Time: 3 Hours
Cost: $20
I found inspiration for this project through my daily browsing of Etsy. Check it out, they have some amazing suitcase pet beds on there!
Unfortunately they are also amazingly expensive. For example, this beauty above is $85.00. My DIY pet bed on the other hand, is not! Let's go.
TOOLS & SUPPLIES:
Suitcase
Power drill, screws and spacers (optional)
Hack saw
Plyers
Level (optional)
Craft stuffing or old pillow
Fabric
4" table legs (optional)
STEPS
1. Find your suitcase. I chose to use a plastic one so it would be easier to clean. Also, if I ever get bored of the color I can spray paint it. Use any old suitcase in your closet or a brand new one. I found mine at a garage sale for a grand total of....drum roll please...$1.50! Sha-zam! Make sure you clean that sucker good if you purchase a used one, god knows where that thing has been over the years and you can bet your poochie or kitty does NOT want to lay in a stinky bed. Or maybe they do. Regardless, YOU don't want a stinky bed in your house.
2. Dismantle the suitcase. I've seen pics of ones that people have left the suitcase together, but I was afraid it would accidentally shut on top of my dog and turn into a horrible death trap. Plus I personally think the beds look better without the top hanging open. Anyway, this is the most difficult part. Luckily I had my dad on staff to use his dad-like muscle skills to take the suitcase apart for me. To do this he used a hack saw to cut off the tip of the screws holding the two pieces together, then used a pair of needle nose plyers to pull the rest of the screw out of the hinge. Voila. Choose whichever side of the suitcase you want, I chose the bottom so that I could keep the handle detail. If you don't have a handle or just don't like it, you can always purchase a decorative one to screw on in the kitchen hardware department of Home Depot or Lowes.
3. OPTIONAL STEP: If you want to add legs on your suitcase pet bed like I did, find a nice set of legs (Oohh lala) and screw them on the bottom. I used the feet off of an old table I had simply because purchasing the from the hardware store can get expensive (try $8.00 per foot). To add the legs, drill a series of four holes, one in each corner, of your suitcase bottom. Attach the legs with screws and spacers. Don't forget to make sure the legs are level. Rockin & rollin is not a favorite pet past time.
4. In reality, this next step is optional as well. Now that your suitcase pet bed skeleton is complete, time to add the bedding. You can purchase a pet bed of your choice from a pet store or make your own. I found a trendy black and while chevron pattern on Fabrics.com that fit perfectly. This is also where the majority of the $20 total spent on this project went. Measure out the dimensions of your suitcase and get sewin'. For stuffing you can use an old pillow like I did or craft stuffing.
C'est fini! If your pet is afraid to get into the bed like mine was at first, use your buddy's favorite treats to lure him or her in and make it a positive place to be. Before long he'll love it so much you won't be able to get him to get out if it.
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