Paper Storage Cabinet

Well, this project has taken FOR.EV.ER.  and a day, or even two!  I have been wanting a better way to organize my papers, because I had been throwing them into a drawer in my craft dresser…unfortunately, they were getting wrinkled and torn, and I was getting more and more frustrated.  So for about a year, I’ve been wanting a better solution.  Many things were wished for and dreamed of, but sadly, my budget was not cooperating.  So, I found this little cabinet at a yard sale for $5 (I’m sorry I cannot show a ‘before’ picture, but my camera, or computer, or  memory card, has decided to pick and choose which pictures will be downloaded…and that is one that apparently didn’t make the cut!).  Anyhoo,  this cabinet was in sad shape.  On the top little door, it had a glass insert, which was broken in about three places.  The back had a huge hole torn out of it…not cut, torn…it looked sad!  The top was coming off, worn in places, chewed in places, and with many water stains.  The sides were no better, with water damage and peeling wood inserts.  BUT, for $5, I just couldn’t leave her there.  I didn’t even think of using her for paper storage, I just knew I wanted her!  Then, the work began, as I broke out the glass window and replaced it with wood, embellished with a little medallion.  Then, I couldn’t quite afford real bead board, so I scored some clearance paintable wallpaper, in Bead Board pattern at Home Depot…$3.23 a roll!!! Woo-Hoo!!!  I applied that to the three remaining sides.  I also replaced the top with about 1/4 of a  $6 piece of underlayment I bought at Home Depot.  (We also used this wood on our Metal Photo Holder project).  That wood didn’t look quite like I wanted, so I found a cabinet door at our local Habitat ReStore, and it fit perfectly!  Somewhere during the process, a light bulb went off, and I realized this would be a great paper storage cabinet.  It already had dividers inside, and while it didn’t provide quite as much space as I initially wanted, it would still be better than the drawer!  I painted it Oil Rubbed Bronze, and distressed it a bit, and now I love it!  As I said, it wasn’t quite as much storage as I needed, so I had been on the lookout for some sort of shelf that I could add to it, on the back side (my sister scored me a FREE rolling base, so I would be able to turn it around and access the paper stored on the back).  Well, those (doctor’s office type) shelves are EXPENSIVE…way out of my budget.  Then,at a yard sale a couple of weeks ago, I scored an old oak colored wood magazine holder (for 50 cents!).  Another light bulb…what if we cut it in half and attached it to the back of my cabinet??? Hubby said it was do-able, so that’s just what we did.  My original plan was to attach both halves of it to the back of the cabinet, but it didn’t fit properly, so I just attached one…but it’s awesome!  I think I’ll keep my Christmas papers in the back side, since I don’t use them as often as the other papers in my collection.  So, here you have my completed paper storage cabinet!  What do you think??? I am thrilled to have my papers safe and easily accessible. 

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