Storage Bins for those on a Tight Budget

[Tater50]

I came up w/this idea last year. Most supermarket food courts will "gladly" give you 6/10 cans (about 1 gallon size) if you promise to pick them up on their schedule. Your only cost is screws & fender washers.
1. Rip a 2x4 on the edge @ a 45 degree angle & attach "edgewise" to a "wood" wall @ the lowest point of your storage section. I drilled a 3/8" pilot hole about 3/4" deep & then drilled a hole for the screw to go through the 2/4.
2. Attach on the angle these 6/10 cans w/a screw & fender washer on the inside upper portion. I drilled a small hole in lowest point for seepage of any sort.
3. ALL adjacent rows can be staggered w/screws & fender washers.
4. Also: 2 small soup cans can be placed in the 6/10 can to hold 2 items of similar content; like 1/4" flat washer & 1/4" lock washer.
5. I put up about 100 for ALL my bolts, nuts, washers & small items; plumbing , etc.
BTW: you need NO lids & can easily see what you have. Rake out the items into a plastic tray; get what you need & toss the rest back. Pics below

 

[Patsdeere]

Very clever and creative.

 

[Tater50]

Thanks; maybe I remember this quote right!! Necessity is the mother of invention. And being poor you have to look for more!!

 

[Bob Harvey]

And conversely " mothers are the necessity of invention". ;^)

 

[Geo-TH,In]

Tater
I use folgers cans with lids to keep the stink bugs
out.
geo.

 

[Ellis Kinney]

Here is my tight budget storage, Ellis

 

[JMS/.MN]

Churches with food projects are another good source of cans. Ours puts on bouja every month during winter months. Easily a dozen large cans each time- tomato, vegetables, etc. Otherwise they go in the trash. OK, who knows what "bouja" is?

 

[DoubleO7]

Another similar reuse project for storage like that is square plastic buckets.
They can be sourced from schools, bakeries, grocery stores with in house bakerie, etc.
Usually about 10" sq an 12" deep or so.
One real shelf then start stacking them up and screw the bottom to the wall. You can reuse the snap on lids too for stuff you do not want to get all dusty over time. Lids help stifle the effects of too much humidity also.