Origins Box Makeover

I often find myself ranting about our "disposable society" in which perfectly good objects are thrown away.  Mind you, keeping something with the intention of  "repurposing" it and being featured on an episode of Hoarders are vastly different things!  I'm just saying before you toss something, give a little thought as to whether if might serve another purpose.


One of the things I find especially hard to throw away are boxes.  Good solid boxes.  Shipping boxes can be broken down and reused.  Moving boxes....which we seem to use more than anyone else I know....are also easy for reuse.  But what about really "repurposing" something?

A few years ago, I received a gift of Origins products which came in a beautiful green box.  I held onto it with the intention of using it again.....for something.  I found its next incarnation after driving myself crazy every time I opened the bathroom drawer that held my toiletries and make-up.  I could never find what I was looking for, things piled up and jammed the drawer when I tried to open it, and the bottom line?  It was just plain messy.  

With very few supplies and a little time, I converted the gift box into a make-up box that fits inside my bathroom drawer perfectly.

      Supplies:
          Self-sealing cutting board
          Ruler
          X-acto Knife/Scissors
          Double Sided tape
          Pencil
          Decorative paper

I found a fabulous piece of wrapping paper at Paper Source with an antique letter motif perfectly suited to our vintage bathroom and the color of the box.  I love, love, love Paper Source!!!  They have amazing products that could get anyone's head spinning with ideas and I love their DIY philosophy.  On a side note, if you're not near one of their stores, they have a great catalogue and website.

I measured and cut the paper for the lid and bottom of the box (this measurement produced a length of paper that covered the exterior  Origins label, wrapped around the edge and covered part of the interior).  After placing double sided tape around the edge of the backside of the length of paper, I positioned the paper on the box.  When I came to the edge, I made sure to crease the paper well to create a crisp edge.  The last step was to fill the box and place it inside the drawer!

While I used this for make-up, it would work equally well to hold office supplies or jewelry.