Not willing to make city-issue recycling bins part of your interior decor? Neither are we. So in the spirit of storage more attractive and convenient, we turned produce crates into rolling organizers small enough to line up in the kitchen or mudroom. Plastic bins are tucked inside so you can easily remove and empty the goods into the big blue bins kept outdoors (and out of sight).
Materials: Produce crate, drill, four casters, four screws, Velcro, chalkboard, chalk, and plastic bin First: Pick up a produce crate from a local grocery store (some will give them away) or antiques market. Then: Drill four holes on the bottom of the crate, one in each corner. Use small screws to attach a caster through each hole. Finish: Cut two strips of Velcro. Adhere one side of each strip to the crate, then adhere the corresponding sides to the chalkboard. Use chalk to label each (or jot down the date of your next recycling pick-up). Insert plastic bin. For simple sorting, use Velcro to attach a chalkboard to each crate, then label with the recyclable it’s mean to corral.
