There’s something you might not know about me…
I’m weirdly obsessed with before and afters.
Furniture makeovers, lawn mowing stripes, pressure washing filth into oblivion—heck, I’ll watch 10 minutes of someone detailing a car I don’t even own. And yes, I absolutely skip most HGTV shows just to get to the final reveal. (#NoShame)
My latest binge? HomeTown Kickstart—where they revamp homes and small-town businesses to boost beauty and foot traffic.
Well hey! I live in a small town! (So small, it’s technically a Village.)
There are definitely a few buildings here that could benefit from a curb appeal glow-up. So I set my parameters:
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Budget: minimal (HGTV doesn’t fund me… rude)
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Labour: whatever I can physically manage without bribing help
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Goal: to help good people make a great first impression
Small Town, Big Curb Appeal Dreams
Today I tackled a local small business that could use a little love outside. It wasn’t a total mess, but it needed weeding, sweeping, and some charm.
No water spigot = no pressure washing (cue tiny violin), so I got to work with hedge clippers, a broom, and sheer stubbornness.
Was it better after the cleanup?
Sure.
Was it amazing?
Not quite. The staff entrance still whispered, “meh.”
What can I do that is budget-friendly, and will add curb-appeal?
Enter: The Repurposed Filing Cabinet
Would you believe these planters started their lives as dusty, dented filing cabinets?
That’s right — I created filing cabinet planters out of two generous donations from a kind local. They were mismatched in height, and had more scuffs than my old work boots — but none of that matters in the magical world of repurposed filing cabinets.
You don’t need matching cabinets — just the same depth. Trust me, your flowers don’t care about symmetry.
How to Turn a Repurposed Filing Cabinet into a Planter
Step 1: Remove the drawers
Pull out the drawers and lay the filing cabinet on its back. The drawer opening now becomes the planting area.
Step 2: Build a Base
I used leftover 1×6 cedar boards to build a weather-proof base for each filing cabinet planter. A little outdoor-appropriate wood glue, a few pocket screws, and boom—elevated garden glam.
Cut corner braces to tuck inside each frame for extra stability. Glue, nail, done.
Step 3: Drill Drainage Holes
While the glue is drying, drill drainage holes in your repurposed filing cabinets. You’ll want to use a metal drill bit so you don’t dull your regular drill bits.
Step 4: Attach the base
You can attach the base to the bottom of your filing cabinet in a couple of different ways;
- Drill a hole in each corner of the filing cabinet then thread a bolt through the cabinet and through the wood base, then use a nut to hold it in place (see below)
- If you don’t have a nut and bolt – or you ran out like I did – pre-drill a hole through a scrap piece of cedar, through the metal and then through the platform corners of your filing cabinet planter. Use a screw to sandwich all three layers together like this:
Some filing cabinets have bottoms to them, but many do not. Not to worry, you can easily fill the gap with cedar, pressure treated, or even scrap metal attached with screws and/or caulking.
Step 5: Prep and Paint
Lightly sand the cabinet so your paint sticks. Clean with TSP and wipe dry.
I avoided black and white—shows dirt too easily for our grain mill village—and instead chose an off-white which conveniently camouflages airborne agriculture. Two coats of spray paint with built-in primer did the trick. You could also use metal primer + your fave colour.
It doesn’t even look like a repurposed filing cabinet anymore, right?
Step 6: Fill and Plant
Line each filing cabinet planter with landscape fabric. Save money by filling the bottom two-thirds with branches, gravel, or compost. (I used the yard waste I’d cleaned up earlier. Zero waste, baby!)
Top off with quality soil and add your plants. Choose blooms that suit your sun/shade situation and spill gracefully over the drawer edges for that lush, “I garden professionally” look.
Minor Mishaps, Major Charm
Maddie and I spilled a touch of dirt during planting, and I forgot to bring a broom. Oops.
AI helped me imagine the final version — swept, settled, and overflowing with yellow and white petunias.
Close enough, right?
Pretty close right?
(Man this makes me want to pressure wash even more! lol)
Final Thoughts on the Filing Cabinet Planter Life
For the price of two old filing cabinets (in this case generously donated), a can of paint, and a couple potted plants, this repurposed filing cabinet makeover brought real curb appeal to a hardworking small-town business.
And hopefully, it brings a smile to the staff who pass by each day.
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