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Friday, May 25, 2012

Organizing Boxes

Organization is the key to a simple life. 
I love to organize, I get a wired thrill from it.

I know it’s silly but I just get a kick out of staking things in order or sorting by size! For anyone who feels the same this project is sure to make you smile. 


I made some boxes to organize some of my craft items (ribbon, extra fabric, stamps, etc.).


Supplies:
~ Left over card board from random boxes
(I had some really good thick stuff from something we had shipped,
the thicker the better.)
~Exacto knife or something to cut the cardboard with
(I wouldn’t recommend using scissors)
~ Two 2/5th yard cuts cotton fabric in two different colors
~ Ribbon, if you don’t have a sewing machine,
if you do you can use the scrap fabric.
~ Hot glue and gun
~ Paint most kind or color will work
(I used some left over from a dresses I painted)
First you will want to cut out the cardboard. I wanted four 12”x13”x13” boxes so I cut: 8- 12”x13” squares for the front and back, 8- 13”x13” squares for the sides, and 4- 11 1/2” x 12 1/2” for the bottoms.
(this is only 4 of the squares- the ones I used first)
Then I took two sides (the 13”x13” pieces) and glued it to a bottom piece so the sides are sitting on top of the bottom.
Next I glued a back piece on and set the front piece aside. I did this three more times for all the rest of the boxes.
Then I cut the fabric into four 14”x15” squares and pressed them flat.
Then I painted one side of all the front pieces. And the inside and out of the glued together boxes.
Next I hot glued the fabric to the front square (on the non painted side). I did this one side at a time, wrapping the fabric around the edge to the painted side then gluing it down. Then I did the opposite side stretching the fabric tight, wrapping it and gluing. I repeated this with all the front pieces.
If you are using ribbon you can skip the next two steps. To make the handle I cut a 9” by 1 1/2” strip two in each color. I folded it in half and each end down 1/4th inch and pressed it.
Then I folded it right sides together and stitched it leaving the folded ends open. Turn that right side out, press it, and there’s your handle.
To attach the handle I measured 4 inches in the center of the box and marked it. (I wanted my handle to be 4 inches long.) Then I cut a slit with the exacto knife a little more then one inch long to put the handle into.
Getting the handle into the slit was tricky after a bunch of other attempts I used my ruler to push the handle through the slit then I pulled it through to the other side.
Then I hot glued the handle down on the other side.
Lastly I glued the front fabric covered square onto the rest.
Now I have somewhere nice to store my extra craft items! Ahhhhhhh organizing and it sure dose feel good to use materials I was going to just throw away.
It doesn’t look like garbage now. :)

9 comments:

  1. You are so cleaver taking garbage and making it useful. Awesome at saving the environment!!

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  2. I so really love this . I did this for my ribbon collection and I'm thrilled. Thank you very much. Next is my charm collection. Giggle

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  3. I absolutely love you! I have an old set of CD shelves and wanted to make boxes to fit in each section in order to repurpose it. These are perfect. Paint the shelves to coordinate with the boxes? I am in heaven

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  4. I did something similar recently with some old diaper boxes. It's one of those things that felt soooo obvious after the fact. lol http://wildedesigns.blogspot.com/2013/07/wilde-does-stuff-diaper-box-storage.html#.UvJOLkJdU1g

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  5. You could maybe replicate the process smaller for a lid to the box too.

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  6. So damn pretty the boxes are! Thank you!

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  7. GREAT IDEA..!!! AND PRETTY TO BOOT. :o)

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  8. Ladies, any ideas if I don't have a sewing machine?

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    Replies
    1. I'm guessing this is for the handle? Use a larger piece of fabric (double the width) fold and press the piece so the raw edges over lap in the back and hot glue the edges together. That's what I would do.

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