Closet Storage Solution: Designer Hatbox

How to repurpose colorful shopping bags from your favorite stores to cover a hatbox or any storage box in your closet.

Decorative closet storage on a budget

When I was cleaning out my closet recently, I knew I had to find a way to store my collection of summer hats during the winter months to keep the dust off of them.

I searched around my house for something to use and found an old hatbox, but it was beaten up and not very attractive.

Closet-Storage-using-Hatboxes

I was going to cover it with leftover wallpaper and then had a better idea. I would make a “designer hatbox” using colorful shopping bags that I save to re-use to carry stuff.

I have many of these bags and decided to repurpose some of them to update the outside of the hatbox. You may remember I did something similar with the bags when I made subway style art using them.

Department store and designer logos are on most of the bags which makes them perfect for a clothes closet, so I grabbed a few and got to work.

How to Cover a Hatbox Using Shopping Bags

Closet-Storage-using-logos-from-hopping-bags

supplies needed:

  • Box – I used an old hatbox
  • Shopping bags
  • Scissors or a paper cutter
  • Decoupage medium
  • Paint brush
  • Optional: gift wrap and spray adhesive
Ideas-on-how-to-repurpose-shopping-bags

1. Gather your shopping bags.

Shopping-Bag-art-how-to

2. Cut the logo section off using scissors or a paper cutter.

How-to-use-decoupage-medium-to-cover-a-hatbox-with-shopping-bags

3. Figure out placement of each logo and then use decoupage medium like Mod Podge found at the craft store to attach the logos. I always use the matte finish regardless of brand.

To attach each logo cutout, brush the decoupage medium over the back of the paper and then on the box itself. Once you like the placement – brush over the surface of the paper to seal the it with the decoupage medium.  If the paper wrinkles, gently press them out with the brush. The wrinkles will lessen as the decoupage medium dries.

Tips-of-attaching-paper-to-boxes-with-decoupage

4. When adding the logos along the top edge of the hatbox, place each so there is excess to wrap over the top edge of the box. Use scissors to cut vertical slits to make tabs in the paper and then fold over to the inside of the box.

Make-your-own-storage-boxes-for-your-clothes-closet

5. It should look like this.

Paper-craft-ideas-for-decorative-storage-boxes

6. Once I had the sides covered, I used the black and white stripe section on the sides of a Sephora bag to place around the sides of the lid. I cut it so I had enough paper to make tabs on the bottom and the top so I could wrap it around the bottom edge of the lid and press the other side on the top of the box.

7. You can cover the top and bottom of the box with more logos, but I decided to cover them with a piece of gift wrap. I placed the paper face down and traced around the box to get the right size circle. I attached it to the box with spray glue and let it dry.

Closet-Storage-ideas using shopping bags

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13 Comments

  1. Totally cool redo of the hatbox! My son brings me his Trader Joe’s bags, and now I’m looking for something to use them on. There it is . . . . . .

  2. Shelia @ House of Highlands says:

    Hi Diane!
    First of all, your closet looks amazing! I am wayyyy overdue to purge my things – as a matter of fact, we really want to add some shelves and do a closet makeover one of these days – It’s on my to do list! The hatbox is a great idea!
    Shelia
    http://www.houseofhighlands.com

  3. So cute and I love the board you made too. I am definitely keeping my bags from now on and make this.

  4. Christina @ I Gotta Create! says:

    Great recycle! Pinned it!!
    <3 Christina

  5. I love this project and am so happy you shared it. The shopping bags today are such great quality and the typography makes this a perfect project. Can’t wait to get started.

  6. Great idea!!! You are so creative!

  7. Sheryll & Critters. says:

    No way I could expect less of your closets….. you are such the creative, clever, genius….. Yes I call you the pure, bona fide, certified, genius.

  8. Great idea for repurposing those bags! Take a pic of yourself in that outfit, and post it please….sounds cute! ;)

  9. You are so clever…great idea!

  10. This is so creative! Thanks for sharing.

  11. Patricia Hall says:

    This is totally “pin” worthy … my new standard. Love it.