Create EXTRA Hidden Storage Spots

This week, I want to let you into my dining room.  I have to keep all my Christmas dishes in there, as there is not enough room in my kitchen.  So, I put two floor to ceiling bookcases in the dining room and put my dishes in there, but there are not doors on the bookcase and everyone can see my out of season mess.  Not a pretty site.  Look at the plates, glasses, mugs and other holiday stuff....tacky!!! 

Now, let me show you my solution.  This is a bunch of damaged or outdated obsolete books that were given to me.  I take an exact-o or razor and cut off the front and back cover, NOT the entire cover, leave about 1/4 to 1/2 inch of the front and back in tact with with book.  Next step, take a long piece of foam core (or you could use an old large appliance box) and cut it to fit inside the shelf.  Cut an extra couple of 3 inch pieces to use as feet and stabilizers.  

See how I hot glued the extra "foot" in place.  Put one on each end and then one in the center, placement is not a science, anywhere is fine.  Then, you take and hot glue all the book spines on the other side, make sure they at right next to each other, you want no white space showing.   Here is another view.

These can be very useful, you just have to make sure that you are putting books of about the same height together.  These make great hiding places for all sorts of things around the house.  Just be sure that the books you are using really are not collectors and are really obsolete.  With computers, more and more books are falling into that category, but I am not a book butcher.  Wouldn't want to send the wrong kind of message with this post.  I love books.

I got right up close with this picture so that you can see all the stuff behind the books, hidden storage is great!

Here is an after shot.  All the Christmas dishes are hidden and I use the rest of the bookcases to display stuff that has been passed down from grandparents and great-grandparents.

I get a few emails each week with comments on my blog, so glad that you are enjoying.  Feel free to post here on the blog, I think you just do it with your email addy (and that is keep hidden).  Next week...Painting little items without getting more paint on you that on the item.