Last weekend I finally decided to clean out my hope chest. I was so sick of cramming things in it and vowed to organize the mess once I had some free time. Ha! Free time? I don’t think that exists anymore. It is wedding season and my etsy site has been really busy BUT I made some time to get this done! It was given to me by my late grandmother Nan whom I adored and I knew that she was rolling in her grave over the mess I had made of my chest. I am sure my cousins would not be pleased if they saw it either, since it is one of the most gorgeous pieces of furniture my Nan owned and I was lucky enough to inherit it (I am the baby of the family which has always worked out in my favor 😉
Once I had it organized I decided I wanted to fill the space right above my hope chest and the idea came to me to use memory/shoe boxes. I had bought a few for $1.50 for organizing the hope chest and I had a bunch leftover (I bought extra knowing I could use them for SOMETHING, they were SO CHEAP). I decided to do XOXO art because it reminded me of my grandmother, she always signed everything xoxo and since my hope chest is from her I thought it would be perfect.
These boxes were SO EASY TO MAKE and could be used for lots of different things. Wall storage in a nursery (hang hair bows, binky clips, stack medicine). Also a great way to make a wall look pretty. I used chalkboard paint but you could decorate anyway you want. Add clips on the outside and clip up printables or pictures of family etc.
Here is how I did it:
Step 1: Paint the boxes with chalkboard paint (or any paint)
Step 2: Tack the boxes up to the wall. ** Use more then one tack, that was my first picture I took then decide to tack all 4 corners for stability to to keep it from moving.
Step 3: Put up command strip hangers inside of the boxes that you want to hang stuff from. These things are STRONG. My chest doubles as a gift wrapping station s it worked nicely for me to store my tape, scissors and washi inside of the boxes.
Step 4: Add some sort of artwork to the boxes. I used chalk but you could paint, mod podge on pictures or printables, hot glue on little clips and hang things. Endless possibilities
** I sprayed the boxes with a little clear gloss finishing spray when I was done so that the chalkboard letters would stay put, I don’t plan on changing them 🙂
All finished! I love these boxes so much. The XOXO being right above the hope chest reminds me of my grandma and makes me smile every time I look at it.
Make sure to stop by my NEW SohoSonnet Print Shop on Etsy!
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Great idea, Sonnet! I love creative storage ideas.
I seriously love these Sonnet!! I’m totally going to copy this (with a Courtney twist of course) for my crafting area in the new house. But I do like that you can use chalk on the sides.
Sonnet, I LOVE this idea! I recently went to a bunch of craft stores looking for those exact type of boxes for office storage, but couldn’t find them anywhere so I went in a different direction! Not sure if they were sold out or what. Where did you find them? I never would have thought to put them up on the wall, so clever! Pinned 🙂
~Katie
Love this idea for upcycling shoeboxes for clever storage. Great tutorial! ~ Erika @ http://www.yayforhandmade.com
I had to PIN that it’s totally cute and genius.
Love it!
Great idea and beautifully done! Pinned it.
<3 Christina @ I Gotta Create!
Wildly Original link party is open.
Thanks so much for sharing these boxes on Worthwhile Wednesdays! They’ve been featured http://thecraftiestallie.blogspot.com/2014/04/worthwhile-wednesdays-16.html
Thanks so much for joining us at the Cook it! Craft it! Share it! Link Party! This memory box storage artwork is absolutely adorable! Hope to see you tonight, 8:30 PM EST -Doree
Your project looks so cute! What a great storage idea. I like how you simply tacked them to the wall.