Wooden bottle crates come in many shapes and sizes.
Vintage wooden beverage crates are frequent finds at antique stores, thrift shops and yard sales. Once used to transport glass soda and milk bottles, these rustic carriers often sport vintage logos of soda manufacturers or local dairies. They date back to the early 20th century and gradually were replaced by plastic versions in the 1960s. 2010 prices for wooden bottle crates range from $5 to $30; highly collectible crates command more. An antique wooden bottle carrier can be a charming, functional addition to your home decor.
Initial Preparations
Gently clean any dirt and grime from the wooden carrier with a soft scrub brush, a few drops of dish soap and water. Rinse and allow to air dry. Leave the crate as is if you like a rustic, vintage look, or give it one or two coats of spray paint for a clean, fresh appearance. Crates can be laid flat, propped on their sides or hung as shelves. Some have dividers with from two to 24 sections of various sizes. You may be able to remove the bottom of the crate with a claw hammer, making the crate easier to hang and allowing the wall to serve as a background for the shelves. Depending on the crate's construction, you also may be able to remove some of the dividers to enlarge sections.
Storage
Build an organizer dedicated to office, laundry, craft or gift-wrapping supplies. Bottle carriers also can store pantry food items, socks and undergarments, belts, kids' toys and games, or pet brushes and playthings. Create a living room or bedside caddy to stash remote controls, rolled magazines, a notepad and pencil, reading glasses, lotion, manicure tools and nail polish. Some crates are sized perfectly to fit on a toilet tank, where they can hold everything from cosmetics and hair accessories to rolls of toilet paper.
Display
Use the dividers in wooden bottle carriers as shelves, filling them with objects of your choice, from collectibles and knickknacks to small dishes and jars containing jewelry or other items. Try a theme, such as a cabinet of curiosities presenting natural found objects such as rocks, shells, feathers and skulls. For an eclectic wall arrangement, hang multiple crates in a group, some placed horizontally and some vertically.
Another display option is to lay the crate on its back like a tray and fill it with antique bottles and jars holding a few real or silk flowers. Create a holiday centerpiece of candles in jars or miniature buckets, evergreen branches, Christmas ornaments and candy canes arranged in sections of the crate.
Gift Baskets
Make a clever gift basket from a vintage bottle crate. For example, fill it with jars of baking ingredients, a silicone baking mat, rolled-up dishtowel, wooden spoon and your favorite cookie recipe. Or pamper someone with a spa basket filled with bubble bath, loofah, pillar candle and a magazine.
Additional Interesting Uses
Make an herb garden from a bottle carrier by filling it with plants in small terra cotta pots. Tote garden tools in a wooden bottle crate. Set one next to the door to corral shoes. A deep crate placed on its side in a cool, dark place makes an ideal wine rack.
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