Don't Skip A Silverware Box At The Thrift Store: Use It For Beautiful, Antique-Inspired Storage

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One common item you'll see almost all of the time at thrift stores is old silverware storage boxes. This isn't much of a surprise, as keeping cutlery in a fancy box to only use once a year isn't very common anymore. However, that means these boxes are sadly getting tossed out into landfills. If you have a few minutes and a bit of a knack for DIYs, though, you can easily turn them into something functional in your home.

With a hammer and a few tools to make your wooden box look shiny and new, you can fix up a silverware box so it is the perfect fit for your home. Depending on how you decide to fix up the outside, you may need wood filler and stain, or paint. Additionally, if you want to make the inside look nice and fresh, then you should buy some fabric, foam, and a hot glue gun, as well as tools such as pliers and a wood scraper. 

How you decide to decorate your box may depend on what you want to use it for as well. For example, some people use their box as an elegant K-Cup container, and leave their box looking natural with just a stain. However, there is really no limit as to what you can put in them. Some people use them for jewelry, sewing tools, or makeup, and they would be charming when dressed up with pastel paints and a few decorations.

You may want to begin by erasing stubborn wood scratches and staining the box so it looks brand new. This creates a beautiful and authentic look, but if you want to add even more personality, you can adorn your box with charming decoupaged decorations like botanicals, animals, or simple patterns. Paint and some beautiful stickers like these vintage flower stickers can also make an old silverware box feel a little more like yours. 

The next step after you tidy up the outside is to clean the inside. Since you won't be using this for silverware anymore, you can go ahead and pull out any clips, ridges, or dividers made to hold everything in place. There may be nails that stick out, but you can knock them through the center with a hammer and then pull them out from the back. While you can leave the original fabric lining in tact if it's in good shape, if it's stained or you just want something new and cleaner, it may be a good idea to pull out that liner. Many of them are glued down, so it can be a bit of work, but with a pair of pilers and a wood scraper, you can get off most of the fabric and glue. Then, choose whatever material you want, cut a thin layer of thin upholstery foam to fit your box, and glue some fabric of your choice over the foam to make a new insert.