Project

Inspiration

Today many people buy in bulk to save money. In the past in the Appalachian area buying in bulk was common because trips to the store were less frequent and items were not packaged as they are today.

Lots of items were stored in bulk bins. These were wooden cabinets with a top hinged lid. Commodities such as coffee, vegetables and firewood would be stored inside these homemade containers. Since they were built as needed, they were custom sized for the task designed.

I designed and built mine close to the common sized bulk bins. The lid is angled to allow easy access but has a small top shelf for storage. This design also makes it easy to hinge the lid. The sides have built in legs to elevate the unit off the floor. This prevents rodents from easily invading the bin. I like using a milk paint finish on the bulk bin. Instead of labeling the bin contents I prefer to make a generic stencil. The bulk bin today can be used for many storage tasks in the household.