Boring Boxes to Stylish Storage

As far as I'm concerned, you can never have too many storage solutions, or too much craft supplies, so when my existing system wasn't working anymore, it was time to get creative. I dug through my stash of cardboard boxes, grabbed a few old road maps and a roll of craft paper tape and got to work.

You can use any type of cardboard boxes that you have, although I like heavier ones rather than the cereal box weight. You can also cover them with a variety of materials, from duct tape to magazine pages, so you can make them fit any decor. 

For these, I used spray glue to attach the maps and craft paper tape around the top and bottom edges. I also used the craft paper tape around the sides of the lids. On other boxes I have used contact paper on the box sides and top of the lid and duct tape around the sides of the lid. The possibilities are endless, as long as you have the glue/tape to hold your material in place.

MATERIALS
- cardboard boxes, flat cardboard pieces
- exacto knife, scissors
- tape, glue
- decorative paper, contact paper, wrapping paper, fabric, or similar

1. Cut the top flaps off the boxes. Remove any labels or loose tape. Ensure that the bottoms of the boxes are sturdy and secured.

2. Measure the height of the boxes. Cut your paper into strips slightly wider than that measurement.

3. Wrap and secure (i.e. glue) the strip(s) around the box, overlapping slightly at the seams/ends. I like to have the bottom edge of the strip flush with the bottom of the box and a bit of paper sticking up above the top edge of the box. You can trim away the extra bit of paper or leave it and cover it with tape like I do.

4. Wrap tape around the top edge of the box, with approximately half of the width of the tape extending above the edge of the paper. Slice the corners vertically.

Fold the four sides down inside the box.

5. Wrap tape around the bottom edge of the box, with approximately half of the width of the tape extending past the edge of the box. Slice the corners vertically.

Press the tape down onto the bottom of the box.

6. Measure the width and length of the top of the box. Add 2.25" to both measurements. Draw and cut out a flat piece of cardboard that size. Mark 1" in from all four sides. Score along those lines. Cut a thin wedge out at each corner, creating 1" square flaps. Fold along all the score lines.

NOTE: For larger boxes, you might want the lid to be deeper, which is easily achieved by adding more width and length to your original measurements and making your cut and score lines further from the edges.

7. Glue the little flaps to the insides of the lid sides. Hold with binder clips while the glue dries (if necessary). Once the glue is dry, you can cover the top of the box with paper, etc. if you want to. Wrap tape around the sides of the lid, with approximately half of the width of the tape extending above the edge of the lid towards the inside. Slice the corners vertically.

8. Fold the tape to the inside of the lid. Flip the lid over and put it on the box.

DONE! Complete the rest of your boxes, fill them with treasures, label them, and stick them on a shelf.