The Cheap Thrift Find That Turns Into The Chicest Fridge Magnets You'll Ever See

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In many homes, the refrigerator is the gallery wall of the kitchen. You might not have the surface area (or want to risk the stovetop splatter) to truly express the aesthetic displayed throughout the rest of your space, but that big metal box can be your magnet for, well, magnets. We favor Findmag's discreet little magnetic discs for securing things like particularly stylish postcards from abroad or cocktail napkin sketches of menacing birds you once saw, and you can also attach them to otherwise impractical but pretty thrift store finds for larger scale attractors.

Petite dishes or dessert plates are tops for transforming into unique magnets. You can also occasionally pull double shopping duty if you're already browsing for teacups to use as cuter scoops for sugar, flour, and other ingredients. Simply set aside any saucers for what is perhaps one of the easiest DIY projects you'll tackle all year. This is applicable, it probably goes without saying, to any lighter piece of porcelain, ceramic, or other material that's untethered from any matching set.

All you need to make placesetting magnets is the actual dish, a bit of sandpaper, hot glue or epoxy (plus caution approaching their respective perils), and the actual magnets. Let's say you've sourced a fairly standard 3- or 4-inch diameter saucer for just this purpose. First, flip it upside down to make sure that it isn't stamped with "Wedgwood" or the like, which might mean it's worth a few more bucks than you scored it for. (Should this variety of thrifting become a hobby you may want to familiarize yourself with more ways to tell if your vintage china is actually valuable.) Proceed if it's simply pretty.

Should you have a preferred crafting magnet, now's your chance to show it off. Otherwise, Findmag makes larger sizes to consider for use, too, depending on the weight of your plate. Sand about a silver dollar size section of the back of the dish where you plan to place the magnet for better adhesion, remove any dust with a damp paper towel, dry, and glue that baby on. Allow to set according to your adherent's instructions, or overnight. Arrange on your refrigerator, admire your handiwork, and start plotting your next thrift store dishware score.