Thrifty DIY Locker Basket

Happy happy Friday, YAY!!! The weather is beautiful here in So Cal and we are ready for some weekend fun. One of my best friends is currently in labor with her first baby girl and I am SO excited to hear the news. Baby Emma is already SO loved!! I'm hoping to head out to palm Springs this Sunday to give her a squeeze. New babies are the best!!!

Earlier this week I hit up one of our local thrift stores (we are seriously lacking in the thrift store department around here). Luckily this little shop is right next to the dollar tree so I get in there pretty often. This time I picked up this big wire basket for $3. I think it's one of those wire drawers from Ikea, but I could be wrong (sorry - kind of hard to see in the below pic).

I knew exactly where I wanted to use it (no judging please). Take a look at the top of my craft cabinet (yikes).

It's so messy and cluttered. Icky (& yes, that's a punching balloon that got taken away from Noah for reasons I won't mention. ha ha). Anyway, this area needed an overhaul and this was just the basket to do it!

I decided to spray paint it aqua (my go-to color)....again, kind of hard to see it. Sorry.

I knew I needed to do something to it to make it look like more than just a boring white basket. I am always drooling over the vintage locker baskets that I see on other blogs and in Antique shops but have yet to find one that fits my budget.

Once the paint was dry, Hayden made sure it was extra durable :)

I was in Staples the other day and found the Martha Stewart section. WOW! Martha really knows how to make great products! I picked up a 3-pack of these bookplates for $3.99 and knew adding one of these would do the trick.

I spray painted it aqua to match the basket...

I thought I was going to need to use E6000 to adhere it to the basket, but the adhesive that comes on it is super strong!! I even placed it in the wrong place at first and had a bit of trouble pulling it off to adjust it. It feels pretty secure on there so I don't think I will have to use glue.
 I typed out a special label code number on kraft paper and cut it to size (my birth date if you must know)......

Doesn't it look like it was meant to be there all along?? I think so!

Wanna see the big picture??

Bigger???

BIGGER???

Biggest :)

Ahhh, much better! So much more light, airy, and tidy looking. I like it :)
(ultimately I would love to paint this cabinet white and remove the wrought iron details but for now, this will have to do).

Now my vintage books and pom poms look extra chic in their fancy "locker basket" instead of icky messy. Woohoo! This was super easy and the total project cost was about $5. YAY! That is definitely in my budget :)
I hope you all have a fabulous weekend!!