Give Your Climbing Plants A Place To Grow With A Clever Repurposing Solution

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Who says over-the-toilet furniture has to stay in the bathroom? With a little creativity, an old bathroom storage shelf can take on a whole new mission as a gorgeous plant stand. Their awkward design, meant to fit snugly above a toilet, can make repurposing a bit difficult in many areas. But there are many ways to repurpose an old over-the-toilet storage shelf to give it a brand new purpose, whether it's inside your home or out in the garden. With barely any supplies, you can turn yours into a lovely spot for your climbing plants.

Over-the-toilet storage shelves can look a little bit awkward once they're out of the bathroom. They look like a bookshelf with the bottom half missing, leaving an empty gap where the toilet once fit. But that unique design is exactly what makes them ideal plant stands, especially for vines and climbing varieties in need of some support, which can weave their way around the frame. The storage shelf essentially acts as a trellis, and before long, the whole unit will be covered in greenery, creating a lush and jungle-like plant stand.

The best part about these units is that you don't need any extra supplies to repurpose them as plant stands. The built-in shelves are perfect for holding pots, and the vines will naturally wrap themselves around the frame. If you want to give your plants a bit of extra support or want to guide trailing plants upwards, you can use Perszen Plant Support Clips. You can also tie the vines in place with some twine to guide weak stems as they grow.

This hack works wonders just about anywhere. You can set the shelf on a balcony, patio, or porch to give your potted plants a little extra vertical space. You can also move it into the garden, near vines planted in the ground or in larger containers. When you use this plant stand outside, make sure to position it near a wall or fence so that it's protected from wind and won't topple over. For even more stability, grab a flat piece of scrap wood and use hard glue to anchor the shelf onto it as a base. If the shelf unit is made of metal, use some polyurethane-based hard glue, which works well to secure wood to metal. If your unit is constructed of wood, some simple wood glue will work.

Many over-the-toilet units are made from waterproof materials, since they're designed to handle steamy and wet bathrooms. This gives you an ideal base for an outdoor plant holder, although you can take some steps to make it even more weatherproof and long-lasting. If the shelf unit is metal, apply a layer of anti-rust coating, like Rust-Oleum's Rust Inhibitor Spray. For a wood shelf, look for a wood sealer instead, such as one typically used to waterproof outdoor furniture and decks. If you're dealing with a plastic shelf, your DIY should already be waterproof.

While it works great outside, you can also place this DIY inside to house indoor plants that like to climb. Place the shelf in a living room or bedroom, and don't worry about it looking like bathroom furniture for long. Soon enough, climbing plants will make you feel like you're living a fairytale, covering the entire unit. 

So, what kinds of climbing plants can effortlessly cover your new plant sand? Outdoors, try climbing roses (Rosa setigera) or mandevilla. Keep in mind that many outdoor climbing plants have the potential to be invasive. For example, there are several clematis varieties that you'll regret planting in your garden. Similarly, star jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides) can grow on a trellis, but you'll need to make sure to trim and contain it to prevent it from taking over. Always check whether plants you're introducing to your garden are on any lists of invasive species beforehand, especially with climbing and vining plants, many of which might be considered weeds. 

Indoors, pothos and various types of philodendron work beautifully. You can place these on the top shelf and let their vines cascade downward, or set them on the ground or lower shelf and use clips to guide their vines around the frame. For an extra touch, consider adding trailing plants on top, too. Strings of Hearts (Ceropegia) and similar trailing options can create even more lush and layered greenery to completely cover the upcycled over-the-toilet storage shelf.