Bookcase Beautiful

One thing was definitely on my list of things to makeover were my Walmart bargain bookcases.  They are the standard laminated, pressed wood monstrosities with the paper board backing that never stays on with those little tack nails they send.  Like most things in my house, they were bought because a) I needed book cases and b) that was all I could afford at the time.  Now I am sure I could buy new shelves, but why-other than the ugly that is all over them, they are in good shape. 

I had a few ideas to spruce them up, and so I set about planning these out and seeing which would be the easiest and most cost-effective (I am on a budget here!).  My first plan was to use wall paper to cover the back of the case.  I found tons of Wall paper I loved, but none of it was less than $50.00 a roll!  I only needed 12 feet of it, I just couldn't spend that kind of money.  The second plan was to simply paint the back of the case, but I was afraid that the paint would make the paper board back curl.

I then thought, what if I paint foam core board and then cut that to fit the back of the shelves.  I though I was brilliant.  So I headed off to Michael's with my little coupons and discovered that foam core board is $3.00 each.  And I would have needed about 10.  There was no way I was going to spend $30.00 for foam boards!

So on a whim I tripped down the wrapping paper aisle and found the most gorgeous black and white brocade wrap ever!  It was 3.99 a roll, and I would need 3 rolls.  But on top of that I got 40% off of one roll, then an additional 20% off all 3 rolls!






I had my infinitely patient husband pry the backer board off the shelves, for me, then remove all the old nails and staples.  I took each board and "wrapped" the front of them with the wrapping paper, securing the edges on the back with tape.  After that my loving husband stapled the boards back into place.  He only got one of the me upside down-I guess that is a victory, and you really can't tell that the pattern is going the opposite direction, so I am not going to think about it.  I'm not!  Well, maybe a little but I am NOT going to look at it.

After that it was just a matter of putting the shelves back in and putting all my stuff back.  I am sure you noticed that there was a lot of crap on my shelves.   A few hundred books, and no doubt an equal number of DVDs.  Those movie cases take up a lot of room!  (tremble mere mortals, and bow down before the mighty sock monkey! Told you I was a nerd)

 

 The books (paperbacks and any book I will not read again) are getting donated to the library (about 150 books or so) and all movies have been removed from their cases and put into paper sleeves which will be housed in disc boxes as soon as I can afford to buy them.  That was a really long run on sentence.  Oh well, it's my blog-screw grammar.  The old games will be traded into a video game store.

Now that the compulsively collected books and movies are removed (except for my hardback books, which I removed from their dust jackets for a more cohesive look) I am beginning to think a couple of adults live here instead a bunch of college kids! So total the bookshelf re-do cost me $16.97. I am now left with $62.55 and I still need a rug!  Of course there are other little things that will be done, last finishing touches, but we are getting there!