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Re-purposed DIY Cardboard and Velvet Fabric Storage Boxes

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A graphic showing finished velvet boxes in the top picture, and the same velvet boxes being used to organize a lingerie drawer in the bottom picture. The center says "Make Maria Kondo proud with these DIY velvet storage boxes."

Velvet Fabric Storage Boxes for Dresser Organization

Right now, my family and I are journeying through the life-changing magic of tidying up. There is a huge organizational buzz happening right now because of Marie Kondo. I’ll admit, I’m a huge fan, and her techniques WORK! If you have not read her book yet or watched the Netflix show I encourage you to!

One of the biggest things she teaches is creating effective storage solutions but also storing your items, especially certain ones, in a way that sparks joy.

Once January hit, I went to town on my craft room space. Read all about my craft room redesign and get your own creative space organized!

As I was going through my clothes, I knew I would need boxes in my dresser drawers for things like cami tops, socks, bras, underwear or even jewelry. Being a DIY-er I started to wonder how I could make these old shoe boxes prettier. I’m all about easy, effective solutions like a re-purpose cardboard storage box but I would also want it to also be pretty to look at not just practical.

Enter the velvet fabric cardboard storage box makeover.

Marie Kondo tidying up with storage boxes. Close-ups and overhead views of old shoe boxes wrapped in soft velvet. The text reads "DIY Velvet Storage Boxes."

This DIY is actually super easy and the best part is you can keep the cost low while making old shoe boxes look like a million bucks!

I have an full video tutorial for you below which teaches one way of covering the boxes and also an alternative method of wrapping the box shown here step by step.

Let me first share what supplies you will need.

Supplies For DIY Velvet Fabric Storage Boxes

An overhead view of a cardboard box with a chip board laying over the opening. You can make this box inspire joy by wrapping it in stretchable velvet.

Step 1

Get your cardboard box ready by tracing the bottom of it onto the chipboard and cut out. This will be the insert for the inside bottom of the fabric storage box.

An empty shoe box on top of light blue velvet fabric and a pair of scissors. This easy step-by-step fabric storage box is an easy craft for kids and adults.

Step 2

Cut your fabric out for the box. Make sure you leave plenty extra so that it can fully cover your box.

Abbi Kirsten's hands wrap blue velvet around a cardboard box to use as storage. She is tucking the fabric into the corners of the inside of the box.

Step 3

On the 2 short sides of the box fold the fabric over and glue down to the inner corner at the bottom inside of the box. Make sure you have pulled the fabric tight.

Abbi's hands gently fold the velvet fabric on the outside to conceal the edges.

Step 4

For the 2 longer sides, you will notice that you fabric should pretty effortlessly fold into a triangle point, as if you were wrapping a gift box.

Blue velvet fabric is folded into a triangle on the outside of the cardboard storage box, then tucked in to the inside of the box.

Step 5

Next, pull the fabric tight again and fold that triangle point up and into the box – gluing it down. The repeat on the final side.

Abbi demonstrates how to pull the velvet fabric tight so it can be glued inside the box neatly. These step-by-step instructions make it easy to craft your own fabric storage box.

At this point, all but the bottom of the box should have a nicely wrapped tight stretch of velvet covering it. If you feel this method is difficult for you be sure to watch my video because I show a slightly different way!

Abbi glues a cut piece of blue velvet to the chipboard so that it can be placed in the DIY fabric storage box.

Step 6

The bottom inside of the box is pretty messy looking at this point so now we will cover the chipboard bottom you cut out with stretch velvet. Cut a rectangle slightly bigger then the piece of chipboard and glue in over the edge.

Chipboard, covered in blue velvet, is placed by Abbi Kirsten into a blue velvet fabric storage box.

Step 7

Once you have covered the chipboard, then place the insert into the bottom of your fabric storage box.

I recommend leaving the bottom unglued because if the bottom of the box should get messy, you can just pull the insert out and clean it or replace it without having to remake the whole box in its entirety.

Abbi Kirsten's hand holds the finished luxury DIY fabric storage box wrapped in blue velvet.

Tada! You have just successfully re-purposed an old shoe box into a velvet fabric storage box that will look amazing in your dresser drawer, plus keep everything highly organized!

Abbi puts a mustard-colored velvet fabric-wrapped cardboard box into her undergarment drawer. There are other fabric covered storage boxes that are organizing parts of the drawer.

I created several of these in various colors. Check out my DIY velvet fabric storage boxes below in all there glory! Plus you can totally re-purpose the lids for your jewelry!

An overview of three shallow repurposed cardboard boxes wrapped in pink, yellow, and blue velvet. Each box is organizing sets of jewelry. You can make these DIY fabric storage boxes and clean up Marie Kondo-style.

Of course I had to throw in some paper flowers into my photography. My Mary Jane style flower and Elegant leaf set is shown here!

Cardboard storage boxes made into velvet drawer storage and jewelry organizers sit atop purple paper flowers against a white tabletop.

Did this project inspire you? Tell me your thoughts below and share it on Pinterest!

Looking for more organization? Check out my new blog category “Organization.”

Full video tutorial here

Repurposed DIY Cardboard and Velvet Fabric Storage Boxes

Repurposed DIY Cardboard and Velvet Fabric Storage Boxes

Active Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour
Difficulty: Easy

Repurpose your old shoe boxes and create beautiful velvet-wrapped fabric storage bins that bring you joy and organization the Marie Kondo way!

Instructions

Step 1

  • Trace the bottom of the cardboard storage box onto the chipboard.
  • Cut out the chipboard and place it to the side. 

Step 2

  • Measure and cut the fabric you will need to wrap the cardboard box, plus some extra so you can ensure it will completely wrap the box. 
  • Cut the remaining material into a shape that will cover one side of the chipboard, with a couple of inches of allowance for securing the fabric to the back of the chipboard. 
  • Lay the shoe box fabric, with the inside of the fabric facing upwards, in a diamond shape.
  • Put your storage box in the center of your cut fabric with the short ends on the top and bottom. 

Step 3

  • Beginning with the two short sides, fold the fabric over and glue it to the inner corner at the bottom of the storage box. Be sure to pull your fabric tight. 

Step 4

  • Your fabric should now lay in triangles along the long ends of the cardboard boxes like you were wrapping a present.

Step 5

  • While pulling the fabric tight, fold those side triangles into the cardboard box and glue it down. Do this for both long sides of the box. 
  • Now your entire box is tightly wrapped in velvet with the exception of the inside bottom. 

Step 6 

  • Cover the cut chipboard in velvet. Be sure to pull the fabric tightly and glue those seam allowances to the back side of the chipboard. 

Step 7

  • Now that the chipboard is wrapped in fabric insert the chipboard covered side up in the box to cover the messy bottom of the storage box.

Tips

  • Don’t glue the chipboard in - if your storage box gets dirty, you can easily clean it by switching out the chipboard bottoms. 
  • I offer slightly different instructions in my video tutorial if you want to try a different method.

Did you make this project?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Instagram

A stack of open velvet-wrapped storage boxes. The text says "Re-purposed shoe boxes for dresser storage."
Abbi's standard signature under a pink "X" and a pink flower "O" as well as the pink text that reads "Thank you for letting me be a part of your day! If you enjoyed this, don't forget to pin for later!"

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