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Maybe you bought your plastic storage bins for utilitarian storage in your attic or basement where you will never see them, but maybe not. Maybe they are going in your dorm room or even your living room or bedroom, and lots of people (most importantly you!) are going to be seeing them. Plastic bins offer a lot of benefits, primarily that they are cost effective, durable, and versatile. They are pretty unexciting to look at—until you do something fabulous to transform them! Here are 3 easy ideas for making your plastic bins chic and exciting:

1. Cover plastic bins in fabric.

This has become a big trend for do-it-yourselfers who enjoy a fun craft project while organizing around the house. Don’t like the color of your plastic storage container? Decorate plastic bins by gluing on fabric. No sewing is required, and this easy project allows you to choose not only a color and pattern you like better, but a fun texture that provides for a much cozier look. Your first bin will probably be a bit challenging, as you will have to learn the best way to fold the cloth without creating bumps. The rest of the bins will be much easier to decorate after you have figured out what you’re doing.

2. Paint your plastic containers with metallic coating.

Would you rather your plastic boxes were metallic? One easy way to transform their appearance is by painting them with metallic coating. This is a very simple tactic to decorate plastic storage drawers quickly and cheaply. Metallic pray paint goes on fast and dries fast, and you will be surprised at how convincing the result is.

3. Paint your boxes by hand.

If you are in the mood for a bigger project that is going to take more time and effort, consider hand-painting your storage container with a brush. It can be challenging to paint on plastic, so expect this project to get messy and take some extra time and effort. It often takes several coats to keep the paint job from looking “streaky.”

One very cool idea for painting your plastic storage bins is to create a paper cut-out stencil that you can use to create a pattern! Simply cut a piece of paper with a design you like, remember that the holes in the paper will determine the pattern you end up painting onto your bins. You can use the same stencil again and again to paint identical patterns on all your bins. This makes for a clean, professional-looking job, and it keeps things easy while saving a lot of time!

It is very fun to decorate your plastic bins, and it is a great way to personalize them if you are using them for a home storage solution. When people see them, don’t be surprised if they do not even realize that they are looking at plastic storage bins! They will probably ask where you bought such awesome boxes and bins, and will be very surprised when you tell them!