The cardboard box lying on the bottom of your closet when you get a new pair of shoes or sneakers. The majority of individuals fold it into a rectangle and put it into recycling without a second thought. But a common shoe box is no slouch in bones. The paperboard or corrugated build is strong enough to support weight, the lid is tight fitting and the sizes are almost the same in most brands. These containers can be turned into a real utility, and even into beauty, with the use of a bit of imagination and some household materials.

Why Shoe Boxes Are So Good with DIY

It is a good idea to know what is unique about a shoe box as compared to other shipping boxes before plunging into the particular projects. First, the cardboard is generally medium density – not as frail as a cereal box, not as heavy as a moving carton. It can be easily cut using standard scissors. Second, the lid and base are not one, and that provides you with two parts that can be used, rather than just one. Third, the inside of most shoe boxes is clean, unprinted, usually of neutral cream or gray color, and is a good surface to paint and apply adhesive.

To every person who may be asking the question where can I get shoe boxes without necessarily having to purchase new shoes the answer is usually close at hand. The excess boxes are usually recycled in local shoe stores, which are glad to supply them. They are also amassed by friends and family. In case you require a certain size, or more of them, you can purchase shoe boxes at the packaging distributors or craft shops. However, the ones you already have are good enough for most DIY purposes.

Shoe Box Storage: The Original Upcycle

The easiest application of the shoe box is the most common one: storage. However, there is a distinction between pushing cables in a simple cardboard box and making shoe box organization with labels and labels that actually appears purposeful. Begin by taking off the lid. The lid may turn into a shallow box containing such things as keys, mail, or craft supplies. The more rooted base has bigger items.

To enhance the simple shoe box storage, it is possible to cover the outside. Cardboard can be covered with fabric scraps, adhesive vinyl, or even leftover wallpaper. Cut the material a little bigger than the box face, wrap round the edges, and glued with double sided tape or mod podge. Stick a handwritten or printed label on the short end and, all of a sudden, that shoe box is something off a designer organization catalog. Pile a few of the covered boxes on a shelf in the closet, or under the bed, and you have a tailor-made storage system at a fraction.

Wall paintings and shadow boxes

The lid of a shoe box can also be a great frame to a dimensional wall art. Take off any branding stickers on the outside. Painting the inside of the lid in one solid color-matte black, deep navy or soft white works well. Then put small items inside: used buttons, old jewelry or dead flowers or seashells. Stick it all together. The depth of the shadow boxes is provided by the raised sides of the lid. Nail the lid to the wall with strips of adhesive, or place it on a small easel.

Drawer Dividers and Desk Organizers

A shoe box DIY project is one of the most convenient projects that address a frequent frustration: untidy drawers. Trace a base of a shoe box into strips of different sizes. The corrugated cardboard is thick and sturdy enough to stand up but can be cut by using a craft knife. Put these strips in a junk drawer and make your own compartments where you keep batteries, tape, sticky notes, and pens. Since the cardboard is somewhat flexible, you can squeeze the dividers in such a way that they fit without glue.

To use with a desktop, smaller shoe boxes, such as children shoe boxes or dress shoe narrows, should be used. Cut the box down to two inches tall. Wrap the outside with contact or unused gift wrapping. This is used as a mail tray or as a tablet stand or a phone and smartwatch charging station. A notch cut in one of the short ends allows the charging cables to pass through, and the box conceals the mess of the cords.

Gift Boxes That Impress

Normal gift wrap is costly and wastes. A covered shoe box is a memorable present container, particularly when it comes to odd sized presents such as clothing, bottles, or a collection of little gifts. Take off any external branding. Wrap the box and lid (individually) with wrapping paper, fabric, or brown kraft paper. Fasten a ribbon to the whole box, or glue a homemade paper flower to the lid.

Customized Shoe Boxes for Events

Party favors, utensil holders, or centerpiece bases all need small containers to hold. Weddings, birthday parties, and baby showers are all occasions that utilize small containers. Individual shoe boxes are suitable. Begin with a typical box. Both the outside and the inside may be painted or papered in the color of the event. Add a custom sticker or handwritten label to the name of the guest. Put in the box some treats, little toys, or flower petals. Place a number of boxes of different heights on a table to create a stacked display.

Pet Beds and Cat Toys

It takes virtually no adjustments to transform a shoe box into a cat toy. Just close the lid, cut a few holes in the sides, only big enough to fit the cat paw and put a small bell or crinkle ball inside. The cat will take hours batting the box to get the toy. To make a pet bed, fill a bigger shoe box with an old t-shirt or a small blanket. Cats and little dogs like the enclosed and cozy space. As soon as the box is scratched or worn, recycle it and replace it with a new one.

Final Thoughts

The next time you open a new pair of shoes, think twice before flattening such a cardboard box. See it in another light. Not rubbish that plain rectangle. It is paper that is a divider of a drawer that has to be cut. It is a present box to be wrapped. It is graffiti that is yet to be sprayed on the wall. Having just some time and practically no money, a shoe box turns into a thing that you may want to purchase at a store. And that is the actual treasure- not the completed work, but the happiness of perceiving worth in what most men see as worthless.  premier rigid boxes offer wholesale custom boxes with an emphasis on material quality and precision engineering.