The other day, while I braved the lines at Costco before Chicago’s polar plunge into -30 temperatures, I eyed a box. After years of teaching on shoestring budget, I’m always on the lookout for the free and the cheap. I needed this box, elbowing a few people out of the way to secure my buried treasure. I kid. I was stepped on a few times in pursuit of this box, but I prevailed.
This sad little box will have a second life as a repurposed book bin.
It may not look like much to you now, but soon, it will undergo a major makeover. Plus, this hopeless cardboard box avoids the landfill, and adds necessary display storage for my massive, and I mean massive, picture book collection. Given that it’s meant to survive through shipping and the perils of retail, I know the thickness of this cardboard will stand up to my children.
- box with a low front and high back from your local warehouse club.
- roughly 3/4 yard of fabric (depends on your box)
- hot glue
- scissors
- marker
- an iron if your fabric was as wrinkly as mine
- Cut fabric panels-all pieces are attached. Be sure to miter your corners (see where the arrow is in the photo below). There is fabric on the bottom of the box as well. I had to iron my fabric, because it was in storage for a long time. Obviously, this was taken before said ironing happened.
I can’t get enough of that owl fabric.
Hopefully, this inspires you to make more storage for your book collection!
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Happy Organizing!
Nicolette
Sharing this @Tater tots and jello
Sharing @ Sunday Showcase
I totally love this repurposing of a throw-away, and will be working on a file folder holder for our 26-week unit on the alphabet. I may need to make 2 b/c there are 2 tiny tots storytimes and their folders will expand with their weekly art. Mahalo, thank you, for this fabulous idea.
Stay tuned, Auntie Brenda! I have a solution for your file folder issue coming soon…
Thank you for the lovely comment,
Nicolette
SImple, useful, pretty, and quick- that’s my kind of craft! Love this and pinned instantly.