The Best Way To Repurpose Your Old Toolbox And Use It In Your Garden

Gardens can be a great place to reuse items that might end up in the trash. Plenty of household items can be repurposed in your yard and garden, including yogurt containers, wine bottles, and empty milk jugs. These things can find new life among the plants and flowers as planters, a garden wall, or a place to sow seeds before they're ready to be transferred to the soil. Even a dingy, rusty old toolbox that's way past its prime can be upcycled in your yard to hold whatever you need. You can update the look of your toolbox and then either hang it or keep it mobile.

This toolbox upcycling idea is a way to DIY a garden storage space without a shed, especially if you don't have many supplies. For this simple DIY, you'll need a toolbox of any size — whether it's made of metal, plastic, or wood — to paint, decoupage, or keep natural. You'll repurpose it into a container to keep gardening tools, store seedlings, or just as a garden catch-all container. As for the design, grab some paints or decoupage to give it a new color or look.

First, you'll empty out that old toolbox and clean off any dust or leftover dirt. What you do next depends on what kind of look you're going for. If you want to paint a metal toolbox, you should use a metal primer to hide any scratches or imperfections — if that's what you desire — and to make the paint last longer. If you're not interested in painting the toolbox, you can decoupage your new design onto it, but make sure to use Outdoor Mod Podge to ensure your art can survive the elements. Or keep the rust marks, scratches, and all for a rustic look.

Next, consider where you want to put it in your garden. Hanging your newly designed, recycled container somewhere will require some screws and metal brackets or hooks. If your plans include keeping it accessible and mobile instead, grab a metal stand to put it on either in your shed or on your patio. After you're done, the upcycled item is ready for its new life as a garden storage container. This is just one of many creative ways to repurpose an old toolbox around your home.