Have you ever wandered around your house checking all the outlets because you couldn’t remember where you left your cell phone charger?
(I have to believe it isn’t just me!)
Or maybe you have a designated charging spot, but it is cluttered with many different chargers for all of your devices?
There’s something about the new year that makes me want to organize EVERYTHING! W
hen I found this outdated magazine rack for $3.99 at Goodwill, I knew it was the perfect solution to my charger problem.
I decided to upcycle this magazine rack into an electronics charging station.
I thought a power strip would fit perfectly down the bottom of the magazine rack. I could lean my cell phone and tablets inside where the magazines used to go.
1.) I started by cutting a small hole on one end for the power strip plug to go through.
2.) Then to match my office, I painted the magazine rack a color called Mason Dixon Gray by the Dixie Belle Paint Company.
3.) Once the paint dried, I secured the power strip to the bottom with a few Command Strips designed to hang pictures on the wall. This keeps the power strip flat to the surface and prevents it from moving around too much when you plug and unplug electronics.
I found the perfect spot for my new charging station on top of my desk.
I still have work-space to use the tablet even while it is charging. Or I can move the magazine rack onto the floor if I need more desk space to work.
I wrapped all of the cords around the magazine rack to keep them neat and separated. No more tangled mess of charger cords!
I often find magazine racks in all shapes and styles at Goodwill. They are a popular item to donate as people don’t seem to subscribe to magazines so much these days. An old magazine rack is a nice storage solution to many clutter problems. All it takes is a little paint to match your home’s style and it can be used to organize so many things.
I have another magazine rack I painted blue to match my bedroom.
I keep it on the floor by my bed to hold books—so I have something to read when my tablet is charging!
Courtney Mickalonis is an artist, teacher, and blogger at All Things New Again, a furniture and paint boutique in Leesburg, VA. She finds old furniture that nobody loves anymore and makes it beautiful—and useful—again. Courtney teaches furniture painting classes at their Leesburg studio and hosts The Furniture Painting Friday Show live every Friday at 8 p.m. on the All Things New Again Facebook page.
