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When it doubt, use all the colors.

About a month ago, I drug the kid and Bill out of bed early one Saturday morning to go yard saleing.

They hate love it when I do that. 😉

I decided to be nice for once and give Grunt Labor the Saturday morning off.

He usually gives me Saturday mornings off, so it was long overdue. 

Before leaving the neighborhood, we had lucked up on a bamboo patio table for a whopping $2 and a 5×7 leopard print rug for only $5.

Luck was on my side that day. 

It quickly ended when there was a meltdown with the kid when I refused to buy a creepy $7 FurrRealz Cat.

$7 for a toy cat at a yard sale? And it looked possessed? Move along child, move along.

At the next stop though, we lucked upon a play phone, a beanie baby skunk and a Care Bears nightgown that the kid just had to have.

I’ve never been so happy to see a Ty Beanie Baby in my life.

The meltdown ceased.

As we were about to leave, I spotted something that had potential out of the corner of my eye…

A vintage paper sorter.

I looked at Bill.

His eyes lit up and he said, “We can do something really cool with that.”

He’s starting to think like me.

I asked the man how much for it.

$12.

Oh honey. You must be crazy. I don’t pay $12 for anything at a yard sale unless its furniture. Let me show you the rug I just snagged for $5.

Yep, I’m that girl, y’all.

Sorry not sorry. 

We started negotiating.

I walked away with the paper sorter for $6.

It was still more than I wanted to pay for a paper sorter, but it was half of what he started at.

I’ll take it. 

Once we got it home, we realized we weren’t really sure what that something really cool we would do to it would be.

But when in doubt…use all the colors.

Look at all those colors! Crazy how they all work perfectly together!

Disclosure: This post was a collaboration with Velvet Finishes. However, all opinions and love of all the colors are 100% mine. This post contains affiliate links for your shopping convenience. Click here to read my full disclosure policy.

I know, right?! 

Aren’t they all just great together?

Here’s how she started:

Paper Sorter Before

Vintage Paper Sorter Makeover

To achieve this uber-colorful look, we used:

    • Paper Towels

Steps

Step 1: 

I started by pulling the trim off the outside of the sorter to be able to get all the shelves out and easily paint them.

Pull off the trim.

I did this very carefully because I didn’t want to damage the wood.

 Step 2: 

After the trim was off, I pulled out every shelf and primed each of them as well as the sorter itself with Ready.

Use Velvet Finishes Ready to prime the piece.

This thing had a glossy finish on it and was dirty as well. Ready primed and cleaned it at the same time. I just sprayed it on each shelf and the sorter, let it sit for a couple of minutes, then wiped it down with paper towels. Bill and I tag teamed it, so that it didn’t take as long.

Step 3: 

To make all the soon-to-be colorful shelves pop, I painted the outside and inside of the sorter with Minimalistic – a true white.

Velvet Finishes Minimalistic

It took about three light coats with a good quality paintbrush to do the job.

Step 4: 

I gave each shelf a couple coats of color.

Velvet Finishes Boheme

I also did this with just a paintbrush – but a good one. 😉

I didn’t worry with a topcoat, because Velvet Finishes paint already has a topcoat built-in and this won’t be getting a lot of hardcore use.

Step 5: 

After everything was painted, I had to sand the edges of the shelves a bit to make them fit back in the sorter, then I put the trim back on.

Oh my! Those colors! Can't believe how well they all work together! Vintage Paper Sorter Makeover

There was a mishap with one shelf and it was tragically lost.

I broke it. 🙁

Vintage Paper Sorter Makeover - Those colors!

But really, I don’t think this paper sorter makeover could get any cuter.

Those colors are just perfection.

I’m going to save it for the circus’ upcoming room makeover.

Looking for more colorful and easy home projects and crafts? 

Here are 9 unique and colorful ways to makeover a side table.

Here is a super fun, easy and colorful step stool makeover.

And here are bold and colorful furniture makeovers you’ll love!

You know you don’t wanna miss any of this crazy.

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Those colors!!! I love how they all work together! Vintage Paper Sorter Makeover

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Comments

  2. Chelsea says

    What an awesome before and after. Those colors are perfection!! I love that you got him down halfway. Yard sale-ing always blows my mind. $2 for a table and then $6 for a paper sorter. It all evens out in the end I suppose! Love it!

    Reply

  4. Lindsay Eidahl says

    I LOVE yard sale makeovers and you are so right about negotiating at sales. I love all the colors on the paper sorter. Would make any office/craft space cheerful and ready to work in!

    Reply

  13. Patty says

    I just love yard sales I don’t care if the price is one dollar I will ask if they will take fifty cents and most of the time they will.
    Your paper sorter is so cute and happy you can’t help but smile when you look at it. I just have to try that paint and your glaze formula.
    I get so tickled when I’m somewhere and a child has a meltdown, I just wish sometimes I could do the exact same thing, but I’m afraid the paddy wagon would be called to haul me away.

    Reply

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