wall as art! Paint it a fun color to match your room, or affix family memorabilia to the rungs and use it as a wall display.
Want more repurposing ideas? Check out
5 things you can do with an old t-shirt.
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Reader comments (Page 1 of 1)
This is actually one of the clever ideas that I can really use.
ReplyI will look for an old ladder at the Goodwill Store.
For $5, one might make a cute plant stand.
Very good idea. I think I will hit "junk shop row" this afternoon.
Those old things are good for hanging scarves and belts on too. They need to be sanded and varnished or painted so as not to snag the more delicate things or cause splinters. Keeps scarves from getting creased.
ReplyA ladder would make a trellis for your vine-type plants to climb. Two of them together would make a nice privacy screen.for the patio or deck.
Replythank you
ReplyUse an old ladder as a quilt rack
Reply