The Hoarder's Revenge

If I had just a smidge less pride I'd show you a picture of all the junk in my garage.  In fact, I almost did post a photo.  But something won't let me push the necessary button. 

I'm just a little wary of officially earning that dreaded title of "hoarder".  What a horrible name for lovers of cool junk!  Now, if you can't throw away trash and you have to keep every newspaper since 1979, I think that might indicate a problem, but cool junk should certainly be the exception to the "horder" label. 

In my own defense, I must say that I have some REALLY COOL junk in my garage!   When I need something for a project, I can usually find it in the garage and spare myself having to go out and hunt it down or, worse yet, PAY for it!

For five or six years I had this little cabinet in the garage.  I think I paid either 4 or 6 dollars for it at a garage sale.  It was dark wood with antiqued brass knobs and a curvy colonial trim piece on top -- very grandma!  Now, don't get me wrong, I LOVE grandmas!  I think grandmas are the coolest people on the planet!  I adored my grandmas!  But sometimes grandmas have some outdated stuff that hasn't been around long enough to be vintage or antique yet!  This was one of those things. 

The little cabinet sat in the garage for all those years, was a survivor of several garage sales, and gathered a good coating of dust.  But it was still a little cabinet and I LOVE little cabinets (and anything with little drawers too!) and I knew it had potential if only I could find the inspiration!

Then one day I was flipping through a magazine and saw a similar cabinet that had been made into a jewelry cabinet.  Alas, I'm going to have to quit showing photos of magazine spreads because I think I'm about to get in trouble for copyright issues, so you'll have to do without the inspiration photo.  Sigh.  The good thing about that is now you'll never know if my interpretation pales in comparison to my inspiration! 

I immediately went out into my heap of a garage and dusted off my little cabinet.  I removed the trim piece on top, spray painted it white, and added rabbit wire (also from the garage!) to the the doors.  Then I raided my box of knobs (I always save knobs even if I don't like them and this project absolutely justifies that habit).  And here is my finished product!

I hang earrings on the rabbit wire on the doors which is just the best way I know to store earrings!  I stashed some of my favorite little silver and chrystal dishes inside to hold things that don't hang well.  I added a little lamp that had also been loitering around in the garage forever (and drilled a hole in the corner of the cabinet to feed the lamp cord through).  The lamp is wonderful because I can actually SEE my jewelry, it has great ambiance, and it makes a terrific night light! 

With this projectI have completely justified the junk in my garage!  Right?  Or, at the very least, the 3 other little cabinets I have out there!  Their day will come!

On second thought, go ahead and call me a hoarder if you must!  I'll get the last laugh as my junk stash gradually gets transformed into cool projects!