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Mini Organizer

Mini Organizer

Designed By Julie A. Bolduc

This Mini Organizer is made with small Priority Mail Boxes, Duct Tape and Double Sided Tape! The little compartments are just the right size to fit the little containers that you can find in Smart Ones Lasagne Florentine frozen dinners!

    Materials Needed
  • 2 Rolls Duct Tape of 1 each of 2 colors
  • Silver Duct Tape, about a 2 foot length.
  • 4 Square Scraps of Paper 3in x 3in
  • 4 Small Flat Rate Priority Boxes, the ones that are about 7in x 6in x 1 3/4in in size
  • Double Sided tape
  • 2 Pieces corrugated Cardboard 6in x 7in for the Top and Bottom
  • 2 Pieces corrugated Cardboard 7in x 8in for the sides
  • 1 Piece corrugated Cardboard 6in x 8in for the Back

Finished Size: 7inh x 6inw x 7ind
Skill Level: Intermediate to Advanced

Instructions
Make sure you watch the video to help clarify any questions you may have about each step of the instructions.
Step 1: Marking the Boxes. Lay the frozen dinner container face down on the bottomsection of the box lined up with the left side crease where the edge of the box will be and mark the right hand side at the edge of the container to mark the front side of the box. Use a long ruler to finish drawing this line from the top to the bottom of the flattened box. Cut on this line. Using the big piece, mark the rest of the boxes matching up the lines and trace the line on the same place on the other 3 boxes. Cut the other three boxes the same.

Step 2: Covering the inside of the boxes. You are going to want to cover the inside of the boxes before you assemble them. Use your solid color duct tape and put strips across the bottom edge starting at the left side crease and overhanging the other edge about 1in. Overlap each subsequent piece about an 1/8in until you reach the score of where the sticky part of the box is at the top. When you are finished, you will have some exposed parts of the inside of the box along the left edge and the top. Do this for all 4 boxes.

Step 3: Make a slit along the edge of the tape on the side where it overhangs at each crease.

Step 4: Preparing the backs of each box. You will be using your silver tape for this step. Fold up the flaps on either side of the left hand flaps and the little flap further up. The little flap will tuck inside the slit that is form when you fold over the left hand side flap.

Step 5: Protect the inside of the folded over left side flap with a 3in x 3in square piece of paper folded in half with the fold side facing the slit and place it on top of the 2 side folded pieces on the same left side. Place a piece of the silver duct tape across the folded over section making sure to cover the lower crease. This will cover the inside back of the storage rack. Repeat this step for all 4 boxes.

Step 6: Close all 4 boxes by tucking the small tab into the slit and removing the sticky section cover to expose the sticky strip. Secure the sticky strip to the side of the box forming the little box that is open at one end with the duck tapes flapping!

Step 7: Assemble the Boxes. Fold over the flap on the bottom edge of your first box to the outside. Trim the other flap off of the top edge with your box cutter. Set the box down on your work surface and stick a piece of double sided tape on each of the 4 edges of the top side of the box.

Step 8: Pick up a second box, set it on top of the first box lining up the edges and pressing down to activate the tape. Fold down and into the box, the bottom flap. Cut off the top flap. Repeat this step with the next box. With the last box, do not trim off the top flap. Just fold it up and secure it into place.

Step 9: Preparing corrugated cardboard pieces. I purposely told you to make these pieces bigger than you will actually need so you can trace the actual sizes you will need using the assembled boxes. These cardboard pieces is what will make the box rigid and strong. Set your assembled boxes on top of one of the top or bottom pieces of cardboard. With a pencil, trace around the bottom of the box and trim it off to fit. With the double sided tape, tape the piece to the bottom of your organizer. Repeat for the top piece and each of the side pieces. Then do the back piece last the same way.

Step 10: Covering with 2nd roll of duct Tape. Start with cutting 4 strips of your decorative duct tape about 1 - 1/2in longer than the depth of your assembled organizer. Cut a slit on the center of one end of each strip about 1-1/2in in from the edge. Place each piece on each of the 4 corners from front to back making sure it over hangs on the back side and is lined up with the front edge. fold over the flaps where you made the slits to secure them to the back side.

Step 11: Cut Several more strips the same way but without the slits at one end. Add them to your box overlapping the long edges slightly by about 1/8in across each side until they are full folding down the flaps to the back side as you go. You will need 3 or 4 strips per side.

Step 12: Back Side. Cut 3 more strips but make them slightly shorter than your organizer is high. Lay them down in front of you on your work surface and overlap the long edges slightly to form a "Fabric". Pick up this whole piece and place on the back side of your organizer.

Step 13: Finishing Touch: Run a continuous piece of your decorative duct tape around the perimeter of the front edge of your organizer covering up any uneven edges beginning and ending on the center of the bottom of your organizer.

Click Here to Watch a Video on how to use the Left Over Scraps of the Boxes to make a Desktop Caddy!

Design written on October 11, 2014. Copyright ©2014 By Julie A. Bolduc f206000

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