Upcycled Shoe Box Shelves For Kid’s Toy Collectibles

These upcycled shoe box shelves are great for displaying children’s small collectible toys and what’s great about them is that they’re straightforward to make, strong, and easy to personalise!

If you like this you may like my other Upcycled Crafts; Egg Box Bird Masks, Upcycled Milk Carton Pen Pot, Tin Can Shelf Craft, Plastic Bottle Top Flowers, Milk Carton Vase, and Metal Bottle top flowers

Materials Required To Make Upcycle Shoe Box Shelves

• shoebox – you can use any size shoe box (children’s or adults). But bear in mind that the size of the shelf is determined by the shoe box lid.
• scissors or a sharp craft knife
• ruler
• pencil
• strong white glue
• ribbon
• newspaper (optional)
• paint (optional)
• paper mache paste (optional) – paper mache recipe here

How To Make Upcycled Shoe Box Shelves

Sectioning The Shoe Box And Lid

To make them you first need to measure the depth of your shoe box lid and the internal width and length.

Then take about 5 mm off of the depth measurement so that the shelves don’t overhang.

So, for example, with this box, I want a shelf 30 mm deep.

Use the length measurement to work out the approx distance you want between each shelf. I chose 50 mm.

Now to section the remaining shoe box are that will make the shelves. This requires cutting lengths out of the main shoe box using the natural bend in the box to make the shelf panel. The side panels of the box are used to attach the shelf to the and also as spacers when putting the shelves in.

Take the main part of the shoe box and unfold it so it’s flat. Cut off the two end sections that won’t be needed. My shelves needed to be spaced 50cm apart so I measure 50cm off each end of the side flap and cut off the remainder.

Now, pencil in the shelf lines and cut them out using a sharp knife and metal ruler.

Attaching The Shelves To The Lid

Place all the shelves in the lid before gluing in place, to make sure they fit and adjust where necessary.

Next, glue the end flaps and the back edge hat attached to the lid, and secure them in place until the glue is fully dry. I find clothes pegs work a treat for this.

Once the glue is dry you can use them straight away or add a layer of Papier Mache and then decorate them.

Glitter gel is great for adding sparkly detail along the edges.