The highlight of my high school career was having my very own locker. I treated it like my first apartment. “Meet me at my locker after Biology and we can walk to lunch”, was a phrase that made me feel so grown up! I decorated it with stickers, pictures of Leonardo Dicaprio clipped from magazines and filled it with everything important (except actual books and school supplies.) It didn’t take long to find a reason to visit my locker in between every class.
After high school, I quickly learned that lockers are rarely used in adulthood. Maybe for an hour or two at the gym, but who wants to share? It wasn’t until joining the team at Shelving Inc. that I realized lockers are available to people other than high school students. And not only that, these people are doing amazing things with them!
Take a look at how different types of lockers are creatively used in the home and get some school spirit back in your life!
If you have limited closet space, adding lockers in place of a standard wardrobe is a great way to add both shoe and clothing storage while remaining sporty. Tiered cube lockers create plenty of room for things like books and games while the doors hide all of the clutter. A mini locker, available in many colors, serves as both a nightstand and secure storage spot, which works great in dorms too!
Lockers in the entryway or mudroom can add both style and function to the home. A shoe organizer inside of the locker can maximize space or, designate a locker for each family member to keep things like sports equipment, school supplies and outerwear sorted. Go with colorful lockers for a bright and fun addition or industrial gray and beige for when the coat closet runneth over.
Having the very same locker used by professional sports teams in your man cave adds a spectacular feature without creating wasted space. Fill the locker(s) with memorabilia, trophies and equipment while still having space in the rest of the room for more masculine elements.
Paint your lockers to match your nursery theme for storage your child will never outgrow. Adding extra shelves creates space for neatly organized diapers, toiletries, bibs and clothing. In a few years, simply repaint the locker when changing themes instead of having to purchase new furniture. For detailed info on how to paint a metal locker nearly any unique color, check out this incredibly helpful blog post.
If your home didn’t come with a built-in pantry or if you rent or have run out of cabinet space, add lockers with plenty of shelves for additional storage. By going with these, the cost and time of installing a pantry or cabinets is avoided and organization is easy. Use wooden shelving or paint the lockers a complimentary color for a warmer look. Add space-saving accessories like magnetic spice canisters and bins – since the locker is already metal, nothing special is needed!
Perhaps the best feature of a locker is that whatever goes inside of it is behind a closer door. Placing a tiered set in a child’s playroom creates cubbies while easily concealing clutter. Label each cubby for different toys to make cleaning up after playtime both a learning experience and fun.
If you’ve been lucky enough to find a vintage locker, you may notice that it needs a little love before becoming a hip and stylish addition to your home. Check out this blog post which documents the process of restoring one. A rusty locker can become an industrial coffee table, rustic kitchen island or modern bench with just a little TLC.
Remove a few rows of doors on your tiered unit to create open shelving. Display mementos, decor and art, use it as a bookshelf or store music. By leaving two or three rows of doors intact you still have concealable storage below, making it perfect combination of multi-functionality and style.
