What’s not to love about a good old fashion microwave stand? My goodness do they come in handy or what and the best part is you can often find them at garage sales for only $5.00! They are just so versatile. They provide both open and closed storage and I think it’s so wonderfully convenient to have storage on wheels. If necessary you can also easily paint them out to match any decor too.
With some help of some friends, here are some ways we’ve put our own microwave stands to use.
As it was intended:
As a recycle station in the garage:
As a TV stand with DVD’s securely locked away from curious little hands.
As bathroom storage:
They’d also be great in closets to store clothes, toys or books. So many people under utilize their closet space. A microwave stand could totally help you maximize the space you have. This is very similar to the old TV stand I use in my closet for my laundry basket. Almost everything can be re-purposed in some way or another.
I just thought of something else, wouldn’t a microwave stand make for a great mobile Polly Pocket house. Bits and pieces stay up off the floor and your daughter could move it around to play with wherever she is. You could even take the back panel off in order for her to be able to access it from both sides.
How about beside your desk for your printer, scanner or fax machine?
Gosh the list could go on and on. Please feel free to add your own ideas in the comments because you’ll seriously be feeding my addiction. Inexpensive storage just gets my endorphins racing. Talk about a high!
I’m already itching for garage sale season to start up again. Guess what’s going to be first on my list?
31 Comments
Oooh, I love those! I recently repurposed an old aquarium stand to hold both of my bread machines. I love the counter space that freed up. http://shipfullofpirates.com/2009/03/03/thrift-store-find/
I use my old microwave cart as my craft organizer in my craft closet. In the drawer I have little (dollar store) baskets full of embellishments for scrapping, crayons for kids and all the thread I have for sewing. The shelves are used for my “in progress” scrapbooks, containers with pictures and whatever else I have to put on them. Love my micro cart! :)
I think I might keep my eye out for one now! We could definitely use it for a printer station.
I love repurposing! Those are great ways to do that!
I use mine as my bread-making station. I keep my wheat grinder, kitchenaid, and breadmaker on top, and all the dry ingredients for bread in the cupboard.
Thanks for the ideas. I have little storage and counter space. Adding a microwave cart could help with both lacks.
great idea!!
When we moved into our house, the movers taped the doors on our microwave cart shut, and so of course the tape pulled off the fake wood finishing, making it look awful! Well, we have mostly used it as extra storage since we moved here. Our little cookie sheet holder thing wouldn’t fit under the cupboards, so we put it under the microwave stand. We were hoping to get the kitchen renovated this year (doesn’t look like it’s going to happen now. :( ) so I was wondering what we might do with the microwave cart, won’t need it in the kitchen anymore if I get appropriate cupboards put in.
Hey! What a creative outlook on things! Thanks!
What great ideas. I don’t have one but I could think of a couple of uses for it at my house should I be so lucky as to snag one for $5.
Music center in the kids rooms. To hold all the CD’s, MP3’s, stereos.
In the laudry room to hold my laudry supplies and iron, etc.
In the kitchen to hold all my cookbooks and taller appliances that don’t want to fit in the cupboard and take up counter space.
You know, I just got rid of one of these things a few years ago. Dern.
Great ideas. I have several “freebie” or yard sale printer stands that I use. Unfortunately, they don’t have cupboard doors.
I had to smile when I read this entry. My Hubby & I were just talking the other day about looking for a microwave stand when yard sales start up again! We recently moved & in our old house used our microwave stand to hold our aquarium. It was perfect b/c below we could store & lock up our fish supplies. The wheels made it easy to clean behind as we had wood floors and dust would gather. Plus have you seen the price of aquarium stands?!!? Oy vey! I think it’s neat that there are others who see the worth in these stands too! We’ve used them for many things over the years.
I love multi-purpose furniture especially when you have to live in a different house every few years.
I’m currently using my microwave stand as a printer stand in my office.
I have a full size van that we use for frequent traveling. I took out the seat behind the drivers seat and put a microwave stand in my van. It holds the combo tv/vcr, portable dvd player, all the movies, towels and blankets, and in the bottom cabinet that closes I store drinks and snacks.
I’m desperately looking for one to use as … a microwave cart LOL
I think using one as a sewing area is a great idea, too.
i had one with wire racks, so we used it to put flats of seeds we are starting. they fit just right and we can wheel it into the sunlight!
Wow! Great repurposing!! Garage sale season, where are you?!
Amy
Printer…. i’m so guilty!
I’ve always used microwave carts for different things and at this time I’m using 4 of them…One is wooden with 2 shelves, with a 19″ tv on top and the 2 shelves hold my bubblegum card collection (in notebooks)…the 2nd cart is also wooden with 2 shelves, which has a stereo on top and the 2 shelves house some of my vinyl collection (that I still play!)…the third is a wire one with a butcher block top that has a countertop model of a convection oven on top and the two shelves underneath house my small appliances (can opener, hand mixer, waffle iron, bread machine, etc) so that my counters remain uncluttered…the 4th and final one is another wire one with a butcher block top, where the top holds my microwave and the shelves underneath hold my recipe boxes and odd items that don’t fit in the food cupboards…have a nice day!
I just purchased one last fall off of Craigslist. I use it in my dining room for craft storage. I love it!
I just love re-purposing items. . . what a great satisfaction it can bring! How about using a microwave stand as part of your launch pad, either in a mudroom or by your back door. Baskets could hold mittens, gloves, etc. The top surface would be perfect for your Outa’ here shelf.
@Michelle:
Please make sure you have BOLTED DOWN the microwave cart you put in your car, or, if you get rear-ended or side-swiped by another car, it could have very deadly effect.
In addition, the combo TV/DVD player needs to be screwed or bolted in (elastic straps are not sufficient); in a crash situation, it will continue to move at 60 mph (or however fast you were going before impact), possibly into someone’s head.
A friend spotted one on the side of the road near my house, so we ran down and rolled it home. The top was in bad shape, so I covered it in black and white checked contact paper. I used it for a short while in my kitchen, but now it is in my 15 yr old son’s room. His TV is on top, the cable DVR is on the open shelf underneath (his cat likes to sleep on it), and behind the doors he has his XBox 360 and some of his games and DVDs.
It’s funny you should bring this up. We have a most beautiful microwave stand that we can no longer use. Nothing is wrong with it. We just have no more room for it. It will go to our local Good Will to benefit our local community.
I use a microwave cart in my laundry room to hold all of my laundry soap, bleach, softeners, etc. I also use it to hold rags, work towels, etc. It is a great size and I don’t have to bend alot or reach alot which is great because I am disabled. I really LOVE having that cart there — though my husband didn’t like getting it back into that ’spot’ for me — he realizes now what a great cart it is to have there.
My other microwave stand is used to store our liquor in on the bottom of the unit and our microwave on top. The shelf is used to store my husband’s misc stuff and dog treats. It works great to have this this way – so the liquor is out of the way and out of sight. We don’t drink very often and I wouldn’t want it out in plain sight.
I use mine to hold 2 plastic containers. The plastic containers hold diapers for for my youngest 2 children and spare panties for the oldest. It sits in the kitchen and works perfectly instead of dragging the kids upstairs or having diapers all over the place. On the top are lotions, A&D, etc.
Thanks Alison!!!!!! I wasn’t thinking of those things, but great tips!!!
We don’t any electronics things in the car. It’s a waste really. We didn’t have those things growing up, so why do we need those things now?
I remember a few years ago, my sister and her family were coming home from the shore (a 6+ hr drive home) and their portable tv/vcr broke, 5 mins outside of the sea shore. They HAD to go and buy a new one because the kids would be miserable!
We’ve had one for years that I think might have been also intended for use as a mixing/baking stand (it has a wooden top, and slots for spatulas). We’ve kept our KitchenAid mixer on it.
Now, the mixer is going in the kitchen, and we plan to use the stand as a changing table for the new baby (putting a padded changing pad on top).
Those are the nice-est stands I have every seen. My old stand had two shelves and chrome handles. Noting to write home about I tell you.
Thanks so much for the great ideas! I love your blog!