I love the diversity of crates. Natural, stained, painted, or rugged wood. Square or rectangular. Tall or squatty.
Plus they make an excellent basket or shelf for storage. There truly is a crate to meet all of your needs!
For many years crates have been used as a means of storage (it makes me think of the milk man or collecting fresh fruit from orchards).
But aside from the obvious, here are some crafty things you can DIY create with crates!
Furniture
Open Pantry
Yes, this looks similar to a bookshelf. But this one is designed to be an open pantry!
Can you imagine how functional this would be for food? I imagine it would make an excellent craft shelf as well.
Crates make amazing shelving units, especially when you can find crates with drawers and extra shelves!
Built-in Shelving or Bookshelves
Who doesn’t love built-ins? Sometimes DIY shelving can be expensive and time consuming.
Using crates takes care of most of the work! Simply attach the crates together and paint the color of your choice. The result is a stunning built-in or bookshelf!
I love this beachy look with the white washed crates.
Similar to the previous shelving unit, crates can function as a shoe storage unit.
Most mother’s will love this idea because: 1. Most women own too many pairs of shoes and 2. Every family seems to multiple shoes by the week. Got some crates? Problems solved.
Nightstand
Bed side tables have one main purpose: to store items we need easily accessible while we’re in bed. Two crates stacked together offer an easy storage solution, plus have a flat surface for books, photo frames, lamps and alarm clocks.
Bench
Stack a few crates together, add a nice wooden top and some fancy legs, and you have yourself a nice crate bench!
I love how this one is painted red so it will really stand out on your porch.
Welcome guests to your home with this DIY bench made from crates.
This ottoman offers storage in the crates and a comfy upholstered top for seating.
For Your Pets
Pet Food Bowls
How adorable is this crate with cut outs for your pet’s food and water bowls?
It’s raised so larger pets won’t have to bend to the floor, and sturdy enough that it can take their excitement around meal time.
What a crafty way to use a crate!
If you have a smaller pet, this is the perfect bed to make for them. It’s compact yet will blend it with the rest of your furniture.
They will feel like royalty in this bed! And, if you’re up for a bigger project, I am sure you could combine multiple crates to hold your larger cats or dogs.
Functional and fashionable. That makes this crate pet bed a win!
For Your Kids
If you have a son, then you understand how popular little toy cars are. And you probably also understand the parking dilemma.
With simply a crate and cardboard tubes, you can design your very own toy car garage for your little boy to enjoy!
This look like’s a little boys dream toy!
Toy Wagon
Reinforce the bottom of a crate for extra support. Add a fabric handle.
Let you kids enjoy the fun! If your crate is too small, no worries. Create a wagon for their toys and baby dolls instead.
Wheels and a handle transform an ordinary crate into an extraordinary wagon!
For your Garden
Adults and children alike are guaranteed to enjoy this garden planter train designed out of crates!
Imagine how this would add character to your garden during every season of the year!
Who knew there were so many creative ways to craft with crates.
Be on the lookout for unique crates at your local craft stores, yard sales, and antique shops, and let your DIY inspiration flow!