HGTV's Clever Upcycle For A Secondhand Dresser Is Perfect For Any Garden

Whether you're a beginner gardener or a seasoned expert with a green thumb, you know that gardening requires a lot of tools. Rakes and shovels and hand trowels and gloves and watering cans — these gardening tools are essential for tending to your green space, and having a proper spot to work and keep things organized can come in handy. Potting benches have long served as a solution for gardeners, and thanks to the insights of HGTV project designer Dan Faires, we've learned you can upcycle a used dresser to make your very own unique potting bench right at home.

Here's the key: if you find yourself face-to-face with a gorgeously crafted dresser connected to a mirror that has certainly seen better days, don't get rid of it or walk away. Make the most of that wood dresser and reclaim it for your gardening station. Here's how you can transform that piece of furniture into your new favorite spot on your backyard patio.

First, if the dresser has a mirror, detach it and place it on a solid surface. Wearing thick work gloves, pry apart the back wood frame of the dresser and carefully break apart the glass to remove it. From there, the dresser will need to be sanded in order to have a smooth surface for your paint. Remove any hardware and sand it down with 220 grit sandpaper until every surface has been thoroughly worked. Wipe the dresser to remove the dust, then cover the inside and outside with a high-quality exterior paint such as latex or acrylic. Use any color you desire!

For this project, Faires replaces the mirror with a pegboard to organize your stuff and maximize the storage of this potting bench. To do so, trace an outline of the mirror using the wood back you originally pried off, then cut the design using a jigsaw. Feel free to paint the pegboard if you have a different color in mind (wait for it to dry), then attach it to the frame with a screws and fasten it back to the dresser. Lastly, feel free to swap out the hardware with outdoor-friendly materials like sisal rope, which can withstand the elements. Tie it through the holes to the dresser to make a handle, knotting the rope on the inside and outside so it will hold.

In true potting bench fashion, this reclaimed dresser is now the perfect spot to tend to your flowers and plants. Hang your tools from hooks on the pegboard for easy access when it's time to garden. Utilize the drawers for storing tools that you don't want exposed to the elements, like gloves, hats, kneepads, pruning sheers, and more. You can even store extra bags of soil for those moments you need to spread out and get dirty while repotting your favorite houseplants.

Now with an extra surface to work with on your back porch, you might as well make the most of it! This potting bench is a useful component if you need more ideas for your outdoor kitchen, especially when you're hosting a large crowd. Store your gardening supplies in the drawers and use the surface for entertaining, like placing glass dispensers of batch cocktails with mason jars for an outdoor bar, or extra serving trays for a buffet station. Utilize the pegboard for hanging festive decor and baskets for baskets of fresh fruit, as well as serving supplies like silverware, napkins, and straws.