How To Create Storage Baskets For Shelves?

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Almost every home has a shortage of storage options. While many browse store shelves online or offline, sometimes all you need is some supplies available at home and a little creativity. So here we are with some fantastic DIY methods for making storage totes, woven baskets, and blanket storage boxes with lids. Have a look at these!

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1. DIY Fabric Storage Totes For Shelves

Image by Treasurie from Youtube

You may or may not love carrying totes around, but you will surely love these steps for easy DIY storage totes. Besides, you may reuse the fabric from one of your favorite old dresses, and treasure it in the shape of a storage basket for shelves. As per usage, you may store anything from your knitting kit to socks or cosmetics. However, the best part of this kind of storage option is that it is machine washable. So it will surely last you a long time with easy maintenance.

Materials You Will Need:

• Bright colored fabric
• Fabric for linen
• Thick interfacing fabric
• Scissors
• Iron
• Thread and needle or sewing machine

1. Cut out four equal squares of any dimension, two from the outer fabric and two for inner linen. 
2. Now cut out smaller but equal squares from the bottom corners. These smaller squares must ideally be approximately equal to one-fourth of the edge of the fabrics.
3. Now cut two pieces of the interfacing fabric equal the main fabric for the storage totes.
4. Now to stick the interfacing fabric to the main fabric, place the interfacing fabric on the wrong side of the main fabric.
5. Use a hot iron and apply heat on the two layers of the fabrics. Start with the wrong side and then on the front side. 
6. Now use a sewing machine or thread and needle and sew the vertical and bottom sides of the fabrics. Remember, the bottom side is the one from which you earlier cut two small squares. Also, leave the top side untouched and leave a seam of half an inch while stitching.
7. Now grab the bottom corner and hold the unsewn edges of the square in a right angle to side seams. And stick it with a seam of half an inch. This will leave you with two pouches. 
8. Next, you have to place two equal linen cutouts, one over another. Repeat steps 6 and 7 for the inner linen. An important step is to leave a few inches unsewn on the side of the linen pouch. 
9. Now turn the main fabric pouch and turn it to expose the outer side. Let the linen pouch stay inverted. 
10. As they are, fit the main fabric pouch inside the linen pouch. Match the top seams and sew them with a seam gap of half an inch. 
11. Once sewn, use the small gap you left in the linen pouch and use it to pull out the primary fabric side outward. 
12. Now stitch the gap you left in the linen pouch. Next, tug in the linen pouch inside and iron out the seams so that they stay in place.

Voila! Your storage tote is ready. Using the same steps, you can make a variety of storage totes with various patterns and sizes. Additionally, you may roll out the excess height of these totes as per the contents.

2. Storage Boxes For Shelves From Confetti

Our favorite DIY method to make storage baskets for shelves is using the colorful confetti. This process is full of fun, and you will cherish taking the help of your little ones as well.

Things To Collect:

• Latex-based glue or Mod Podge
• Brush to spread/ apply the glue
• Lots of confetti
• Balloon
• Scissor
• Base to hold the balloon in place

Note: Choose the confetti of single color or multicolor based on the look you require for your storage baskets for shelves.

Also, instead of confetti, you may use paper bits, sparkle, small buttons, or anything of similar size and shape.

1. Inflate the balloon to the size you require for the bowl. 

Note: While purchasing, check the size of the balloon so that you have options to choose the size of the bowl. Smaller balloons will be good for deeper bowls, while bigger ones will result in wider ones.

2. Next, apply glue or mod podge on the top half of the bowl. Apply a bit liberally and also evenly with the help of a brush or sponge. If you have none of these tools, you may even use your fingertips.
3. Now liberally sprinkle the confetti on the area of glue application. You may press it slightly to settle down the confetti to the glue.
4. Let it dry.
5. Reapply a layer of glue over the confetti to add width and strength to the storage baskets. And repeat step 3. 
6. You may repeat step 5 for a few more times to get a storage basket for shelves with higher width. Three to our coats are advisable. 
7. Pop the balloon with a needle or scissor. And carefully remove the remains of the balloon from the interior.
8. Trim the brim of the bowl. You may try and make it even, but even an irregular one will look great. However, this step is optional, and an uneven edge will also do just fine.

A storage bowl made of colorful confetti will already have a fresh look. But you also have the option to use oleum metallic paint to add a metallic look to the bowl.

3. Woven Baskets For Storage On Shelves Using Newspaper

One of the easiest DIY projects for creating storage baskets for shelves is using old newspapers. The newspapers are readily available in almost every home, and the process is a piece of cake. However, you will be glad to know that the result is equally fascinating, and you will surely fall in love with your creation. So without further ado, let us move on to what you will need to collect and do.

Here’s What You Will Need:

• Old newspapers
• Glue
• Knitting needle or similar item
• Cardboard
• Double-sided tape

1. Let’s start with making tubes from the newspaper. Cut the papers into strips of around 10 cm width. Equal measurement will ensure a uniform diameter of all the pipes which is essential.
2. Then, start rolling the paper with the help of any cylindrical object like a knitting needle, straw, or a pen refill. 
3. On reaching the end, affix it with the help of glue.
4. Now for the base of the basket, you may cut out two pieces of cardboard in a circular, square, or rectangular shape. This could also be of any size, as you require. 
5. For the upper side of the base, you may paste another sheet of paper of fabric. You may even add some cushioning using a foam for a soft and noiseless support. However, this step is optional.
6. Now it’s time to work on the bottom side of the base of storage baskets for shelves. Place it on a flat surface with the bottom facing up.  
7. Paste the double-sided tape along the edges of the cardboard. You may also use glue, but it will take longer to dry.
8. Take the newspaper tubes and place their edges over the tape, in an outward direction. And on all the sides. Leave half an inch of space between each paper tube.
9. Once dry, affix both the cardboards together using glue or double-sided tape. Make sure that the tubes come in the middle of both the cardboard pieces and the cardboard you prepared in step 5 lays atop the other. You must also put some heavyweight over the cardboards so that there is a minimal gap between them, and they stay secure. 
10. Now you may start weaving the basket with another long newspaper tube for making the storage basket for shelves. Twist this tube in a criss-cross direction, though there are many other options. While you twist the additional tube, see that the tubes affixed to the base stay upright while you make way towards the top.
11. When this tube ends, you have to interconnect it with another tube and secure the joints together with glue. This will ensure that while weaving, there will be no loose ends propping out.
12. Keep adding rows till you achieve the height of your choice. The extra vertical tubes can be cut out (to an extra length) and then twisted inward, on the inner side, into the weave. And your DIY storage basket will be ready.

For decorating, you may use any kinds of paints, though our favorite for this project are metallic paints. These will not only give a metal like lustrous finish to the woven baskets but also add strength to the structure. In the image above, the newspaper tubes were painted before weaving, so that works as another idea to color code it.

If you give it a try, you may also make a lid. And you will have handmade storage boxes with lids just from newspapers. 

4. DIY Blanket Storage Boxes With Lids

Another fantastic way to make storage boxes with lids is by using fabrics and boxes. And if you managed to get your hands on a suitably sized box, this will double up as a blanket storage box as well.  

Materials You Will Need:

• Any fabric
• Scissors
• Cardboard box
• Foam & Cardboard piece (if the box doesn’t have a lid)
• Spray adhesive

1. If your cardboard box has a proper lid, then better. If not, you must cut out the top flaps with scissors or cutters. 
2. Now take the fabric and cut it into a long rectangular piece. The length must be enough to wrap around the sides of the cardboard storage box. Leave some extra seam of two to four inches on the top and bottom sides.
3. Spray the adhesive on the box, one side at a time, and start pressing the cloth on to it. Ensure that you paste the beginning seam in such a way that the end seam rests on the edge of the box.
4. Now affix the extra fabric on the bottom to the bottom side of the storage box using spray adhesive. On the brim, gently fold the fabric inwards after spraying glue and press firmly.
5. If your box doesn’t have a lid, take a piece of cardboard and cut it out, such that it rests on top of the box.
6. Cover the top side of this piece in the fabric, and fold the extra edges downward and glue them as well. 
7. Cut another piece of cardboard, this time a little smaller than the previous. It must go a little further into the box.
8. Next, you must cut the piece of foam with a size that is the same as the smaller cardboard piece. Also, use glue to stick the foam to the smaller cardboard piece.
9. It’s time to wrap the foam and cardboard piece layers. But treat the cardboard side as the external layer and fold the extra fabric over the exposed foam side. 
10. Take both the cardboard pieces, the bigger and smaller ones with foam, and glue them together. Do so while sandwiching the foam between the cardboard pieces.
11. If your box already has a lid, you will not need the foam and can simply wrap the lid and skip steps 5 to 10. 

Tip: you may also use an old sweater, curtain, or any kind of fabric for this blanket storage box for shelves. 

These are some super easy DIY methods to make neat looking storage boxes that could store several items for you. They only need minimal inputs when it comes to effort and materials. Do try your hands at one of these storage baskets for shelves.