How to add extra storage to lockers by adding your own shelves for max storage!
My youngest child is so cute. I know I’m biased, but you would probably agree if you had a chance to meet him. He adores any sport with a ball. Since he was very young you could find him swinging, hitting or kicking at some type of ball, dressed out in cleats and shin guards. He lives in athletic wear, I think he is allergic to non spandex material. His bedroom is adorable, all dressed up in vintage style athletic gear. He also happens to be a typical little boy in the sense that he is not exactly the neatest child. In his defense the room lacks storage and therefore piles of junk accumulate on the floor. Real life right here:
For the longest time I have wanted to snag some school lockers to put in his room for added storage. When I would travel to Round Top Antiques Week years ago you could find a bank of gym lockers for $100, now you can’t find them for under $300 hardly! Lucky for me I hit the locker lotto. 
My girlfriend got a call about some free lockers that were removed from a local school and she grabbed two sets for her boys. The lucky part comes when one kiddo didn’t like those junky lockers and I got the call to come and pick them up…FREE! Good things come to those who wait right!?
I’m pretty sure they might be that last set of lockers I own because after my husband hauled them to the back of the house he said, “please never ask me to move those again.” lol. They are slightly heavy :/
To wrangle all the junk toys my youngest has I needed to get some extra shelves into these glorious lockers pronto. I started by purchasing an 8ft piece of utility shelving (it cost about $15), which was the perfect width for the lockers. With a table saw I cut the plank into pieces that would snuggly fit into the locker. Then I stained them with my favorite Espresso color stain.
The shelves were a tight fit and I wedged them into place, then drilled a hole into two spots on each side to make adding a screw and washer easier. Then I screwed a screw and washer into all four holes. 
Once I checked the shelf with a level and made adjustments I tightened the screws and the shelf seized into place. 
Since the lockers we got have mesh siding these shelves are easily adjustable or removable without damaging the locker. If you have a solid side locker, you could still use this concept, but you would want to pre-drill holes through the locker metal in the spots you would like to add shelves. It would take a few extra steps, but you could easily do it!
The shelves are placed at varying heights to accommodate a variety of items, and I plan on possibly adding crates or baskets to hold all his stuff. Containers will help the overall appearance look less messy. It’s important to note that we secured the bank of lockers to the wall with sheetrock anchors as soon as we added them to his room. We all know boys can be little monkeys and without securing you have an accident waiting to happen!
I happened to scoop up an antique tennis racquet and baseball bat from Goodwill for a few dollars each to round out this new little organizing area. Now Sadler has a spot to store stuff and display his trophies. Lockers are such fun storage and can be used all over the house, even if you don’t have a little athlete in your home, try them in a laundry or mud room, bathroom storage or outside for gardening tools!
How would you use lockers in your home? I’d love to hear your fun ideas!
I have a few sets. Right now one is in my living room filled with dvds, candles and my collection of vintage table clothes. Love the look and the extra storage.
I bet that is fantastic, you can really store a bunch in them!
We have a set of lockers from a school building that was being replaced. Our boys had classes in that building and my husband and I were teachers there. We use ours to store extra paper goods, paint, and garden tools.
What a sweet memory! Local schools often give them away when they update, so everyone needs to keep their eyes peeled 🙂
What a cute idea. I bet your son just loves these in his room.
He was really excited and already has his own rules about what goes where, lol!
We purchased lockers from a Brenham ISD salvage sale. My husband painted them (carefully removing the locker numbers, etc.). He also put in shelves in much the same way as you did. However, we put them in our son’s room on either side of his bed. So, my husband also put a small shelf on the outside of the lockers on each side of his bed. Then there was room for a small reading lamp, whatever book he was reading, etc. One wall in his room was painted like a section of a football field. We did this when Zac was in 6th grade, right after we purchased his “grown up” furniture. He kept his room this way all the way through high school. At Baylor, once he moved out of the dorm, the lockers sat on either side of a very large TV and the boys put all the video game stuff in them. Now they are storage in our garage. Such a great purchase! And, all my husband’s idea! As for the “grown up” bedroom set??? Well, the puppy he “had to have” in college chewed up the bed’s legs. I painted the long dresser with chalk paint and restained the top. It is now the entry piece (sans mirror) in his home with his wife, and soon, baby. The tall dresser is storage in his home office.
wow – you got your money’s worth for sure. I love that he used them for so many years. If I can get my husband to move them again I bet my boy will too, lol! That is a great idea to add the shelf on the outside! Every once and a while those men have some good ideas 😉 You sound like my kind of mama re-painting that furniture and making it work, how fun!
Seriously, you did a great job. I love the color on those too. What a bargain!!!
thanks, my son wanted me to paint them orange (his favorite) but I was lucky they were awesome as is!
The lockers in Colby’s room are one of my favorite finds! It’s a great way to store all those little things they acquire (and don’t want to part with) but that you don’t want “displayed” in their room! Great (and lucky!) find!
Right! they have so much STUFF!!!
Kim I shared this on my Fb- if you come across any more, I would love to buy for Carrie’s Walker❤️Precious idea!
Thanks for sharing and I will keep my eyes peeled!!!
Love it!
yay – your kiddos would love it too
I love the locker idea! My kids are grown and I have a granddaughter, maybe if I am blessed with a grandson someday I will use this idea. What’s scary is that you called that tennis racquet an antique, it looks like the one I learned to play tennis with! I guess I’m old…
lol, not old, but they change so quickly! Lockers are great for a mud room too in case you find some you like!
Love these! I’m on the hunt for some for JJ’s room. If you hear of some locally, please let me know. ????