TURNING AN OLD WARDROBE INTO A CLEANING CUPBOARD FOR £19

 When I bought this house, there wasn't a cupboard tall enough to put mops and brooms etc in,

(why don't these things have hinges so they can fold in half?)

I found on Freecycle, an old 1950s, utilitarian, pink painted, single wardrobe.

I painted it with the same emulsion as I used on the walls.

And piled it high with the Henry, brushes and dog paraphernalia.

It's stayed that way for four years, not too offensive on the eye,

but quite annoying with tall brushes etc toppling over,

(first world problems).

Brace yourself!

Mrs Hinch would be shocked, nay disgusted.

TO TRY AND FIX IT...

I removed the utilitarian handle and filled the holes.

Cut an old shelf down to size,

and rested it on the batons which were already there, keeping the wardrobe rigid.

Drilled a small hole in the side to poke the cordless vac charger wire through.

I painted the inside and outside with two coats of this paint,

I really didn't want a shiny black gloss and would have preferred something less matt but this was the best option with what was available, £11 for 2.5 lt from B&M.

Buffed over it with two coats of finishing wax I already had in.

Very hard to photograph a matt black cupboard next to a bright window.

Screwed in an old brass hook in the side,

and added two of these mop and broom hooks to the door,

£3 for the pair from B&M.

They claim to self stick to very smooth surfaces,

I had no chance with a painted surface but looking at the stickiness,

I think they would struggle anywhere!

I put a small screw through the plastic back plates and screwed them to the inside of the door.

Oscar's Ikea lead hook back in place, much to his relief.

All he holds dear is in that cupboard, treats, lead etc and all he kept hearing all day was the cupboard being opened and closed and the treats and lead weren't there!

He had to take himself upstairs to bed!

I wanted a long gold door handle but not a single shop I went into stocked them.

eBay as always didn't fail.

This gold beauty was only £5.

If you too are in the market for one, the search that brings them up is knurled T bar handle.

When I put a picture of this similar one on a stripping brass post, I had looaads of questions asking where it was from.

So here it is in all it's (not quite) Hinch worthy, Anthea Turner, glory.

No longer an avalanche waiting to fall!

Cordless vac in it's 'docking station'.

A bit better looking and less of a disaster zone!

And then, my niece gave Oscar a treat tin, the treats now looking more organised.

Manifestation in action!

And surprising how much more appealing getting the vac out is,

when you don't have to wrestle it out!