Turn An Old Shoe Box Into The Cutest Keepsake Storage Trunk

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Shoes often come in bulky cardboard boxes that take up room in closets and under beds. Instead of letting these boxes clutter your space, put them to use as adorable keepsake trunks. Crafting a box for nostalgic home items is one of the many ways old shoe boxes can be used around a home and garden.

Shoe boxes are already the right size and shape to store many household items. In fact, there's also a hack that repurposes shoe boxes for kitchen storage. This packaging is popular for upcycling projects because it's often made of cardboard. Although it's thick, corrugated cardboard is easy to alter and dress up with common crafting materials. Designing this vintage-inspired keepsake box requires only basic household tools, including a pair of scissors, painter's tape, spray adhesive, an X-Acto knife, a hot glue gun, and a craft iron. The other necessary materials are also easy to find at local craft stores and big box chains, as you'll need several kinds of fabric, a leather handle, and iron-on patches with a similar aesthetic.

These are all the items used in the original design created by @tinalemec. Her finished product is remarkably adorable with its light blue gingham-patterned exterior, ruffled trim, and cozy patch embellishments. The bright red fabric interior and leather handle also contribute to the cute, old-fashioned appearance. All it takes to create a similar upcycled keepsake box is to mirror her crafting steps.

Start by cutting all of the box corners into a curved shape and taping them in place. Keep the curves symmetrical by using a plastic cup or another round object as a reference. Spray down the box with a spray adhesive, such as the 3M Super 77 Multi-Surface Spray Adhesive, before laying down your fabric. Fortunately, there's no sewing involved. Simply cut the fabric into panels that are large enough to cover the exterior, fold the edges over, and hot glue them in place. Choose a gingham pattern or another popular vintage design from the mid-1900s to maintain a classic look. For the box's interior, use another fabric in a popular retro color, such as raspberry red. You can also cut out a half-size piece of fabric to create an extra pocket for the lid.

At this point, the majority of the box is finished, and all that's left are the finishing touches. Hot glue or super glue a ruffled trim around the edge, and a leather handle on one side. Most shoe boxes are about 13 inches long, so you'll need a handle that's significantly smaller, such as the ESreake Soft Genuine Leather Drawer Pulls. Pull the whole look together by ironing on vintage-style patches, like the NiceVinyl Boho-Aesthetic Decorative Appliques.

Following these directions results in a keepsake trunk that matches the original DIYer's aesthetic. If you have a different style, you can always take an alternative route. For example, try using a velvet, solid-color fabric for a more elegant look. Then, instead of @tinalemec's chosen embellishments, use a sparkling ribbon and rhinestones. Or omit the embellishments altogether for a more modern, minimalist appearance.

At this point, the box is finished and ready for use. This is a great idea to help you cherish your old memories without cluttering your interior design. Keepsakes come in all forms, whether they're ludicrously expensive jewelry pieces or wrinkled movie tickets from decades past. Most smaller items will fit in this shoe box. If you installed the extra pocket, this could be a great place to store crystals, seashells, and miniature toys that are tricky to organize. On the bottom, you can store certificates, photos, greeting cards, personal notes, and other items you don't want to get wrinkled.

Once the former shoe box is stocked full of nostalgia, you can stow it anywhere. The homemade trunk should no longer be recognizable as an old footwear container, making it much easier to integrate with your interior design — especially if it was made to match your interior color scheme or theme. Show off the finished project on an open shelf or table as decor. If you made the box to your personal preference but don't want to put it on display, it will also easily fit in a closet or another hidden area.