Asked on Oct 13, 2018

How do I upcycle a plastic laundry hamper ?

Leanne
by Leanne

I have this old laundry hamper I would like to use again and haven't been able to think of how to make it a statement peice or not an eye sore. The bottom is plastic, the top leather. Decoupage? I have pretty decorative paper I've been dying to use

Some of the paper I have

Paper I have for decoupage

I want to do something with this peice just don't know what

  15 answers
  • Dianne MacKay Dianne MacKay on Oct 13, 2018

    Chalk paint would give it new life and it seems to have texture that would be hidden with the paper if on the bin. Then the lid with that gorgeous paper would be stunning.

  • Jan Clark Jan Clark on Oct 13, 2018

    Are you repurposing the hamper? If you aren't remember that it still needs airflow to keep the clothes from getting grody. Personally, I would clean it well and use a color or pattern on the outside that is not paint (which will probably clog the tiny holes). A stain or ink would make more sense - as long as it will stick. Maybe even Unicorn Spit. Anyway, for the top - will decoupage be okay with the soft surface?? I do love your paper but am unsure as to how it would work with that padded top. Depending on how you do the bottom, you could recover the top with fabric and just staple in on the underside - like the current cover is stapled. In any case, make it yours!

  • Tinyshoes Tinyshoes on Oct 13, 2018

    Leanne....I have one similar from years ago. I spray painted mine white then used a beige color for top but my top was wooden. I think the chalk paint would be nice and that decorative paper you have will be great!

  • Kelly Denoyer Russell Kelly Denoyer Russell on Oct 14, 2018

    I personally would spray paint it then wrap the top in a pretty fabric and use a staple gun. Borrow the gun from a friend if you don’t have one. Wouldn’t need much fabric. Now onto that beautiful paper.....have you seen the decoupage faux pumpkins?! So pretty! I’d be all over that. If you don’t have any get them clearanced this year for next years project. Not sure why those stupid pumpkins are so expensive at the craft stores 😳

  • Ana Bacallao Ana Bacallao on Oct 14, 2018

    How I remember these for my baby’s room. If your intent is to keep it as a hamper, I would definitely paint the bottom, probably white, and cover the top with one of your pretty papers. If you want to create something else, I would paint the bottom a dark color, and attach a round piece of wood, stained to contrast and sealed and use as an accent table.

  • Kauai Breeze Kauai Breeze on Oct 14, 2018

    I covered one using a pretty fabric on the bottom. I cut the fabric to size then sprayed glue on the back of the fabric and attached it to the wicker. I used upholstery trim to cover the top and bottom edges, using a glue gun.

  • Leanne Leanne on Oct 14, 2018

    Thank you all so much! I was not aware that a hamper needs air flow so I am so happy I asked. I think I'll try and clean it the best I can and cover the top In fabric.. Or repurpose it for an accent table.

  • Ili Ili on Oct 14, 2018

    If it is true leather I will just clean it really good and upholster the lid with a great coordinating fabric....maybe would add felt/leather/or ?? initials or a heart or a bird or flower, depending your own décor...JMO

  • SHARE SHARE on Oct 14, 2018

    I spray painted the bottom of mine a dark brown. Then I decoupaged the top with the same fabric I had made my bathroom curtains with. I also sewed the same fabric to the bottom of some towels and made a seat cover with the same fabric. Then I covered a tissue box with the same material and refill it when I run out. Did a few other little things with the same fabric for accents. Turned out real nice looking. Not very good at putting pictures on the net so you can see what I did. Hope this helped. Good luck

  • Diane Coverdale Diane Coverdale on Oct 14, 2018

    My parents had one just like that. Theirs got ruined by us sitting on it too much, so my dad used left over pieces of wall paneling from the basement rec room to make a new hamper. Our hamper had a black lid so it looked fine when finished.

    Just double checked your picture and yes it looked just like theirs. I think he just kept the top and bottom for the paneling to get nailed on to. So maybe a small bundle of pine wainscoting if you want to use it still as a hamper (but make sure you have a bit of space between the slats for venting! You might want to thing of something different for the lid?

  • Kellie Collins Kellie Collins on Oct 14, 2018

    i had one like that too! i lived in a 1 floor rancher house and the bedrooms/bathroom was at one end and the laundry area was at the other end. i was so tired of lugging all the clothes from the hamper to the laundry area that i got the idea to put wheels on it! soooo much easier to do - just roll the whole deal down the hall! never tried to paint it or anything like that, but those wheels sure came in handy!

  • Leoneq Leoneq on Oct 15, 2018

    I spray painted mine and then covered the top with fabric that matched my curtains. Very easy.

  • Linda Linda on Oct 16, 2018

    I would spray paint it.

  • I would spray the body of it and decoupage the top. That'd be so fun and a bright statement piece.