For the Kitchen Edition of Experiment #13, the Declutter Attempt, I found I needed multiple new storage containers and baskets to keep all of the stuff organized in a pretty way, and out of Eddie the Teething Toy Poodle's reach.
The containers needed to have tall sides to keep Eddie out, and be made, hopefully, of a material he wouldn't decide to chew.
I needed at least three baskets. One I took from elsewhere in the house, piled the tutoring supplies into it and stored it on top of the fridge next to the crock pot.
I still needed two more for craft materials, and I was out of baskets to pull from elsewhere in the house.
Baskets can get a bit pricey, especially when you need multiple at once. I started hunting around the apartment for materials that I could use creatively to make a new basket. I had hoped to be able to use the paper basket that I am working on, but a few hours of work on that basket indicated that it would not be ready nearly soon enough.
Now I had to make the boxes look pretty- like they weren't cardboard boxes. Fabric of some sort seemed to be the best solution to this problem, so I pulled out all of my scrap fabric, and found a few yards of burlap that I bought for another project back in the spring.
Burlap is cheap, and if Eddie gets in his head that he wants to chew it, it won't be the end of the world.
I found someone else who had also used cardboard boxes and burlap to make storage boxes, and I decided that her work affirmed my plan. You can see her tutorial here, or find it on my Pinterest page (you can follow me there too!)
I also found my glue gun and a few sets of ribbons that I could use as decoration, and a pair of scissors.
I decided to cut a separate piece of burlap for each side, several inches wider than the side and about twice as tall. I glued the burlap down with the glue gun, and wrapped it around the edges of the box inside and out.
When I began to put down the other sides, they overlapped the first and the edges had to show. I folded the raw edge under twice, and then glued that part down, pulling it tightly.
If you are very careful, you can do this so that the edges line up with the corners. I'm not that careful, though.
Getting all the pieces on wasn't that hard, but it was time consuming because I had to keep pulling it tight and folding and gluing. Any loose fabric will look bad, and (worse) the dog will chew it. If the fabric is tight, he doesn't think to chew it.
I used the glue gun. It took patience and time to keep the ribbon even and glue it down properly, but the results were worthwhile.
The containers needed to have tall sides to keep Eddie out, and be made, hopefully, of a material he wouldn't decide to chew.
I needed at least three baskets. One I took from elsewhere in the house, piled the tutoring supplies into it and stored it on top of the fridge next to the crock pot.
I still needed two more for craft materials, and I was out of baskets to pull from elsewhere in the house.
Baskets can get a bit pricey, especially when you need multiple at once. I started hunting around the apartment for materials that I could use creatively to make a new basket. I had hoped to be able to use the paper basket that I am working on, but a few hours of work on that basket indicated that it would not be ready nearly soon enough.
Step One: Find Materials
When I began working on the balcony garden, the Internet suggested turning cardboard boxes into planters that would last the season. This came back to me, and I realized that I did still have several cardboard boxes around that I could use. I pulled out the cardboard boxes.Now I had to make the boxes look pretty- like they weren't cardboard boxes. Fabric of some sort seemed to be the best solution to this problem, so I pulled out all of my scrap fabric, and found a few yards of burlap that I bought for another project back in the spring.
Burlap is cheap, and if Eddie gets in his head that he wants to chew it, it won't be the end of the world.
I found someone else who had also used cardboard boxes and burlap to make storage boxes, and I decided that her work affirmed my plan. You can see her tutorial here, or find it on my Pinterest page (you can follow me there too!)
I also found my glue gun and a few sets of ribbons that I could use as decoration, and a pair of scissors.
Step Two: Wrap Boxes
This is where things got trickier. I had to figure out how much burlap I wanted underneath the box, how far I wanted it to go inside the box, keep the burlap from fraying, and figure out how to neatly and tightly attach it in a manner that looked pretty.I decided to cut a separate piece of burlap for each side, several inches wider than the side and about twice as tall. I glued the burlap down with the glue gun, and wrapped it around the edges of the box inside and out.
When I began to put down the other sides, they overlapped the first and the edges had to show. I folded the raw edge under twice, and then glued that part down, pulling it tightly.
If you are very careful, you can do this so that the edges line up with the corners. I'm not that careful, though.
Getting all the pieces on wasn't that hard, but it was time consuming because I had to keep pulling it tight and folding and gluing. Any loose fabric will look bad, and (worse) the dog will chew it. If the fabric is tight, he doesn't think to chew it.
Time: One hour (I think)
Notes
In an alternate version I made as a toy box for Eddie, the inside would be visible, so I made another piece to line the bottom of the box.
Step Three: Decorate
Projects like this always look more finished when they have some sort of decorative finish. I added this in the form of a white trim I had leftover from some Christmas gifts I made last year.I used the glue gun. It took patience and time to keep the ribbon even and glue it down properly, but the results were worthwhile.
 |
| The toy box version |
Time: Perhaps 30 minutes
Project Complete!
Now I have my first two boxes: a storage container for my craft supplies and a toy box for Eddie. I'll probably end up making more.
Project Notes
I found all of the materials from around my apartment, so the total cost at this point in time was $0.00. That's the kind of project cost I love! Burlap can be ordered by the yard for $5.00 a yard or less, or bought at a store like JoAnn. You may be able to get it elsewhere. The Internet knows.
This project did require a lot of glue. I have a small glue gun, with small glue sticks. I bought them a long time ago, but I'll add on a dollar or two worth of glue per box, depending on the size of the box.
The least expensive storage that can be bought are usually canvas or fabric storage bins, like you might put on a shelf. Those were too flimsy for what I am storing in them. Based on a quick search, the types of storage baskets that would work for me are $12.00 and up (and I need large containers, which tend to land in the $15.00 and up range). That's not a lot if I only needed one basket, but I need a lot of baskets. I could make three baskets for about $10.00, or buy three for $45.00.
The time commitment here is about an hour to an hour and a half per box, depending on the size and how much you decorate them. I suspect the more I make, the quicker I will make them.
What's the Quality?
I was a bit skeptical when I started, because I thought that my homemade storage basket would look like a glorified cardboard box.
When I pointed my homemade container out to my sister, she was shocked that I had made it out of a cardboard box. It no longer looks like a cardboard box. The only giveaway is the shape.
Final Thoughts
I will be making more of these. It was easy to use recycled materials and price friendly burlap, and there's a lot of money to be saved here.
Comments
Post a Comment