Oatmeal Container Lamp

When you think of oatmeal container crafts, a few things probably come to mind. Perhaps you remember making an oatmeal container drum in elementary school. Or maybe when you were a little older you used an old oatmeal container to store your secret possessions. Perhaps you use an old oatmeal container to store knick knacks that you have lying around the house. All these are very common uses for the used oatmeal containers that many of us accumulate, but have you ever thought of doing more with your oatmeal containers? Below is an example of how you can do something with your oatmeal container that you may not have ever thought of doing before. This first example is how you can make a lamp out of an old oatmeal container.

Oatmeal Container Lamp

To make an oatmeal container lamp you will need the following materials:

• Oatmeal container
• Craft paper (in the color that you would like your lamp to be)
• Bottle adapter lamp kit (can be found at most hardware stores or in the house-wares aisle of some mega marts)
• Double-stick tape
• Scissors
• Lampshade (you can cover the shade or decorate it if the one that you find does not match the body of the lamp)

Instructions for the Project:

1. Begin by cutting a piece of craft paper the exact size pus 1 inch in width to wrap around the oatmeal container. If you want to decorate the container do so at this point in the process.
2. Put double-stick tape on both short ends of the paper to adhere the paper to itself. This is the base of the lamp.
3. Cut a small slot at the bottom of the oatmeal container so that there is a spot for the wiring (do this on the side of the container and towards the bottom).
4. Disassemble the parts in the lamp kit. Use the largest adapter to trace out how large the hole will need to be at the bottom of your oatmeal container and then cut out that hole.
5. Assemble the lamp kit according to manufacturer’s instructions. Put the lamp kit into the hole you made in your oatmeal container base and run the wire out trough the bottom. (Note: you may need to weigh down the lamp base; you can do this by adding rocks to the bottom of the lamp.)
6. Twist in your bulb and attach the shade. Monitor the lamp for a while to make sure that it is functioning properly. Test the lamp for hot spots to ensure that there are no fire hazards and that you assembled the kit properly.