Hello there!  For this week’s blogs I am going to share my thrift store projects.  Yesterday I shared with you my shelf that I finally got around doing something with it.  If you miss yesterday blog you can go read it here THRIFT STORE MAKEOVER.

Here is another thrift store find that I have been working on.  I got two for one with this one!

It finally happened, our pull down attic  ladder broke.  😮  What is this girl going to do, now?  After 21 years the old thing just couldn’t take one more pull down.  The metal arms bent and the spring broke.  We went to Lowe’s to replace it, but all the newer units are smaller than the one we have.  Nothing is ever easy, is it?

One of my thrift store visits I saw a pull down attic unit.  It looked brand new,  I hurried and call Jim, he met me there, $25 and we were out the door.  It didn’t fit our opening, but we managed to take the arms and springs off of the thrift store ladder and replaced the broken ones from the old one.

Guess what?  I am back in business, I have a working ladder!

Now we have this just sitting in our garage.

Jim said he will burn it, heck there has to be something I can use this for, don’t you think?

After I put away all the Christmas decorations I went into my craft closet, it was a total disaster area.   I started taking everything out and cleaning the thing.  I was taking all my craft and chalk paints off the shelf and the light bulb came on!  Does that ever happen to you, you be doing something and you thought of a great idea?  It has been way before Christmas when we fixed the attic and months later I figured out what I want to do with the attic ladder!!

I had Jim help me remove the two ladder parts off the unit.  It took Jim and a tool to remove the rivets that held them all in place.

We couldn’t remove the larger ladder off the unit it had several of those rivets.  I decided to remove the steps from it though.  I just loosened the bolt, removed the rod and slide out the step.

Took the two ladders and gave them a pretty coat of peacock.  In my craft closet I have Dollar Tree baskets that are close to the color.

After I painted them I took 80 grit sand paper and distressed the ladders.

With the steps I removed from the unit I added to the ladder.

(Lighting plays a huge part in great pics, which I didn’t have today, sorry). 🙁

I measured the distance between two steps, made a mark in the center and drilled holes where I marked.

I took the rod support and ran it through the two holes.

On the ladder the steps are slanted.  There is a grove cut out for the steps to slide in. The step pieces I want to add are a little longer since I don’t have the grove, I just cut the steps 1/4 inch on one side to make it fit tight and tapped them in straight.

I made sure the rod sat into the step.

To keep the step in place I tighten up the bolt.

I did that to all of the steps that I added.

To hang the ladders on the wall, I added eye screws to the back of the ladders.

Painted and distressed the new additional steps.  I placed the two ladders in my craft closet.

This gives me additional storage.

Now I feel so much better that I used the ladder and my craft closet is all nice and neat.

Another example of looking at something for what it could be and not what it is! 🙂

PIN THIS ⇓

If you like my blog be sure to click on the LIKE button and SHARE it with your friends!  It’s the best way for my blog to grow. 🙂  I would love for you to be part of my family so sign up to receive my emails.  Every time I post a blog I will send you an update.  Also follow me on Facebook HERE – Instagram HERE and Pinterest HERE.  Come by and say Hey!

Stay strong and stay blessed!