Great Organization Ideas- Gretchen Bellinger's Closet
The Frog chair in the dressing room of a Loudonville, New York, home is by Michael Taylor Designs and is upholstered in a Gretchen Bellinger fabric; the boxes on the custom-made shelves hold shoes and hats. - ELLE DECOR
The idea of organizing with shoe boxes may sound silly at first, but it is a fantastic way of cleaning up some of your smaller possessions, all without having to spend a fortune on extra furniture. A shoe box can hold anything from toys and kitchen gadgets. Shoe boxes are absolutely perfect for kids toys. I am sure you know how some of the smallest accessories that come with toys, such as the GI Joe Action figures, and Barbie doll accessories that are played with for a couple days, and their shoes are missing or the lego pieces that are randomly found around the house.
Economy Storage File Box with Lid
-24 x 15 x 10" Economy Storage File Box with Lid $2.95 -See more deals from Uline!
Eco-Modern Metal Art Label Holders & Labels-20 Pieces $6.33
-Eco-Modern Metal Art Label Holders & Labels-20 Pieces $6.33
-Bankers Box Drawer Steel Plus Storage Drawers, 6 Pack $35
-Bankers Box Steel Plus Storage Drawers, 6 Pack $119
-13 x 8 x 5" Kraft One-Piece Corrugated Shoe Boxes $1.50
-Bankers Box Storage Drawers, 6 Pack $109
-Bankers Box Storage Boxes, 12 pack $34
Re-purposeing Shoe Boxes
1. I used to collect dozens of nice boxes at some of the department stores that sold shoes without their boxes. Ross Dress For Less in my local area threw away boat loads of boxes in their garbage dump each week. Although at the time, I only needed a couple, dozens were trashed from week to week.
2. Put a little extra work into the boxes. Buy a gallon of flat paint and dress up the boxes with paint. Flat paint will adhere to the cardboard, and a coat of satin paint in the same color will give the boxes a nice sheen. Paint your boxes the same color schemes as your kids room.
3. Book shelves are absolutely perfect for shoe boxes. Go to your local Home Depot and purchase extra shelves, to customize the look for shoe boxes. Add some decorative molding at the bottom of the shelves for a built in look. This idea is perfect for play rooms.
4. The space at the top of the ceiling is rarely used. Make the bookshelves appear built in by extending the shelves to the ceiling. Be sure to anchor the shelves to the wall. Store some of the seasonal toys at the top of the shelves. Lets face it, everyone can use extra storage space. Ikea sells extensions for Billy Book shelves. Add one or two to your book shelves and make your organizing units to up to the ceiling.
Thrifty Ideas For Your Kids Room- Shoe Box Town Play Ideas
5. Painting plain cardboard is easy with flat paint. Simply paint your boxes to match your child's room. Used shoe boxes that have a shiny coating need to be primed. Also bookshelves that have a plastic coating on them, also need to be primed to be sure the paint will stick.
I made the mistake when I was first married using satin paint on my pressed board bookshelves. Later, they peeled in awful way. In fact, many of my husbands books were ruined because the paint stuck to the books. After several years of painting experience, I have learned that you need a good primer when painting these plastic pieces. Paint can customize everything! Think of how wonderful bookcases would look in a Glossy Kelly Green with matching satin Kelly green storage containers? I can dream of it now!! I stumbled across a great paint called COVER STAIN. It is a OIL based primer that sticks to everything. I simply cannot get over this paint. It isn't like your typical oil paints that are hard to work with. It goes on very easy, covers well, and dries fast and can be sanded. It dries matte, which is highly unusual for a oil based paint. I only wish I had found it much earlier! The other best thing about this paint, is it can be tinted most light colors. So if you are wanting to do a mint, it can be tinted a mint, or most decorating colors. I stumbled upon this paint when I used some of the other "paint and primer brands" that only worked if YOU put hours of sanding into piece. I really didn't WANT to bend over backwards for every piece I wanted to paint. Coverstain made it possible for me to just paint an item, and have the reassurance that it would stick. It sticks to everything! It is one paint that I cannot go without anymore.
More Interesting Ideas For Shoe Boxes........
-Shoe Box Canvas- Art can be so easy as painting the lid of a shoe box. Change your kids art once a week with this thrifty idea
Buying New Boxes:
1.Collect all the items you want to organize before you order your plastic boxes. It will give you a fair idea about how many boxes you should order. Check the shoe box sizes your retailer has listed online. Buying all your boxes in the same size will make it easier to stack them.
2. A couple dozen clear shoe box's only will make your kids playroom or bedroom look cluttered. Having solid boxes that have contents labels will always make a better impression than boxes that are clear that contain messy countless toys. Storage boxes were designed to HIDE the endless junk that we all collect.
-Consider working with this idea. Get transparencies and glue them to the inside of the box.
-Even easier- Shoe box labels (lego, barbies, toy cars) ect
-Attach a photo to the outside of the box. So easy!
-EK Success Tools Punch, Tag $14
-Xtra Giga Craft Punch, Merchandise Tag, $19 Jumbo Craft Punch, $11
-EK Success Tools Punch, Rococo Design $14
-Polished Brass Label Holder $7
-6 Metal Label Holders Antique copper $8
3. Labelling adds a lot to a box. I personally love the way brass looks against colorful paint. It stands out, and looks sophisticated all at the same time. Just because you have kids doesn't mean everything needs to look as though it came from the set of Alice in Wonderland. Painting your boxes a saturated ocean blue and adding card holders in brass and white card-stock can look absolutely terrific. As the kids get older, the play room can be used for crafting, and hobby organization.
Paint your shelves and boxes once with a color that can transition nicely through the years. Martha Stewart has been known to favor the pastel tones over the years. Consider painting the surrounding walls a nice mint in egg shell. Shelving can be painted the same color but in a gloss tone to set it apart from the walls. Storage containers can be finished in a satin sheen. The room looks put together and has a designer touch. Add in a play table, and later that play table can be exchanged out for a crafting table.
LOOK How nice these shelves look painted in plum paint. Imagine how good this would look with matching storage boxes in the same paint!!!!! Drake Designs & Wouter Vandertol Photography
Purple Spray Paints For Your Kids Room Decor
One way of DECIDING on the right color, is to find a color that is currently available with spray paints. If you find a the right shade, you can use the spray paint for a finish paint on your storage boxes. THEN, base the other rooms colors off of that shade. Use the same shade, or lighter shade for the walls, and a darker hue of those colors for the trim of the windows, doors, and baseboard. Most hardware stores have color match technology.
Simply Spray Upholstery Fabric Spray Paint -Plum- Transform that thrift store upholstery chair to a shade of plum without the cost of upholstery. $11 - 6 Pack $60
Dupli-Color Ceramic Plum Purple Engine Paint - Obviously made for cars, but dotes a high gloss finish. $12
Krylon Indoor & Outdoor Spray Paint, Rich Plum Gloss (6 Pack) $30
VHT S Anodized Purple Color Coat Can - Dress up some wall accessories with this metalic purple. Consider spray painting a series of toys for a unique wall display. $11
Dupli-Color Purple Metal Cast Anodized Color - 11 oz. $10
Rust-Oleum Painter's Touch Multi-Purpose Spray Paint, Gloss Purple $4.80
Aerosol Paint 12 oz-Purple $3.42
Rust-Oleum American Accents Spray, Satin French Lilac $4.74
Krylon X-Metals Purple by Krylon $9
Rust-Oleum Automotive Metal Coat Spray, Purple $11
Krylon Spray Paints Purple Spray Paint $4.50
KRYLON-Dual Paint & Primer One Spraypaint Purple Gloss $31.
Rust-Oleum Painter's Touch Spray Paint, Satin French Lilac, $5
Other Considerations:
-Krylon Indoor/Outdoor Paint, Blue (6 Pack) $29
-Diversified Brands BAHAMA SEA; Interior/Exterior $5.60
-Rust-Oleum American Accents Spray, Aqua, Fossil, Grape, Heirloom White, Iris Blue, Lagoon, Leaf Green, Light Sage, Midnight Blue, Pink Orchid, Pink Rosewood, Paprika, Seaside Green, Strawflower, Summer Squash, Tomato
-Spa Blue Gloss Painter's Touch 2X Cover Spray Paint [Set of 6] $22
-Krylon Indoor/Outdoor Paint, Almond (6 Pack) $5
-Krylon Fusion Spray Paint in ALMOND (pack of 6) $30
--Krylon Fusion Spray Paint in Peekaboo Blue (pack of 6) $30
-Krylon Fusion Plastic Spray Paint, Watermelon (6 Pack) $30
-Krylon Fusion Plastic Spray Paint, Tomato (6 Pack) $30
-Krylon Fusion Plastic Spray Paint, Clay (6 Pack) $30
-Krylon Fusion Plastic Spray Paint, Gum Drop (6 Pack) $5
-Krylon Fusion Plastic Spray Paint, Black (6 Pack) $5
-Krylon Fusion Plastic Spray Paint, Brass (6 Pack) $5
-Krylon Fusion Plastic Spray Paint, Ivy Leaf (6 Pack) $5
-Krylon Fusion Plastic Spray Paint, Navy (6 Pack) $5
-Krylon 7032 Lacquer Sprays, Clear (6 Pack) (MIS-PRINT???) $5 Dollars For 6 ??
-Krylon Acrylic Crystal Clear, Clear (6 Pack) $14
-Krylon 1818 Farm Paint, Red, Bright Red (6 Pack) $8
-12 oz Can Ruddy Brown KRYLON 5-BALL Primer, Pack of 6 $37
