Say Goodbye To The Eyesore Of Storage Bins With Scrap Wallpaper

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Don't scrap those ugly bins. You know the ones — utilitarian, likely some form of plastic, definitely a function-over-form situation. While they are invaluable for sorting, say, your beauty products, crafting supplies, or other miscellany, they're not all that cute. That may not feel like a huge hurdle for organizers meant to live in a cupboard or cabinet. But if they're going to be put on display — whether stacked inside a bookshelf or atop some other type of open shelving — it would be nice if they were, you know, display-worthy.

Fortunately, there is a solution that will truly stick with you, and it involves using up any scraps of wallpaper you may have lying around so, you know, two birds, one stone. This DIY works best with any type of plastic, acrylic, glass, metal, or even cardboard container. You just want a surface that the paper can truly stick to. And while a peel-and-stick paper is certainly the most user-friendly option, you can make spare pieces of traditional wallpaper work, you'll just need to get creative with your adhesive.

The end result is a storage bin that's truly worth displaying. And not only does adding some patterned paper to the front make the container more eye-catching, but it also helps conceal whatever knick-knacks may be inside. Plus, you can use up those scrap pieces you'd been saving just in case without the guilt of tossing them in the trash. 

To easily install the peel-and-stick front, measure the portion you need and trim it with an X-Acto or other craft knife. Be sure to iron out any bubbles using a wallpaper smoother to ensure a clean appearance. But remember that the beauty of temporary wallpaper is that it can easily be removed if you mess up. 

Using a more traditional variety of paper is possible, it just requires a few extra steps. Since smooth surfaces like plastic or acrylic don't have the necessary grip for standard paper, you'll need to find ways to get it to stick. Double-sided tape works well to adhere the paper to any surface. Or, you can use the liquid starch method to make it function more like peel-and-stick options. Simply apply the liquid starch to the surface, smooth on the paper and finish with another layer of liquid starch. 

As with any areas of your home where you're feeling a bit, uh, stuck, adding your fave wallpaper design can certainly breathe new life into your space. In addition to adding a bit of visual interest to storage bins, it helpfully conceals the contents of your otherwise transparent containers. If you don't have extra scraps of the decor element lying around, you can purchase rolls like Orainege Vintage Floral Peel and Stick Wallpaper or Froluya Cream White and Blue Floral Wallpaper on Amazon. But even if you have a collection of random scraps, get creative. A mix of, say, stripe-covered containers and a floral variety can look very intentional and quite eye-catching.