DIY Storage Boxes

I love anything that helps me keep my house organized.  I especially love storage boxes that hold lots of little toys and things that I don't want to see lying around.  I'm sure I'm not the only one who loves a good storage bin because I see them everywhere, in all styles and sizes.  Problem is, these can get quite pricey...and not that I mind spending money...but for a...cardboard box?  Um..no.  Well, maybe.  But not this time.  :)

So a few years ago I had the thought that there must be another way to store my kids things without wasting my money.  So I went to the grocery store and a light came on!  Why not use those sturdy, ugly boxes that people use to put their groceries in?  WHY NOT?

I love the idea of using the really thick cardboard boxes for under-the-bed storage.  I took a couple canteloupe boxes and painted them pink and used them for purses and shoes in my daughters room under her bed.  They have lasted about 4 years now and they cost me nothing more than a few minutes and a bit of paint I had.  They had a sort-of shabby chic thing goin' on.

Found some sturdy cardboard boxes from my favorite grocery store.

The perfect size for storing little toys and things.

After the first coat of orange acrylic paint.

My sidekick - painting her box brown.

..adding some pink swirls to her box.  And it kinda looks like she's contemplating some designs on her arm.

I happened to have these handles lying around.  I think they came from the packaging on some bedding or a blanket.

After the second coat of paint was dry, I sliced a couple slits in the boxes with my carpet knife and fed the handles through.

Voila!  I think these will eventually end up as in-closet or under-bed storage boxes.  Easy and practical.

In total, this project cost me about an hour of my time and $0.  As a bonus, it was a project that my daughter and I could work on together, so the time was well worth it.  :)

You could get really creative and cover these boxes with paper or fabric instead of paint...or chalkboard paint!  How fun would that be?!  And for the handles you could use braided strips of fabric (just punch holes in the box, feed the braid through and knot on the inside), or a thick sort of rope/string.

Would you use something like this in your house?  Let me know what you think!