Recently, I've been super superrrr obsessed with organizing my closet. I've been cleaning out, donating, hanging, boxing up and building displays. I wanted to have some cute hat boxes in the top of my closet to store some of my vintage hats and other things that can be easily bent up. After shopping around I decided that the best option for me was D.I.Y. I gathered up all my shoe boxes that I'd been saving and went to town…
1. Collect shoe boxes. I never throw them away! You can use them to store so many things other than shoes! 2. Cover one side of your box (whatever side you'd like facing out) with mod podge or gel medium. 3. Press a fabric scrap on that one side of the box. Allow to dry completely. 4. Trim away the excess fabric. 5. Take an instant photo of the item(s) you plan to store in your box. Adhere your photo to the front of your box for easy identification! 6. Allow to dry, stack them and store them! Try to use a lot of different patterned fabrics in a limited color scheme for a simple, yet interesting, effect.
100 Comments
Cute idea! I love all the black-and-white patterns you use on this too!
I never throw away shoe boxes! Of course most of my shoe boxes are of the small variety due to the littles, but they work for a ton of things too. Cover them in kraft paper and stick on some washi tape (or have the kids cover it in artwork), and I’m good to go.
Your organization DIYs are so pretty, Elsie! I love love love this idea; and such a perfect way to display photographs too!
x
http://www.lostinthehaze.com
I have always wanted to use photos as labels for shoes and hats and whatnot… my current apartment is way too small though, and with NO closet space, so my shoes and hats currently don’t get the awesome labeling I wish they had = ( Such a cute idea using fabric on the boxes though!
-meesch
http://www.aperfectkindofday.com
Cute idea! I’m moving soon and I think I’ll have to do this for my new closet 🙂
Love and Turtledoves,
Jacqueline
Oh my gosh, great idea!! I’m reorganizing my bedroom right now, so I will definitely be making some of these.
I do this with boxes too! So useful and it looks pretty! I like your photo labels!
Ngaio May xx
love the idea of photos as labels. very fun. 🙂
What a great idea! I love the photo labels! So clever of you!
love this idea! so pretty!
Love the fabric, your new boxes look amazing! I do something similar with diaper boxes to store my kids toys & books. I use burlap for the fabric and then stencils and paint to make a label.
There’s a picture here if you are interested
http://joyfullyweary.blogspot.com/2011/10/small-graces_21.html
I love this idea! I’ve been needing something to store my ever-growing collection of hats and mittens and I think this is just the ticket.
What an adorable idea! Love the photo’s on the front so you know what’s inside 🙂
xo Jac
thesunshinedistrict.blogspot.com
this perfect and so amazing. i was planning to buy storage boxes so this came in the knack of time.
Super cute!! I wish I had more shelf space :/
http://www.mythriftychic.com
This is fabulous. Great idea.
Cool! 😀 I usually use wrapping paper to make my boxes look cute, but I never thought about fabric. 😀
-Alyssa
happycatmint.blogspot.com
the photo labels are genius! I have a ton of these in my room and can never forget which is which and what is what….great idea and cute!
-grace
http://herumbrella.com
Cute idea!
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These are SO cute! I should try this–I’m so unorganized, but I feel like buying cute storage containers is SO expensive. I always end up with lots of boxes around my house–might as well recycle. Only thing I’m missing is the mod podge 🙂
-Kat
http://certainsomethingbtq.etsy.com
( 10% off with coupon code TAKE10 )
love it.. 🙂 http://lovesimplegreen.blogspot.com/
Pretty boxes. I had this idea for a time now and really looking forward to this too.
I have just been writing on the side of my boxes with a sharpie, but yours look soooo much prettier!
Loulou @ Loulou Downtown
Love this idea!!! You’ve totally inspired me! Thank:)
http://www.photographyreal.com
great idea!! i know some people do this with shoes. i might use this for storing my scarf collection 😀
WONDERFUL!!!!!!!
I’ll try with my shoes!!!!!!!
Thank you for the idea!
Thank you so much for posting this blog! I’ve been planning to cover my boxes in fabric someday, but I never knew how to go about it. Now I do!
I love my shoes boxes as storage material too! I love this trick, would be nice in my new place!
Love your idea! 🙂 something to spice up our boring boxes!
You always have such great ideas!!!
It’s really lovely!
I love your blog and http://skunkboycreatures.blogspot.com/ 😀 !!
From Spain
http://delecturayotrascosas.blogspot.com/
great project!!! 🙂 This would be so fun to do. 🙂 I am excited for my one week holiday vacation, this means a lot of diy projects!!!
xoxo
Ida
http://asplashofida.blogspot.com
Love the idea of a photo label! 🙂
My love and I have an ongoing joke about shoeboxes and how he wants to save all of them, while I throw them out everytime again. But I guess he was right all along. 😉
So cool idea 🙂 A while ago I had a similar idea – but how to make a receipe box! I used colorful paper and fabric too, and at also I made another receipe box but with using a decoupage technique.
If you want to see: feel free to visit me
http://sztukastudiowania.blogspot.com/
those ideas are in ,,DIY” label
I do this with wallpaper too! You can often find cheap single rolls at thrift stores. I just choose something that matches my general decor, and stick it on with double sided tape (somehow seems easier… I’m lazy). I’ve made tons of storage boxes this way. I’d hate to pay for them, they are so ridiculously expensive in stores considering they’re usually just cardboard or very cheap thin wood. Much better to recycle! Thanks for the fabric idea.
Aww these are just too cute! I love the little photos on the front too to show you what they are!
Sarah
xo
http://www.almostdelightful.com
So cute and easy… this is definitely something I’ll have to try!
Sarah
http://comingunstitched.blogspot.com
I love this idea. I’ve tried it with smaller boxes (stick-it note sized), but didn’t think to use larger ones. I have tons of shoe boxes that could use a makeover. Thanks!
What a brilliant idea!
–
Katrina’s photoblog: http://www.katrinaharrison.com/
Cute idea!
The Life After
I love this idea. My goal for this winter is to get organized. Where did you find the chevron fabric?
http://oliveobserver.blogspot.com/2011/11/storytimesaturday-wedding-invites.html
I have a feeling this would make my life feel so much more organized…you may have inspired my project for this weekend!
http://stopmeifyouveheardthisone.wordpress.com/
super cool, thanks for the idea!!!
-georgia
http://swonderfulgd.blogspot.com/
wooow love it!
love it. the fabrics are great, too!
I use wrapping paper for this, too! My boxes hold belts, cassette tapes, and sunglasses 🙂
I have so many shoe boxes in my house because I always plan on using them for some sort of organizing….I just haven’t got around to it yet…LOL Very cute idea!
http://julies-thisandthat.blogspot.com/
I love the photos as labels! Awesome, minimal descriptions.
Genius! I’ve been searching for baskets to go under my bathroom sink for the mess down there. This would be so cute! I’m going to use larger boxes though 🙂
GREAT idea!
–Jaclyn T
TrickArt Jewellery: Nature Inspired
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http://www.positiveponderings.blogspot.com
Elsie! You are a genius and endless inspiration! Thank you!
This is a great idea! I just spent almost $150 to buy closet organizing supplies at Ikea! UGH, I wanted an organized closet, but $150 for something that I shut away in a closet?! I still have a couple more closets to go, so I’ll have to do this next time 🙂
Love this post!
Love organized closet and crafts and this idea is perfect
I did a post about organized closets
http://mykitschworld.blogspot.com/2011/11/how-looks-your-closet.html
I love the fabric you used.
Ohhhh this is brilliant!!! Love the idea…my head is already spinning with how I can do something similar!
Wow! such a Fabulous idea!!!!! Thanks for sharing!!!!
I do something similar but with tissue boxes and tissue paper! It’s such a cute way to dress stuff up and I love that I can recycle things too! http://thefirstapartment.blogspot.com/2011/02/pretty-pretty-organizers.html
~Katy
this is perfect! I have so many old shoe boxes that I was about to throw out but making them into pretty storage boxes is a much better idea.
Totally love it! SUCH a cool idea =D I have no shoeboxes so I guess I’ll just have to buy some lovely shows first! x
that’s a really cute idea!! unfortunately i chuck away my shoe boxes as I have no room for them 🙁
So adorable!
What a great use of shoeboxes!
Awesome! Now I know what I’m going to do with all of those shoe boxes I’ve saved that are driving my husband bonkers!
really really cute!!
http://www.petiteandhungry.blogspot.com
What a great idea! I love all your DIYs 🙂
http://seekingstyleblog.wordpress.com
PERFECT! I now have a useful weekend project!
Wow I am so going to use this idea for Christmas gift boxes!! thanks http://jadoreleclassics.blogspot.com/
This is such a cute gift idea!!! I feel like my mom would love this!
Everything on this blog is amazing and adorable, so glad I found it.
I loved the idea! And the pictures idea was a good throw.. I always have things falling out of everywhere because I just dont know how to store oddly shaped things together.. This is such an inspiration.
http://www.thedailysight.blogspot.com
So cute!
Wow, great job! I’m more of a goal per year person, but maybe I’ll put together a 32 before 33 and see what happens!
Love this!
I made a list of 30 things to do before I am 30.. i didn’t complete it all. You helped me think of it in a more positive way.. it was fun! so next is 31.. Now that sounds scary.. and i thought i was freaking out about 30!
What a really cute idea! I might try this with all the scarves I collect 🙂
Getting to have some order on my closet will be on my objectives list too!!
htp://fromheretofashion.blogspot.com
great idea, they can be match with the interior 🙂
inveiglefair.blogspot.com
I tried this last night with some old worn out round stackable hat boxes. They turned out pretty good for my first project! Thank you for this post. xo.
Such a great idea, would’ve never thought it up. Thanks for posting!
http://www.designers-artists.com
Love this! I collect small boxes from ski goggles- I work at a snowboard shop- and store odds and ends. I’m not organized enough to take pics but love the fabric idea. I shop the local thrift store weekly and will look for fun things to recycle into storage boxes-thanks!
I’m going to repeat myself but I’m pretty sure you’re reading my mind lately when it comes to make DIY. YOU ARE WONDERFUL IN SO MANY WAYS. I was just thinking about getting some boxes for all of my stuff and esp. my shoes. You’re a genius. Thank you again for being the most inspirational person I ‘know’.
These are awesome Elsie! Love the fabric you chose.
This is genuis. 😮 I have almost a dozen shoe boxes in my closet, and I’ve always hated the way they look. I am SO going to do this!
Very, very cute! I’d love to try this.
http://shannonhearts.blogspot.com
good, More ribbons will be in http://www.trimbowribbon.com
Hello, this is a really cute idea, but I did this with my shoes a while back, and had great fun photographing them I might add. But in the end, it actually took up much more space having them in boxes. Also, all of the boxes fell over when I was rummaging around for a pair on the bottom (even though I thought I had put the most worn ones at the top). It is the best way to store things, but only if you have plenty of space.
V
xxx
what a beautiful idea! ill surely be trying this while packing my sisters birthday presents!
This is the cutest/chicest way to make storage boxes fun! I love that you used a theme with teh black/white prints. So adorable…I will definitely have to try this.
xo
http://www.hourglass-fashion.blogspot.com
so crafty and so darn cute!!
http://itsawant.wordpress.com/
Well, I never thought of that! You have very creative hands. One problem with having many storage boxes is labeling them properly. Putting photos is an innovative way of labeling them. I love it!
I think I going to use fabric for christmas wrapping now, thanks to you(:
i love it so much :
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I love this. I have done the same thing but used comics from the newspaper.
I do this all the time! I’m obsessed with covering things in fabric. So much so that I have to list things on Etsy because there’s no way I could keep everything I make. 🙂 Great post!
Great fabric boxes shared by you here. I like it’s design and pattern which is very awesome. I like your smart way to represent this boxes tutorial.
I will never throw away shoe boxes, or really any kind of box anymore! I have done this to two of my shoe boxes already! It’s so much fun 🙂
I always toss away shoes boxes! I like most of my shoes containers are of the little wide range due to the littles, but they perform for a ton of elements too. Protect them in craft papers and keep on some record.
I love this idea. Now I’m excited to begin organizing my closet. 🙂 Thanks for the inspiration. Congratulations on the seventeen mention!!!
heyy…it’s great!! i also have tried the same with some boxes to keep my accessories….and i totally loved it!!!
Oh my gosh! How exciting! Congratulations! And awesome DIY! Truly inspiring 🙂