Free Vintage Soda Crates … and How I Rescued Them From the Ashes

 

Vintage soda crates & bottles - free find!  kellyelko.com

The Craigslist ad had me at FREE!

Vintage soda crates & bottles - free find!  kellyelko.com

2,000 vintage wooden soda crates – take as many as you want.

Vintage soda crates & bottles - free find!  kellyelko.com

Piled high and filled with cardboard – this pile was ready to be set ablaze.

Next to it sat all that was left of another pile, the metal edges on the crates.

Vintage soda crates & bottles - free find!  kellyelko.com

Don’t think of me as a hero – I’m way too modest for such a title!

Vintage soda crates & bottles - free find!  kellyelko.com

I prefer to think of it as doing my civic duty.

Vintage soda crates & bottles - free find!  kellyelko.com

Alright.  I did it for purely selfish motives.

Vintage soda crates & bottles - free find!  kellyelko.com

Shhh, let’s keep that part between us.

 

This definitely makes up for my last Craigslist fail.

Check out all of my thrift finds here.

 

Have you gotten any great freebies lately?

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104 Comments

      1. Where are you located and do you think any are left? I lost everything I own bc of covid and was at a homeless shelter. Just got a place finally and I’m starting from scratch. I have a couple crates but need several more for my project and free is free especially when you’ve lost literally everything and are starting all over again at 54yrs old. You can PM me at the email address below. I’d really appreciate it and thanx for taking the time to read this. Look forward to hearing back. Have a grateful day!~Renee’

  1. Kelly, oh my goodness, you lucky lady! I would love to get my hands on a couple of those crates! What a find, wow! Can’t wait to see what you do with them! 🙂 Have a wonderful weekend!

  2. Oh my goodness!!! That picture with you standing by all those crates is priceless!!! What a score or find or whatever you want to call it!! That is sooooo awesome!!!

  3. What do they say, one man’s trash is another’s treasure? Hard to believe that someone didn’t understand the interest / value of those crates and not to mention the bottles, heck, don’t folks pay a deposit on those?!? I guess they just took the easy way out saying “come and get them” and so glad you got in on that action! I would have had a hard time not returning many many times until I had a wall of those in my backyard.

  4. OMGosh! What a find! I would have had my car packed to the gills! How many did you get? Love the centerpiece with the crate and bottles – too cute! I never find anything good like this on my local Craig’s List. SCORE! Wow! Just think of all the things you could use and make with these! Have fun! Hugs, Leena

  5. You know the entire blogging, junking, vintage loving world has a LOVE/HATE with you now right?
    … Or, am I just talking about me?

    So envious!! Not jealous… just envious. Talk about the Mother Load!!! Wow. Go girl.

  6. What treasures!!!!!!!! Oh it literally almost brings me to tears to think of them all being destroyed. It’s history- they have real value. Breaks my heart to see that they may not be loved. SO happy to see you were able to rescue them. Oh how happy I would have been to get my hands on those.

  7. Oh my that’s so many kelly!!!!! How many did you get? there’s a ton of projects your could do with these!!! Lucky crates they have you!

  8. This is the jackpot of freebies!!!! I seriously cannot believe they were going to throw those out. You are my hero of the day. Also, more than a tidge jealous here….

  9. Thanks for showing these. I wonder if there are any left? Gosh I love those crates. I had one and gave it to my daughter who is another soul who loves repurposing old things. She made a spice rack out of it and hung it in her kitchen. Thanks for sharing. Love your stuff. Linda

  10. I would of called everyone that I know that owns a large vehicle and swooped them all up – I can’t believe that someone would just want to burn these great pieces of history!

  11. Wow! Lucky you. I’ve bought two crates (for super cheap but not free) at an auction. They are perfect for corralling random things. I don’t know what I’d do if I found them for free….maybe take as many as I could fit in my car?!

  12. Oh how I am green with envy right now!!! Those sell for upwards of $50 each around here…IF you can even find one. My boyfriend may have had a heart attack if I’d stumbled upon a listing like this, with his F350 I would have come home with enough of these to build a small cabin. Great find!!!!

  13. I would like to know if you would sale a few. my wife and I run a farmers market and need about 10 of them, different ones without cells just flats, strong in color to display vegetables & produce please contact and let me know. thanks micheal

  14. I love those crates and I’d love to find some !
    Lucky you ! But I live in France and they’re just too expensive here !

  15. I came across this blog and I was wanting to find some vintage Pepsi crates. Do you still have many of these available? if so, Where are you located. I have a project in mind and my grandfather and my uncle worked for Pepsi in Dayton, OH. I would love to incorporate these into the project.

  16. I need a few wooden crates and glass bottles. A family camp in Colorado is needing them. How can I get them? I’m in Texas. Thxs, melissa

  17. I’m in search for a wooden soda crate vintage for my daughter as she has been given about 24 old soda bottles from her Pop. Do you have a Coke or Pepsi one in good shape at a reasonable price? Are you located in the US?

  18. Do you still have any old soda crates and if so can I please get more info aND how I can get some from you.

  19. I really enjoyed your pictures in your article of the different wooden crates that were used for soda! My wife loves doing little projects like you did, so I think that your picture with the flowers in the bottles on the wooden crates is something that she’d really like. I’m going to have to see if we can find some old wooden crates that we could use for a vintage looking decoration like you did! Thanks for the idea!

  20. Hello,
    I am looking for six wooden soda crates for a summer carnival ring toss game. Are you selling these?

  21. You are indeed blessed. What a find. And some with the bottles. Love how you used it for decoration. I to would love to have some. Bottles included. Would also like to see how you’re going to use the rest. Have fun!

  22. HI ,
    I was wondering if you could tell me if you know of anyone locally that buys wooden soda flats. These are in very good condition and they have the inserts and the writing on the outside and inside. I saw the condition of the ones above on this page on the info on google and these still have the inserts in them and most have the metal on the edges on the outside. We have about 10 wooden and 2plastic ones. We have photos if you would like. we will await your answer, . We can send photos if need be.

  23. Hi, I just came across your article about the vintage soda crates. I was wondering if you still had some I woul be interested in acquiring a few, about four maybe and I would pay for shipping. Thanks

  24. Love the pop crates, I have been trying to find some, but everyone wants a arm and leg for them

  25. What a smart woman you are and what an amazing find! I would love love love to have a couple of these if you could possibly ship them? If you can ship let me know a shipping price! Thank you and happy future hunting!

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