Asked on Oct 05, 2016

Repurposing old refrigerator parts

Linda
by Linda
My 17 year old refrigerator has bit the dust. New one ordered.
Since ĺearning a lot from the talented people on Hometalk, what would you do with the shelves (Glass) the wire rack and plastic bins for produce and in the door. I know there useable.
How would you recycle them .
  26 answers
  • Johnchip Johnchip on Oct 05, 2016
    Back of pantry or cabinet doors.
  • JEWEL C JEWEL C on Oct 05, 2016
    I'm keeping the old fridge and turning it in to a gun safe. Shelves and drawers for ammo and gun cleaning kits. Any left overs to my sewing room for organizers.
    • Jewellmartin Jewellmartin on Mar 04, 2018

      Jewel C, how did the gun safe work out? Was there space for anything longer than a pistol? Were you able to attach a good lock to it? Any additions? Thanks,

  • Sue Konitz Cerasa Sue Konitz Cerasa on Oct 05, 2016
    We use ours as a smoker
  • Sue Konitz Cerasa Sue Konitz Cerasa on Oct 05, 2016
    Beer kegs fit great with taper mounted to the door
  • B. Enne B. Enne on Oct 05, 2016
    I have reused drawers in deep cabinets and for basement storage. The door bins, if like mine can be used as cleaning/ condiment/craft caddies.
  • Bernadette Staal Bernadette Staal on Oct 05, 2016
    I reused the vegetable / fruit containers for pet food and other pet related products. They fit between the top of my kitchen cupboards and the ceiling. I also used the freezer trays as storage in my waldrope on the thin top shelf above the clothes hanging area. It doubled my storage area.
  • Laraine Hicks Laraine Hicks on Oct 06, 2016
    Kept shelves and added to nervous fridge!
  • Laraine Hicks Laraine Hicks on Oct 06, 2016
    That's new fridge! This thing sometimes assumes my words!
    • B. Enne B. Enne on Oct 06, 2016
      lol...I wondered what a "nervous" fridge was...mine must be "super stressed"! :)
  • J J on Oct 06, 2016
    I kept the old deli drawer and added it to the new refrigerator. The rest of the parts are still in the garage waiting for some inspiration :)
  • Nadine Kilmer Nadine Kilmer on Oct 06, 2016
    Used a couple of door bins to organize smaller things in the freezer.
  • Mary Mary on Oct 06, 2016
    I used the vegetable bins to store my stock of light bulbs. My bins had covers which is nice. I put the bins on top of storage carts in the basement, and with it being "clear" plastic, I can see what's in the bins.
  • Kristin Kristin on Oct 06, 2016
    We used the drawers to tidy up under the bathroom sink and make items on the shelves in the bathroom more accessible. We also stripped the long magnet strips out of the doors and used them on the back of frozen juice can lids the kids had decorated for fridge art. There are also many other uses for the magnet strips.
  • Karen Karen on Oct 06, 2016
    Hi- If the local trash pick won't take you old one away for you, or even if it does, and you haven't come up with a new venue for it, consider donating your old unit to a school or college that offers a repair class. They always need more used ones practice on or to actually repair and sell to make money for the school.
  • Mary Mary on Oct 06, 2016
    I used one of the drawer in my upright freezer to dump ice in . My son uses the ice in his work cooler to keep water and gaterade because he works out side a lot.
  • Linda Linda on Oct 06, 2016
    Thanks everyone some excellent ideas.
  • Liz Liz on Oct 06, 2016
    Here's a pin from a few days ago.....http://pin.it/6n6ylSX
  • Ixchel Ixchel on Oct 06, 2016
    We contacted the electric provider and they recycled ours. See if your electric provider recycles appliances....
  • Pat Ruge Pat Ruge on Oct 06, 2016
    My tenants once broke the glass which sits just above the veggie drawer and I had to go to ebay to buy a new one for $25 plus shipping. You can also find the drawers there on ebay for any where from 25-45 ea. So you might consider salvaging them by listing. My ice maker broke down and they want some where around $70 - I ended up taking the one from the garage & putting it in the kitchen fridge. It so happens that the shelves were compatible so I added a shelf or two for better arrangement. I saw on hometalk, someone took the basket from the freezer, weaved some ribbon or fabric thru it to make an attractive storage ben. Just to add to the already excellent ideas presented already.
  • DeForest Ray Sparks DeForest Ray Sparks on Oct 07, 2016
    How this idea, do you or a friend do a lot of BBQ'ing , if so. take out the compressor, after you remove the freon , it would be best to get a AC Tech. to evacuate the freon out. After getting the freon out and removing all the compressor components and all the wiring you can. Build a wood box that will enclose the fridge with a bottom in it, with the idea of the fridge laying on it,s back, add some legs , you now have a very nice size Ice Chest to keep next to you BBQ pit , you can keep drinks in it and any meats can be put in it and keep them cool and ant insects away , also a good place to keep foods like potato salads or any foods that need to be kept cool, between people serving them selves , it would be a good Idea to fix up a drain of some sort in the former back now bottom of fridge to have a constant drain of the water from the ice as it melts.
  • Kyralee Kyralee on Oct 07, 2016
    I actually love the really old coated metal ones for storing and moving potted plants. But I think these ones would work well too. Upside-down the clear ones might make a nice little greenhouse for seedlings. The bins could be used in the bathroom as well. I'm sure I'd figure out something!
  • Kathy Schmidt Kathy Schmidt on Oct 12, 2016
    I use the plastic coated drawers on top of my refrigerator to hold water bottles, tea pitchers in one and snacks (chips, popcorn, etc) in the other.
  • Arlene Ellerbrock Arlene Ellerbrock on Nov 04, 2016
    I took the bins that are in the doors (mine were attached with a plastic latch that locked onto the door frame), drilled small holes and then mounted them inside cabinet doors as extra storage. You'll just need a 'stubby' screwdriver! I use one on the inside of the kitchen cabinet to hold my soaps and scrubbies. In the bathroom, they hold stuff that you use daily but don't want out where all can see!
  • Redcatcec Redcatcec on Oct 05, 2023

    For me, I would organize all my seed packets with the bins.

  • Johnavallance82 Johnavallance82 on Oct 06, 2023

    You could use them for anything that comes to mind. Make a new frame then add the shelves?

  • Dee Dee on Oct 08, 2023

    I used the small door bins from my old fridge in the freezer to hold cheese, frozen vegs etc. It gave me lots of room for meat. I also put some of the bins in my pantry. I did save my glass but am still looking for a use for it.