What would YOU use these for?

1. 92

   peeplesposted 8 years ago

   What would YOU use these for?
   
   My husband lucked up and got these cool wood containers from work. He will have an unlimited supply of them since they normally get trashed. I have many ideas for what to do with them, but I want more ideas since we will have so many! So what would you use them for?
   
   

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2. 86

   Austinstarposted 8 years ago

   Raised beds for gardening would be my first guess. Especially if you live in Colorado! Or if you can take them there.
   Storage bins?
   Chicken coops?
   Rabbit hutches?
   Worm farming?
   Caskets for Halloween?
   Watering troughs for livestock (coat the insides with liquid rubber)?
   Fish tank (again, coating the inside with liquid rubber)?

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   1. 92

      peeplesposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      (Wish I lived in Colorado!) Raised beds was my first thought followed by storage. Worm farming is a good idea, good for my garden and for fishing! Good Ideas!

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      TheBizWhizposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      Why do you have to live in Colorado for raised beds? (unless you mean for mary j!) They could be sold 2 urban gardeners.

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   TheBizWhizposted 8 years ago

   You can only personally use so many, so I would suggest creating a way to sell them. They can be marketed as planters, maybe feeding troughs for livestock, or maybe you can alter them to be some type of furniture. You can even get creative and paint designs to make them look funky. The possibilities are endless and is only limited by your imagination. Even if you only make a few $$ off of them, at least it would be more money!
   
   You guys are so lucky. I can't believe that company is throwing them away and not finding a way to recycle them and make money. If you do happen to start making money off of them, tell your husband not to let the company know. I guarantee they would stop giving them to you and sell them on their own.
   
   BTW, I am glad to hear your husband is working again!

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   1. 92

      peeplesposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      We were thinking of ways to make it profitable. I'm painting one today to see how it turns out! I'm so excited. I was kind of sad when I heard they were throwing away more than we could fit in the car each day! Thanks! I'm glad too!

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      TheBizWhizposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      Cool! Just keep your brain moving and you should come up with new ideas everyday. How many do they get rid of in a day?

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      peeplesposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      He said usually 20-30 come in and get trashed daily!!

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      TheBizWhizposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      Wow! u might need 2 consider partnering w/ some1 that has a truck and utility trailer. Also, if u can't make a use from them, your husband can network around & try 2 find some1 will buy & connect them w/ his company. b good points w/ the boss

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   5. 89

      MizBejabbersposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      If shipping wouldn't cost me too much, I would love to buy some from you. I would like to make planters out of them.

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4. 87

   bravewarriorposted 8 years ago

   My first thought was raised garden beds. You'd have to drill some drain holes in the bottom, then line with newspaper or landscape fabric so the soil doesn't fall out. They're tall enough that tending and planting them won't be hard on your back or knees.
   
   Another thought is to use them as toy bins for your kids.
   
   You can also use them to store your gardening tools and use them as a surface to pot plants.
   
   Perhaps tear a couple of them down to create a lid on top that can couple as storage and seating for an outdoor patio setting. Buy or make some pads to put on top and you can create beautiful bench seating.
   
   Or line them with potted plants to offset your outdoor living space and add some living color.
   
   There are so many things you can do with those. What a find!

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      TheBizWhizposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      The storage seat is an awesome idea!

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      peeplesposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      I agree the bench seat is an awesome idea! Thanks!

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5. 61

   fpherj48posted 8 years ago

   Hey these are GREAT!  My mind is a-buzz with ideas.  You don't give dimensions and I couldn't even guess by the picture.....BUT
   Painting them and adding decals for children.....Toy box, Mom?  If they're too big for the house.....use them for "outdoor" toys, instead of all over the yard (which is what kids do with their toys!)....
   Have your husband stand them up the long way and secure them into the ground, as a shelter (if your kids wait outside for the school bus)  Secure 3 on top of one another for extra shelving in the garage.
   Search "Junk & Treasure" yards, garage sales for old wagons.  Use the wheels to secure to the bottom of your boxes, drill a couple holes at one end and attach a rope ....place your trash barrels in it and on trash day, just pull all your trash to the curb in one trip.
   Borrow someone's large vehicle to pick up as many as you can.  I believe people WILL buy them from you.  It's all profit!
   Nice stroke of luck!  Look at all the suggestions you're getting.  Have FUN!

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      TheBizWhizposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      Outside storage is great. A cheap plastic 1 from Sam's costs $100, so maybe find some spare plywood @ a residential construction site 2 cut down on costs. They r building a ton of houses n my neighborhood and I used spare wood 2 build a work bench

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      peeplesposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      Toy box was why he first brought them home. We will be doing that! I hadn't thought of outside, but now I am going to put one out there because our backyard currently looks like a tornado hit it, toys everywhere! Thanks

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   M. T. Dremerposted 8 years ago

   With a lid of some kind they could become coffee tables/ottomans. Or serve as holiday decorations (pirate boat for halloween). Personally I would probably use them as storage in a garage or basement, but there certainly are a lot of possibilities.

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   1. 92

      peeplesposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      A couple of them are definitely going to be storage. My husband brought home one today that is huge so it's going in the shed! So excited to have so many available!

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7. 85

   liesl5858posted 8 years ago

   When I saw them, I thought about raised bed gardening. They are very fitting for that purpose. You could sell them as Raised Bed Planters. I am sure a lot of gardeners would like them. They don't have to bend to look after their plants.

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      peeplesposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      Thanks! They will certainly be raised beds. He brought home an even bigger one last night that will be an awesome herb bed!

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8. 78

   chuckandus6posted 8 years ago

   These would make awesome toy boxes. or small entertainment center ! for small tv.Also could use for putting outdoor items in like watering can,ext.,

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   1. 92

      peeplesposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      Thanks. One was officially turned into an outdoor storage box last night.

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9. 62

   LoisRyan13903posted 8 years ago

   I have something similar but without the legs that were used as storage.  Most of the stuff in them got thrown away or sent to salvo.  I didn't want to get rid of them because I thought they looked cool.  So I took them into the living room and flipped them upside down and made a coffer table.  Maybe you can put a lid on one and use for storage or maybe into an apothecary  bench.

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   1. 92

      peeplesposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      Thanks! My husband informed me this morning that they come with lids that usually get thrown out. We are going to get some of the lids and convert to benches and composting bins.

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10. 80

    peachpurpleposted 8 years ago

    Garage sales, dump in all those things you wanna sell, toy bin, great fir kids or flower beds

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    1. 92

       peeplesposted 8 years agoin reply to this

       Thanks! Yard Sales is a good idea!

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11. 89

    MizBejabbersposted 8 years ago

    People have given you some awesome ideas, so I'll add just one. If you can get any with lettering burned in, like brand names and such, I got a great idea from my son. He had a bunch of wooden cases from a store he managed. He made a table from an old bedstead with thick columns. He used the columns for legs by turning them upside down, made a table top out of birch, and painted all this copen blue. He cut the sides of the boxes lengthwise, making sure that all the lettering showed in each strip, and used these pieces in their natural state for reinforcement of the legs, placing them just underneath the top (for skirting). For extra reinforcement he used copper pipe in it's natural state, which he allowed to show about 2 inches under the box strips. Then he clear-coated all the wood pieces. I wish I had a photo to show you because these boxes and the old bed posts made a great looking piece. His client wanted it for a table to use behind her sofa, but using longer side strips and a larger top would make a great dining table.
    How I envy you. I wish I had access to your boxes.

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    1. 92

       peeplesposted 8 years agoin reply to this

       That sounds like a nice table! I am not sure I could pull something like that off, but with the amount we can get I guess it wouldn't hurt to try it!

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       chuckandus6posted 8 years agoin reply to this

       great idea and you can get a wood burning kit at Michaels art store, with instructions on how,they are also very helpful with your craft idea so ask tips.my nephew did some wood burning and it was very cool.

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       MizBejabbersposted 8 years agoin reply to this

       Thats a cool idea, NM. I may try that on some of the plain ones.

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12. 85

    tamarawilhiteposted 8 years ago

    Kid play tables, whether for play sand or put one of those car track carpets in it while keeping the toys mostly contained

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