DIY Storage Containers for Your Apartment

Maybe you just moved  into your new rental and you have too many boxes that you can either a) recycle or b) turn into lasting storage containers. Here’s our round-up of good DIY storage container ideas:

Shoebox → cord organizer

I’m not the world’s most organized person, but I especially hate the tangle of cords surrounding my power strip. Dress up a shoebox, cut a few holes, and voila, you have the mess all boxed in. If you’re worried that you might kick the box accidentally, or you have a dog that likes to sit on random things, try a sturdier receptacle. Remember to switch off the strip when you’re not powering up!

You can also cover the boxes with wallpaper or wrapping paper to clean up your shelves; I keep old letters in one, chargers in another, and supplements in a third. More about revamping cardboard boxes for your apartment here.

File box → cord manager

Not quite done with the cords. For those little buggers that you don’t keep plugged in, you can keep them separated, using homemade dividers to create cubbies. You can use any appropriately-sized box for this project.

Fabric well, fabric box

If you prefer a fabric box to a reused cardboard one, you can make your own, out of your favorite fabric and some plastic canvas.

Paint cans pen holder

You can actually use any can for this project. Glue them together for this desktop organizer, or use them individually. I’ve even seen them fixed to walls—for example, next to a bulletin board—to organize small, easily scattered items.

Milk jug coordinator

Do you have enough plastic milk jugs to create a pontoon raft and float all the way to Japan?  Well, you have to actually sketch out your blueprints fist.  Use some of those milk jugs to store your drawing implements and plan a little trip away from your well organized apartment!  Only required materials: plastic jugs, something that can cut plastic  jugs, and a permanent marker.

Feel free to tell others your organization tricks on Facebook!