Chinese Takout Container Drawer Organizers and Friday Favorites Linky Party Week 360

I'm embarrassed to say that not only do I have a kitchen junk drawer, I actually have two. They are full of flotsam and jetsam and who knows what else because I can't buy a set of drawer organizers that fit what I need to store inside such a large drawer. Please tell me I am not the only one!

How did you cram all of this stuff in a drawer and actually shut it, Lisa?!

Turns out I already had the perfect size junk drawer organizers on deck in my craft room - plastic takout meal prep containers! (affiliate link for your convenience if you end up running out of containers in the middle of the project like I did.)

I emptied each junk drawer, sorted what should stay and what surprising things should go (like the owner's manual to a car we got rid of three cars ago!), and organized like with like in the containers. Once I finished with one junk drawer I moved onto the next messy drawer.

How to Test for Lead Paint on Flea Market Finds

We are the first owners of our condo built long after the US 1978 lead paint ban. We don’t have peeling paint and my family doesn’t lick the walls (which in my opinion would mean we have a bigger problem!) As far as any scaremongering about lead being everywhere in every home, we figured we’re good.

Except.

Maybe not.

Pin this post for reference! 

I like to upcycle and recycle found, salvage, and old stuff in my DIY projects. Swap meets, antique shows, and flea markets are my playgrounds. Some of my favorite transformations started out as thrift store finds or from the side of the road. I didn’t think I had to worry about lead in my project materials because I generally steer clear of chipping paint because it is a pain to sand smooth.

I recently discovered chipping paint does not mean an item is covered in lead paint. Neither does the color of the paint. Actually  bare wood or stained items can test positive for lead because of something in the stain or varnish.