I have wanted to get a better ironing station for some time now, and when I saw this ALDI kitchen trolley that was the perfect size, I decided NOW was the time!
So if you have been looking for a new ironing station, think outside the box a little : )
I was so over having my traditional ironing board tipping over (with my precious Oliso Pro iron on it!!) everytime I tried ironing a quilt back or yardage.
This was going to be sturdier, bigger in all directions and would fit yardage easily! Bring it on!
The buying of it, and bringing it home was, eventful : ) I had to go alone so was trying to get this huge box off the top of a large stack single-handed (like literally one-handed considering my fairly useless left arm!). Thank goodness for the kind gentleman who answered my call for help!
Home and onto the building of it!
Thankfully it wasn’t IKEA, the drawers were already assembled and connected to the top! Just legs and the bracing to do!
It was up! Each shelf has a weight rating of 10kg, so I have had to ration what goes on there, but one tub of Tula Pink stash weighs about 3kg, so three of those on each of the shelves will go nicely I think!
The next issue was how to get the top covered so I could iron on it. I did think of making an ironing cover with batting / insulbatting and fabric… but I do love my wool pressing mats…. so I went on a hunt for a huge wool pressing mat… and they are very hard to find!
Finally found one in the US and I think because it was Amazon Prime day (I am not a prime member though), I got free shipping to Australia! Woo hoo! It did take about six weeks to get here though.
I did a video of the unboxing of the woolen pressing mat over on Instagram if you want to watch it! https://www.instagram.com/reel/CvoswuwJ2zm/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
I have now trimmed it to the size of the top and the next issue was to find something to put underneath the woolen mat so moisture didn’t ruin the trolley wooden top.
I tested out quite a few things whilst waiting for my woolen mat to arrive and decided upon….. BBQ mats! Hehehe… these are thin mats that go on top of your BBQ for marinated items etc…. they can handle heat obviously, but don’t let moisture through them.
I have placed two of those under my woolen pressing mat as well as an old cutting mat (that is in cms so I won’t ever use it!) to cover the entire surface, so any moisture from steam won’t get to the wooden top.
So that is my new ironing station all sorted!
It really was the cheapest way to get one for my space. Compared to cabinets (even IKEA cabinets) it was going to be hard to get the right size for a good price. This ALDI kitchen trolley is just the bee’s knees!
Once I have put a few hours of ironing in, I am sure the woolen mat will flatten down after having been rolled up for so long.
And even the drawers have been so very handy…. my threads are now stored in one drawer and bits and bobs in the other.
And it fits quilts / quilt tops and yardage oh so beautifully! (yes, my Rosemary quilt made from Flower Power fabrics is almost finished!)
What do you use for your ironing station?
I LOVE THIS! Particularly the extra storage gained underneath.
What are the dimensions for the table top please?
Having extra storage is ALWAYS a must! That is another drawback of the traditional ironing board. The size is 1.2m(w) x 50cm(d) x 90cm(h)
This is such a great idea Anne! I’ve been thinking of doing something like this for a while so thank you for the great tips!
My pleasure! I was so thrilled to see it come up on the weekly specials at ALDI and the sizing was perfect!
Great idea & on wheels. I didn’t see it at any time in the Aldi catalogues. I’ve a few of their “bits” in my tiny sewing room. Thanks for sharing, take care & hugs from a very wet Gippsland this morning.
Loved yours so much Anne after seeing it in your email, just bought mine on Sunday, $129. Sturdy, great height for pressing/ironing fabric & storage. I used the tape measure on it & was surprised to find that the top is 114cm x 47cm, but then I realised the box has to show overall size including the front & side handles which is 120cm(W) x 50cm(D), still fabulous. A lovely woman helped me get mine in the car when she saw me struggling 🙂 Thanks so much for sharing your wonderful idea.