The following is a guest post from regular contributor, Katie at Organizing Moms.
As the end of 2015 approaches, we’re all starting to think about changes we’d like to make in the new year. For a lot of us, one thing we’d like to do is get organized and set up new storage systems.
In the days leading up to the holidays, you’re probably noticing that you have a lot of cardboard boxes that you need to get rid of. Packages are delivered in boxes, you’re probably receiving gifts in pretty gift boxes, and you might even get some extra boxes from shopping trips to warehouse grocery stores like Costco or Sam’s Club. It can be a little overwhelming when you look at all of the boxes you’ve brought into your home!
As you’re cleaning up these boxes, you might want to consider using them to make easy, inexpensive storage bins. One of the great things about having so many cardboard boxes on hand is that you have a lot of different shapes and sizes to choose from. If you’ve been meaning to implement a storage solution in a particular part of your home, this might be the perfect time to find something that will fit your needs!
To make the storage bins look a little nicer, I like to wrap them in pretty wrapping paper that I have on hand. It’s quick and easy to wrap the boxes, and if I want to change the color-scheme of the storage solution later on, I can just re-wrap the box and have a whole new look.
I like using cardboard boxes for storage in our home because they’re free, and they’re disposable. We move a lot, and I’ve found that often a storage solution that worked in one home won’t work in another. We have another move coming up in the summer, and I’m hesitant to spend a lot on storage solutions that might not translate well to another home. By repurposing cardboard boxes for storage, I’m saving money, and cutting down on the amount of stuff we have to move to a new home.
In October I shared that I needed to do something about the cardboard storage bins I used in our mudroom. I finally wrapped the boxes in pretty paper, and I love the new look of our mudroom storage unit.
Before:
After:
I also used a smaller cardboard box to store toilet paper in our powder room. Our powder room doesn’t have any cabinets or shelves at all. We were forever having to run to our linen closet to replace our toilet paper rolls, so this new storage solution is a welcome addition in our home.
As you’re going through your cardboard boxes, think about different ways you might be able to use them to help you work towards a more-organized home. The storage solutions you’ve been looking for might be right under your nose!
Happy organizing!
Katie is a loving wife and stay-at-home mom to busy twin boys. She is passionate about making life at home more manageable through simple organizing solutions. Her love for organizing has spilled over into her popular blog, organizingmoms.com, where she shares realistic organizing solutions for busy moms. In addition to her love for all things organized, she also enjoys traveling, reading, and spending time with her family.
Seana Turner says
Very nice idea. I always want to work with what my clients have, and this is a very budget friendly idea! You can even add a rope pull to the front if you want something decorative. And I agree, since they are disposable, you can easily replace if you need to!
Molly says
The pretty paper makes such a difference in how that looks. We have used contact paper on smaller items, but felt it was too expensive for a large box, so the wrapping paper would be a much less expensive way to go, and offer a lot more choices. Great idea.