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What can you do with an old entertainment center?

Repurposing Entertainment Centers

by Dollar Stretcher Contributors

Repurposing Old Sheets

One Woman's Trash

Furniture Remakes

Repurposing Entertainment Centers

We just got a new big screen TV. It doesn't fit in our old entertainment center. We paid a bunch of money for it just a few years ago, so I hate to give it away. Does anyone have ideas on how to use an entertainment center for something besides holding a TV and DVD player?
Dwayne

Entertainment Center in Living Room photo from Shutterstock

Think Outside the Box

Depending on its size, you could put it in a closet for organization instead of those closet systems. Garage storage? Pantry items? If it has doors, you could store gifts in it. When all else fails and you find you can't use it, sell it.
Melanie (via Facebook)

Make It Fit

I took our entertainment center and lopped off the side supports to about 6" and reattached the top. Now it’s perfect for the newer TVs that are too wide for the old entertainment center. The other electronic hardware fits beneath the top perfectly. Beats throwing away something that still has value.
Allen

Put It to Work around the House

I sold my beautiful oak entertainment center after 25 years to a couple who are delighted with it. I listed it for free on Craigslist, but if you don't want to sell your entertainment center, here are several ideas to use it to the max.

Move it the dining room. If you have glass doors on the entertainment center, display fancy china and/or crystal in that section. Add a dowel rod to the TV side and hang your table linens on hangers in that side. Mine had two drawers and a lower cabinet, perfect for storing small linen napkins, large trays and bowls, and more.

Move it to a bedroom. Store sweaters in the side with shelves for electronics. You may want to cover any glass doors to make them look opaque. Add a dowel to the other side and store shirts, blouses, skirts and/or suits. Use any drawers and cabinets for smaller items.

Move it to a wide hallway. Store bed and bath linens in it. Again, you can decorate any glass doors to make it fit into your decor.
Barbara in CT

Make a Child Happy

Repurposed entertainment centers make great play areas for children. A little paint and a lot of creativity can result in a little girls (or boys) kitchen, a tool station, a hair salon, or a dress up area. There are lots of ideas and photos on Pinterest. If you don't have young children of your own, it would make a great gift or you could even sell it on Craigslist or eBay.
Christine

Laundry Room Uses

I've been using an old entertainment center in my laundry room for storing detergent, bleach, clothes pins, etc. I also have one shelf devoted to arts and crafts items for my kids. In the bottom cabinet, I store folders of tax income returns and receipts. I also have stored plastic bags and containers full of batteries, light bulbs, etc. in there as well. The possibilities are endless! You might even use it in a garage to hold outdoor toys, motor oil, garden tools, etc. The idea is to be creative.
Cindy

Turn into a Functional Bar

Depending on the style and design of the entertainment center, you may be able to use an old one as a "bar." When we first got married, we used an entertainment center found for $10 at a garage sale. We used that for quite a while for our TV/stereo. Later, when we replaced it with one we liked better, we moved the old one into our dining room and used the various shelves to store liquor, wine and cocktail glasses, and related items we had acquired over time. We removed the backing (be careful as some may need the backing for stability). The area where the TV used to be was a nice large area for taller items. We later placed a decorative bar mirror on the wall behind that area. It's a convenient place to mix drinks. It now serves as a functional "bar," which I suppose is really still a sort of "entertainment" center for our visitors.
Deet in New York

Use as Computer Desk/Home Office

If the entertainment center has doors on it, use it as a computer desk/home office. If you splurge on a pull-out shelf for the keyboard, you can sit in front of the center comfortably. With doors, you can hide the mess.
G Morgan

Repurpose Entertainment Center in Guest Bedroom

I inherited my mom's entertainment center, and because it's a good solid piece of oak furniture, I was very torn about getting rid of it since it didn't suit our TV purposes. However, I shabby-chic'd the piece and put it into our spare bedroom/guest bedroom. It's the perfect place to use as a spare linen closet, and blankets fit into the large opening when folded up. This enables someone to be able to grab a blanket easily when the cold weather is here, and the guest linens go in the enclosed area, as well as other spare items for the guest bedroom.
Kris

Many Ideas for Repurposing Entertainment Centers on Pinterest

If you check on Pinterest.com, you will find many, many ideas for repurposing entertainment centers. I have seen children's play kitchens made from these. I have seen an entertainment center repurposed into a "purse" closet. I have seen them turned into a newborn's closet. If you are someone who loves to sew, you can add shelves where the old TV was housed and add baskets for all your sewing items, including fabrics. Use your imagination!

When we upsized our TV, we just put the larger TV on top of our current entertainment center. We added shelves where the old TV was housed and had enough storage for all of the video game systems our kids own in addition to the DVD/VCR player and satellite dish box.

Just think "outside the box" when repurposing furniture that is no longer useful for its original purpose. You will be surprised what you can come up with.
Missie

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