When I started Bon Vivant, I knew that I wanted reusable wooden boxes with sliding lids to be the vessels for our gifts. Sure, there are many cardboard and woven options out there, but I figured if I am going to use so many of them, I want them to be repurposeful and useful (i.e. not something that you end up throwing in the trash but feel guilty for it). If you've received one (or hopefully more!) of our keepsake wooden gift boxes, you may have found yourself asking, "what am I going to do with this thing?" Chances are, you've come up with a way to use it for storage, but we wanted to share a few ideas and DIY projects to inspire those of you that are still searching for the perfect idea.
Our mission is to provide the best quality brands+products in our gift boxes that strive to be eco-friendly and as ethical as possible. With that said, of course we want our wooden boxes to be put to good use - they are part of the gift, after all! Our signature box is about 12x12x6 inches, but we also have a larger and smaller version. They all come with sliding lids and are durable and essentially a blank canvas for creative DIY projects. The possibilities for repurposing the boxes are endless, but here are some of our favorite ways:
WALL SHELVES
I mean, who doesn't love a good wall shelf? If you have more than one, you can arrange them off-centered to create artistic and functional shelving. Even if you only have one, pair it with some pieces of art and you'll add some 3-Dimensional design. We recommend painting the box whatever color makes you happy, and then nailing it to the wall, but you can also use the adhesive tape if you don't plan to put anything heavy on it. We love the look with some books, a framed photo and/or a potted succulent or air plant. This is also a beautiful idea for a baby room and you can even line the inside with a fun printed paper for extra pop.
KEEPSAKE BOX
Need a place to store recipe cards, baby pictures and memorabilia, greeting cards, the list goes on? The size and depth of our signature box is perfect for storing items like this. You can even insert smaller storage containers to create better organization. Slide the lid on and tuck away until you need it. Decorate the outside with paint or markers so that you know what is inside. One of our clients uses hers as a keepsake box for her little one, and she wrote the baby's name on the lid in calligraphy. How cute is that?!
ARTS & CRAFTS
We love using the boxes for storing and organizing arts & crafts. Again, you can add smaller storage containers inside, or just toss in all of your extra ribbon, markers or anything else that needs a home. The boxes stack beautifully and are super sturdy!
SUCCULENT/HERB GARDEN
One of the more ambitious, but AWESOME, ideas is to use your box to create a succulent or herb garden. Go to your local nursery and purchase several different types of succulents (along with some extra soil). Next, you may want to paint the box, but totally not necessary! We recommend drilling a few holes in the bottom wall of the box for drainage. Add the soil and arrange the succulents however you like.
REGIFTING
There is absolutely nothing wrong with regifting your box! Think about using it as a vessel the next time you give a gift to someone. You can get really creative with it, or simply tie it up with ribbon and let the box itself be the star of the show. You can also use any of the ideas above and give them as gifts.
ACCESSORY STORAGE
Our gift boxes are great for storing bow ties, pocket squares, jewelry, gloves, scarves or anything else you can fit inside. Some of those accessories that we rarely use and can never find when we need them will always have a home and be ready for you!
I hope you found these tips and DIY projects useful for repurposing your Bon Vivant gift boxes. For more gifting ideas, follow us on social media @bonvivantgiftboxes.
XOXO, Steely