If there are a lot of things in your house that you don't know where to put, but you don't want to spend money on furniture or shelves, you can make a shelf unit with cardboard boxes and arrange your things in it, adding shelves and niches if necessary. It won't be solid piece of furniture, but it will be flexible and cheap and that may be all you need!
Steps
Step 1. Get the boxes
You can also buy them online. You can use any size you like, as long as you can fit four long rectangular boxes (the drawers) into a cube box (compartment). Here are some examples of sizes and quantities to make a piece of furniture:
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From 25 to 500 cubic boxes: 33 x 33 x 33 cm.
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From 25 to 900 long rectangular boxes: 30, 5 x 15 x 15 cm.
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Step 2. Assemble the cube boxes to form a single shelf unit
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Cut off one of the flaps closing the box.
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Tape the boxes together (front, back and sides).
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When you're done attaching the boxes, lift and lean the cabinet against the wall.
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Step 3. Assemble the rectangular boxes, which will act as drawers
Cut out a square on one short side of the box. You can fit four drawers into one compartment.
Step 4. Fill your drawers
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Write the name of the objects contained on the front of each drawer. Then insert the drawers in the order you chose.
Make a Cardboard Box Storage System Step 4Bullet1 - Sort things alphabetically.
- Alternatively, arrange the drawers so that you have the things you use most often at hand, that is, at arm level, and put the ones you use least in the higher or lower compartments.
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Put the drawers in the compartments.
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For larger items, use compartments without drawers.
Make a Cardboard Box Storage System Step 4Bullet5 - You can put smaller items in containers, such as tennis ball jars. Try asking in tennis clubs, you should be able to find a nice amount for free.
Advice
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If the jars are full and you are afraid they will tip over, you can put padding under the top flap to prevent them from falling out.
- You have to consider the structural stability of the furniture. You can greatly improve the solidity of the structure by adding binding systems inside some compartments. You can also glue a sheet of cardboard (using the cut flaps) to the sides of the cabinet or between the various compartments.
- Use the cut flaps to form small compartments inside the box. For example, select 6 flaps and divide them into thirds, marking them with a marker, then cut them in half along the marks you made. When all the tabs have been marked and cut in half along the marks, insert them one inside the other forming a network of niches, like that of a wine bottle cabinet. This lattice fits into large boxes. The result will be a box with nine small compartments that will be ideal for holding socks, scarves, threads, toilet paper. In addition to using all the parts of the boxes, and creating new spaces for your things, the lattice compartments add structural support to the cabinet.
Warnings
- To prevent the furniture from falling off, secure it to the wall before filling it. Use screws and washers and drill holes in the wall of the appropriate size. Insert the washers into the screws and insert them into the wall by passing them through the cardboard of the boxes at the top (at least three) and, if possible, into a metal anchor previously attached to the wall.
- Put heavy items in the lower compartments.
