Looking for a simple project to hide your trash can? This mini barn door is the perfect solution to install to hide your trash can from sight.

how to hide the trash can

The laundry room doesn’t always look like this.

I wish.

There are baskets of clothes and piles of towels and a stray super stinky sock.  I’ve been working and sending unstinky socks upstairs with people and folding towels and taking away the laundry baskets and generally trying to keep it all under control.

And I was so close.

Until.

Until last week when I walked into this space that was COVERED with trash.  The can was knocked over and there were parts and pieces of cartons and cereal boxes and a few spare crumbs left over from a Hunger Buster from Dairy Queen.

And Buddy our golden retriever sitting in the middle of it all.

With his paws over his eyes.

In dog news, I needed to know how to hide the trash can.

how to hide the trash can pantry

Here’s how we solved the problem. Here’s how to hide the trash can.

First, we bought a trash can with a lid.

And installed this.

A mini-barn door.

how to hide the trash can in laundry room

Here it is from the front.

The barn door slides over and opens when you need to open the trash can.

And when you don’t need to throw anything away?

how to hide the trash can in minutes

It slides back in place like this.

Seriously?

Isn’t it the cutest?

I love this entire line of mini-barn door hardware.

They are the cutest EVER.

Like a miniature version of their grown-up sibling the barn door.

If you want to know how to hide the trash can?

This is the solution.

These mini-barn door kits are 48″ long.

Perfect for spots where a larger barn door wouldn’t fit.

Like a television armoire.

Or a bookshelf.

Or a laundry room with an overactive golden retriever.

Now all is right in our world.

The trash is put away.

The Hunger Buster crumbs are swept up.

The trash can is tucked into it’s home.

Now you see it.

Now you don’t.

All is right in laundry room world.

The door is open and the sunshine is pouring in.

The trash can has a new home and we’ve discovered how to hide your trash can from a golden retriever.

The towels are folded and put away.

And all the stinky socks have found their way home. 🙂

disclosure: This post is sponsored by National Hardware.

All opinions are my own.

Please see my disclosure page for more information.

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Comments

  1. Image for Jessica Lardinais Jessica Lardinais

    Oh my gosh...yes, please!!!!! I want this and love how light and airy everything looks. With the mini barn door, it creates the perfect hiding spot!

  2. Image for Stephanie Brown Stephanie Brown

    Love that keep the dog out of the trash door! Great job! If you ever get bored 😍 or need a challenge. Head back to KY. Heard there was a plantation type home being neglected.. no pictures on walls for years. Just sharing.. for a friend.😂 Keep shining dearheart!

  3. Image for RW RW

    Brilliant! I am glad to know this option exists and will pass it along to some friends. I have wondered something as I've contemplated all of these barn doors as an option for areas of my house and friends' houses, and would appreciate some serious opinions. We have lived through multiple decades of design and seen so much come and go. I try to stay with design that won't be dated later. I've noticed that some design features go away because it turns out they were a poor idea. Some were just overdone. I have not thought of a lot of downs to the interior sliding barn door trend. Perhaps at some time people will stop loving the exposed hardware and modern farmhouse look? I can't remember when I started seeing them. Neat at first and I still like them this many years later. I like them particularly when they solve a problem like in the laundry room above! So do ya'll think the barn door craze is going to last forever? Or will they eventually date a house?

  4. Image for Terri Terri

    WOWOWOW..... Genius!!!! I love this idea... and it looks perfect!! I hope Buddy did get a little hug after all was said and done..... lolol

  5. Image for Louise Adkins Louise Adkins

    Now your trash can needs to be on rollers or on a rolling plant stand so you can get to the trash easier. :)

  6. Image for Linda Linda

    Well, personally I’m happy to hear Buddy is well enough to get himself into trouble! After that health scare a couple of months ago, I love it that he is feeling frisky...excellent solution and pretty cute as well...

  7. Image for Carrie Carrie

    THIS!!! I have been wanting this in my kitchen under a narrow countertop that fits our trash/recycling bins!!! You, rockstar, really ROCK today! Thank you!!! A thousand thank you's!!

  8. Image for june june

    It is so sweet looking and practical! Love your laundry room. The flooring is just like that of a bathroom in the Victorian home I grew up in.

  9. Image for Claudia A Claudia A

    I don’t think it could have been that sweet Buddy. He was hiding his eyes cause he knew he’d been framed. Just not pointing his paw to blame anyone. Btw cute door!

  10. Image for Tracey Tracey

    I love this. Especially the part about Buddy with his paws over his eyes! LOL I seriously love the mini barn door!

  11. Image for Vee Muller Vee Muller

    Love this room. Love the barn door and the ?Buddy story! One thought though, it's really hard to see all of your white stoneware, being white on white shelves with white backgrounds. How about painting the back of the shelves or some cute wallpaper? Would make your dishes really stand out!

  12. Image for Sharon Sharon

    What a fabulous idea! I love it! I hope I can find a place to use it in my next house. You have given me so many ideas. I just wish you had a pick of Buddy covering his eyes in the mess!

  13. Image for Debbie Debbie

    I can't really blame Buddy, I love Hunger Busters too and haven't had one in 5 years when I went home to Texas for my sweet Mom's funeral. You see the Dairy Queen's here don't have Hunger Busters or Belt Busters or EVEN Steak Finger dinners. It is a sad, sad state of affairs. I love the mini barn door. I keep looking around my house trying to figure out where I can put one! You are so creative. I love all your wonderful ideas. Thanks so much for the beautiful inspiration, dear friend.

  14. Image for Katie Heidinger Katie Heidinger

    love the door, love buddy, and I agree with some others that mentioned painting behind the white dishes so they can POP..

  15. Image for Debra B Milam Debra B Milam

    The other night I was up late, alone of course, when I had what I thougt was an hysterical thought while I was painting signs on some old barnwood. Your mention of the sliding barn door (genius, I love the barn doors and the minis are so cute) made me decide to share it here. Young girls dream of horses. Big girls dream of Princes on horses. Crafty women think, "Oh, what I could do with that barn!" Debra B. Milam

  16. Image for Kathy S Kathy S

    I had a darling Weimaraner who figured out how to open the refridgerator door! She had a feast of leftover roast, a loaf of bread, cheese, etc., until I finally caught her in the act! Thank goodness for baby locks. How I miss that dog, she was one of the best!

  17. Image for Linda Linda

    Well it sounds like everyone loves Buddy as much as I do. So glad he is well and into everything....just like my Golden ! Gotta love them ! I can't believe. That you didn't take his picture...that sweet face.! Would love to have seen that.

  18. Image for Leslie Watkins Leslie Watkins

    By far the best and cutest way to keep Buddy on his best behavior. Who knew he was just helping you with design with a need for that cute barn door?? That Buddy. We all love him. And the door.

  19. Image for Amy K Amy K

    That is soooo cuuuuute! I gotta have those bells on the back door wreath. Can you let us know where they are from. Thank you!

  20. Image for Jayne McLeod Jayne McLeod

    poor 'ol buddy, you've gone an taken all his fun away ... i wonder how long it will take him to figure out how to open the beautiful, cute as a button wee barn door all by himself heehee !! thank you for the laugh ... your laundry room really is lovely and your wee hide-a-barn-door solution really looks great too !

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