Stop Wasting Old Shoeboxes — Transform Them Into Chic Woven Storage Baskets

You can easily tidy up shoe clutter with a convenient rack or careful storage, but what about the boxes your shoes came in? Unless you're storing your shoes in them, they're likely either sitting around in piles or getting tossed into the recycling bin. Instead, why not repurpose them into cute woven storage baskets to add extra storage to your home? It looks chic and impressive, but is actually incredibly simple. Gather up your shoeboxes, some twine, string, or rope, and glue to get started.

The idea is to cover the outside of the box (and optionally the inside and lid as well) to make your shoebox into a cuter storage option. While you can use a variety of supplies — including fabric, paint, or colorful paper — twine or thin rope can give your shoebox the appearance of a woven basket. You can even use the shoebox as a base and actually weave the twine over it! Since woven baskets are traditionally made from natural plant fibers just like twine, string, and rope, they're the perfect options for making your own chic woven basket at home.

You can use any string you like, but there are a few things to keep in mind. Choose a thickness that's easy for you to handle. You don't want a string that's so thin it keeps slipping out of your grasp or one that's so thick it makes your basket look awkward and clunky. If you can, try to decide where your basket will sit and choose a color that will match the rest of your decor. Brown will look natural and neutral, but you can have fun with more colorful options as well. Make sure you have some glue, as well as scissors for cutting your string, a crafting knife, and other decorative materials.

If your shoebox has an attached lid, you may want to trim it off for an open basket. You can also leave the lid attached and decorate it as well, but keep in mind that any string hanging over the edge may prevent it from closing properly. You can also use a crafting knife to cut small holes into the side to create handles and really nail the faux-basket look. A layer of fabric, paint, or paper over the outside of the box will also help disguise any gaps between your string.

You can use braided rope cut into strips to form the woven exterior, or weave the strings yourself. Cut lengths of string that are a little longer than your box is tall and secure one end of the string to either the bottom or top. Cut more strings that are slightly longer than the side of the box horizontally, and weave them through your vertical strings. Take the horizontal string over the vertical string, then under the next, repeating until it's stretched across the side. Glue them in place and repeat the process on each side of your box.

Another option is to cut your strings twice as long and fold them in half. Attach the folded ends of two strings next to each other, then cross both loose ends from one string over the other to form an "X." Take the loose ends from the string on the bottom over the first string, and continue the pattern until you reach the end and glue the entire strip down. Finish with decorative elements like lace or cover the inside with fabric. Now they're ready to use on your counter or as under-shelf storage baskets that maximize every inch of cabinet space.