Decorative cardboard boxes

Yesterday, when I shared my no-longer-naked nightstands, you got a peek at my fun new storage bins. They’re just perfect for storing some books and journals and stuff in our hand-built nightstands.

But peek inside them and you’ll see they’ve got a trashy little secret: They’re made from the boxes that my bedroom wall lamps were packaged in, and covered with a fun Starburst Orange organic cotton fabric from .

When I chose not to have drawers in my nightstands (because they were my first building project), I decided to make my own budget-friendly, fabric-covered storage bins out of cardboard boxes. But little did I know how insanely perfectly the project would come together.

See, I wasn’t kidding when I said the lamps were a two-for-one deal. I’d spent weeks looking for the right sized cardboard boxes to fit my nightstand shelves. . . only to discover that the perfect boxes were sitting right there in my bedroom, holding lamps that needed to be installed on the walls.

Now, if you’re not to snobby to save money and do something useful with your trash, read on for the tutorial.

How To: DIY a custom fabric-covered storage box

Supplies needed:

• Cardboard box that is the right size for its intended space
• Fabric (enough to cover the box – read through the tutorial to understand how much you need and how you’ll use it)
• Box cutter or exacto knife (or a kitchen knife & a taste for adventure)
• Modpodge (MP) or spray adhesive
• Foam core board (available at most craft or art supply stores for about $3)

• Christmas cardboard boxes
• Extra long cardboard boxes
• Donate cardboard boxes