The Costco Wine Freebie You Should Start Taking Advantage Of Right Now

One of the first words that come to mind when attempting to describe the beloved warehouse chain Costco is "big." Inside the cavernous stores are some truly preposterous deals on grocery items. Those who pay the reasonable $60 membership fee can buy amazingly oversized items such as a 60-pound barrel of honey and a box of several hundred gumballs.

Despite the inarguably impressive bargains, limiting your Costco shopping trip to bulk foods would be a massive mistake. In fact, some of the best deals in the store are on bottles of wine. Whether it's the company's trademark Kirkland Signature brand or any number of other rotating wines, seasonal specials, and daily deals are commonplace at the Costco cellar. There's a Costco wine for everyone, from the most casual drinkers to the stuffiest sommelier. However, it's possible that the best deal in the wine aisle is actually an oft-overlooked piece of packaging. While you might usually walk by a discarded wine box, these leftover containers can be transformed into stunning storage spaces.

It would be a mistake to overlook the incredible deals that can be found on Costco alcohol. Costco once sold a three-bottle box of 19 Crimes wine for a shockingly low $50. But what happens when the wooden crates that once contained bottles of budget-friendly wine are no longer needed?

When a store sells a lot of alcohol, it will almost certainly wind up with an abundance of wooden crates. At Costco, customers may be allowed to take empty wine crates home with them. This isn't an expressly stated company policy, so it's theoretically possible that your location has a different policy regarding discarded wine boxes. But by many accounts, the empty ones are yours for the taking. Simply double-check with an employee before snagging one.

A free Costco wine box can be a huge money-saver if you're in the market for storage containers. A quick glance at Amazon reveals that a wooden wine crate can easily run you around $40. So, snagging one for free on your Costco run can make your visit even more lucrative.

It doesn't take a pro designer to understand how a large wooden container could be an effective organization tool. The next time you're at Costco, it might be a smart idea to snag an empty box or two along the way, even if you don't already have a project in mind. Wine crates are often elegantly designed, in order to reflect the quality of the wine within. This versatile wooden finish makes them an ideal home decorating tool no matter your style.

Given the large flat surfaces that are inherent to a cubical wine box, it can be easily transformed into a wall-mounted display case. Whether it's a slotted case with individual wine bottle receptacles or an open-style box, it's easy to transform it into a rustic wooden shelf. A wine box can also be used for essentially any type of storage. You might want to check for potentially dangerous staples and also sand down your new decorative container's rough edges. And if you want a custom touch, you can stain it to match your decor or add a pop of color with latex paint.