Yes, you read that title right... I bleached a basket!
I'm not sure if this has been done before but I did do a quick Google search and couldn't find anything. I did see where someone used paint to create a driftwood appearance on some light-colored baskets so I suppose that's another option.
I have had this little basket listed in my Etsy shop for seriously, like a year and a half and it hasn't sold!! I guess no one could see its potential... poor little basket 😞
I always thought it was pretty cute but it was a weird shape and it didn't stand up very well, it was quite wobbly because the bottom was bulky and uneven.
I decided it was perfect to become a pendant light though. Yay for the forlorn little basket 😁
DIY Bleached Basket Pendant Light
So, not only was the basket a weird shape and wobbly, the color was not appealing to me. It was too orange. Poor little basket.
I decided to try bleaching it.
What did I have to lose anyway? Just the original thrift store price of $1.99, the listing fees for the time it was listed in my Etsy shop, 80 cents. and the price of a little bottle of bleach from the Dollar Store. A grand total of $3.79 potential loss... I could live with that, lol.
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Supplies Needed to Try Your Own
Step 1: Bleach the basket
You'll just need a container large enough to hold the basket, I used a large plastic bucket I had to mix up a big bucket of bleach water and I used a whole small, Dollar Store size container of bleach.
I let the basket soak in the bleach water for about 20 minutes per side.
Note: It's very hard to tell if the process is even working when the basket is wet. In fact, I thought it wasn't working so I took the basket out after one side soaked and let it dry thinking my idea was a bust.
When I went to check on it to see if it had dried, I was shocked at the difference.
It worked!
So I put it back to soak the other side. Here is the difference! (Note: the background in the before pictures looks much more yellow but I promise, this is the true difference in the basket)
Step 2: Remove handles
If your basket has handles, you'll probably want to remove them, although you don't have to. To do this, find the part of the basket that is holding the handles on and snip that with scissors.
The handles should pull out. If your basket has handles that are built into the sides like newer baskets you see in the stores, you'll have to figure something else out. I just watched a Youtube video where the creator covered them with raffia that hung down like fringe along the edge of the basket.
You'll be left with a little piece that you can just tuck back into the side of the basket. Tack with a bit of glue if needed.
Step 3: Mark and cut the hole for the light
Next, you'll cut the hole in the bottom of the basket. Trace around the portion of the pendant light that will go through the basket.
Cut the hole in the bottom of your basket. You can see that my basket is pretty substantial on the bottom with very thick pieces so I needed to use my hole saw to cut the hole. Your's may not be like this and you'll be able to cut it with scissors.
If you need a hole saw, they are pretty cool. They come with different hole size options and they attach to your drill. It worked really well for this job!
Step 4: Install the pendant light
The pendant light will have a large nut that you will remove and then reinstall on the inside of the basket once you put the light socket through, this is what keeps the basket attached to the light... like a sandwich 😄
Step 5: Hang and enjoy!
I made this with a pendant light that I already had hanging in my living room. You can see how I made the bracket here:
DIY Bracket Wall Sconce Light
If you saw the
Front Entry Reveal from my boyfriend's house though, you may recognize this light... yep! I moved this (bracket and all) over to his house!
And P.S., if you
haven't seen his new front entry, you've gotta check that post out, it turned out SO GOOD!
So, since I already had the actual pendant light and I made the wooden bracket hanger, this project only cost $3.79! If you need to make one and don't have these things, there are pendants and some cool brackets linked in the supply box at the top of this post and it would cost around $20!
I hope you liked this thrift shop flip project and if you do, please PIN!
PIN ME!
Up next is this bundle of wood shims that I picked up for $1.99 😏
The basket makes a much better light shade than a container! Very cute and bleaching it was the perfect fix to brighten it up a bit!
ReplyDeleteThank you :o)
DeleteThat's a Cinderella basket--from poor little basket, to lucky little basket! Good job.
ReplyDeleteHaha! Thanks Vikki!
DeleteI noticed this fab boho pendant light in the entry reveal post and thought it looked so good. I'll remember this great tip for bleaching baskets. Love the DIY lamp, especially against that fabulous wood wall!
ReplyDeleteThank you Marie!
DeleteWell, now I want all my wicker baskets turned into lights, and thanks to you, I just may whip up a couple! This is a wonderful tutorial and the outcome is so farmhouse chic! Lovely!
ReplyDeleteThanks Donna!
Delete