Junk In The Trunk

The paperwork involved with being a grown up is overwhelming.  I know I shouldn't call paperwork junk, but when it piles up on my desk, it sure feels like junk!

After purchasing our home last year we noticed that our file folder box just wasn't cutting it anymore.  D found an amazing trunk at a garage sale for $10 and after seeing an idea post on Pinterest we decided to turn the trunk into a file cabinet.

Here is what you will need and how we did it:
1 trunk/chest
2 boxes of hanging folders
tin snips 
hot glue/hot glue gun 
2-3 large cardboard boxes 
a box cutter (I used scissors and it was such a hassle!)
SOS pads 


We bought two boxes of hanging folders.

We set up the file frames inside the trunk.  

D used tin snips to cut the frames to size.  (This step we should've done last since we had to resize them after I finished the interior.)  

I used cardboard boxes cut to fit the top/bottom/sides of the trunk as rigid backing pieces for the interior fabric, this also helps to get a cleaner finish for the edges.  

I then used hot glue to attach the fabric to the backing pieces.     

Doesn't look to impressive yet eh? 

I ended up using one fabric for the sides of the trunk and a different one for the top and bottom because I ran out of the first one!

At this point you can see on the upper right where my kindergarten cutting skills failed me and I had a noticeable gap. 

Black paint to the rescue!  I painted the rim of the trunk black, which you can see from the photo above was making the interior look unfinished.  

I also painted the gap where I didn't cut the cardboard pieces just right. 

Once the paint dried we placed the hanging folders into the trunk only to find that the lid didn't close, ah!  D had to bust out the tin snips and trim the frames again!

Cool, I think we'll keep it.  Now on to the exterior...

The hardware needed a good scrub, but I definitely didn't want it to look brand new, so I haphazardly scrubbed the metal with an SOS pad to remove the rust and the gunk, without removing all of it.

Good enough for government work.

So there it is, our beat up little trunk.  Now to put the junk in the trunk.      

I have to say, I'm obsessed with steamer trunks, they just have so much character!  My first steamer trunk came from an antique store in Moss Landing and my second one I found abandoned on the side of the road, jackpot! 

There are pros who restore these beauties, this particular website shows how they do it too!  If they saw what I do to mine, they would probably scream in horror, but to me making it functional is making it valuable. 

Hope you all have an inspired week and find things that add value to your home! 
~D & H