Student shares how she transformed her tired old linen cupboard for less than $100 using budget Kmart items
- Shaylee Smith, from Queensland, transformed her laundry on a budget of $100
- The clever interior design student went to Kmart to buy baskets for items
- Shay got rid of all of the clutter from her cupboard, donating old quilt covers
- She said it has made the laundry much easier and better when they have guests
A student who was sick of the state of her tired old linen cupboard has revealed how she transformed the space for under $100 using items from Kmart.
Shaylee Smith, from Queensland, said tidying up the cupboard means she and her partner no longer find it a chore to put laundry away.
Where once there were towels, bathmats and pillowcases all over the place, now the laundry has handy labels on baskets - so that everything has its place.
'I'm in love with my new linen cupboard,' interior design student Shay posted online. 'It's also really handy when we have guests!'
A student who was sick of the state of her tired old linen cupboard has revealed how she transformed the space for under $100 using items from Kmart (cupboard pictured before)
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Shaylee Smith , from Queensland, said she was never a fan of doing the washing, but tidying up the cupboard means she and her partner no longer find it 'difficult to put things away' (cupboard pictured after)
In order to sort out the cupboard, Shay said she first set out to de-clutter by emptying the laundry of everything inside it.
'I ensured I had at least two spare bed sets and donated the rest,' she told Better Homes and Gardens.
'I donated a lot of items such as towels, sheets and some bath mats.'
Shay said she figured out which coloured sheets went with which quilt covers, and realised she had so much mismatched stuff.
By getting rid of items she no longer used, she said things already felt clearer as a result.
Shay said she figured out which coloured sheets went with which quilt covers, and realised she had so much mismatched stuff. So she got rid of a lot of it and took a trip to Kmart (pictured after)
While she was there, she picked up two different sorts of baskets (pictured) as well as labels from Tilly and Us
Next, Shay visited her local Kmart, where she bought large wire baskets from Kmart for $10 and smaller 'zig-zag' baskets from Kmart for $14 for a pack of two.
'I used the wire baskets for the bigger items such as doona covers, towels and sheets,' Shay said.
'The zig-zag baskets come in a pack of two and I used those for smaller items such as face cloths and pillow cases. In total it was definitely under $100!'
She also purchased labels from Tilly and Us to help her get organised.
People online were hugely impressed with the results of Shay's work.
One person posted: 'I'm in love with your linen cupboard'.
Another added: 'The labels are fantastic and so useful. Perfection plus.'
Shay previously turned a $50 TV unit (pictured) into a classy Hamptons-style fireplace in a matter of days - and detailed exactly how she made it work in her rented apartment
Knowing she would never be allowed to build her own real and working fireplace at home, she realised the TV cabinet was the perfect height and size to make her own faux version
This isn't the first time Shay has transformed something at home.
Previously, she turned a $50 TV unit into a classy Hamptons-style fireplace in a matter of days - and detailed exactly how she made it work in her rented apartment.
Shay purchased the original piece of furniture - which was an old hutch someone had reinvented into a TV console - off Facebook Marketplace.
She was originally drawn to its beach-like style and saw potential in the framework.
Shay knew if she turned the TV unit upside down, she could use the detailed edging as the top of the mantlepiece (pictured in progress)
Knowing she would never be allowed to build her own real and working fireplace at home, she realised the TV cabinet was the perfect height and size to make her own faux version.
'I knew that if I turned it upside down I could use the detailed edging as the top of the mantlepiece,' Shay said.
'With help from my dad I was able to cut the big pieces of medium-density fibreboard (MDF) to size with a table saw. We also cut out a bit of the shelving so the inside of the fireplace was a bit bigger and more realistic.'
She also used 3mm MDF board to cover the front and top of the 'mantel', securing it in place with a nail gun and PVA glue (pictured in progress)
To create the Hamptons-style refinery Shayl used three coats of Rust-oleum Linen White Chalk Paint and White Knight Flat Black for the interior 'fireplace' section (pictured)
She also used 3mm MDF board to cover the front and top of the 'mantel', securing it in place with a nail gun and PVA glue.
Once the framework was complete she used mouldings from Bunnings Warehouse to create rectangular and square trimming, before sanding back the teal colour to paint over it in white.
To create the Hamptons-style refinery Shaylee used three coats of Rust-oleum Linen White Chalk Paint and White Knight Flat Black for the interior 'fireplace' section.
While nothing is hammered or secured into a wall she said the fireplace was extremely sturdy and could easily be moved to their next home.
Shay regularly shares interiors updates on Facebook and Instagram. For more information, please click here.
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