Organize Board Games With A Smart Book Box Storage Hack

Playing board games is fun, but keeping them looking neat and tidy? Not so much. And while vintage bookshelf board games are stylish, the average $42 price tag is a little steep, especially if you already have the game. Luckily, YouTuber At Home With Ashley breaks down how to recreate the cute vintage-themed storage boxes at home for cute organization–without the hefty price tag.

Want to try it out? First, decide which board games you want to move into book box storage to figure out what size boxes you need. Then, pick up the AuldHome Faux Book Stack, Rit fabric dye, a few foam paint brushes, heat-resistant tape, and iron-on vinyl. You'll also need a Cricut (Ashley uses a Cricut Joy Extra), about ½ cup of water for each color you want to paint your boxes, an iron, a cookie sheet, gloves, an apron, and a towel you don't mind getting stained.

Next, prep your work area. Peel off any tape or stickers off your boxes and decide which box will hold which game and what color that box would be. Adding a label or a Post-It is handy if you're dyeing multiple boxes. Then, boil your water, put on the gloves and apron to protect your clothes, and lay out the towel for a drying area.

When you're ready to get started, boil ½ cup of water and pour it into a dye-safe bowl. Add about 1 tablespoon of dye and stir. If you'd like the color a little lighter, add more water. If you want it darker, add more dye. Once you're satisfied with the shade, stand the book box upright on a cookie sheet and, using the foam paint brush, apply the dye to the fabric cover. Once it's your preferred color, let dry on the towel. Turn the book upside down every 30 minutes while drying to ensure cohesive color.

Next, it's time to design your box's cover. Measure and pick a layout (like the Penguin Clothbound Classics for the full vintage look) for both the cover and spine of the book box. You can make your design online and print it out with a Cricut — we like Canva for this because you can easily create your design in inches — then secure it in place with heat-resistant tape and use an iron on the hot setting to press it on. Lay a towel on top of the stencil and iron in one place, applying light pressure for 60 seconds, then let cool for 15 minutes before slowly peeling the plastic off. Don't have a Cricut? You can use stencils and fabric spray paint to make your design! Make sure to tape the stencils down with painter's tape beforehand to ensure they don't leak.

One of our favorite things about this game board storage solution is that you can customize it to fit your home decor. If you have a modern farmhouse style, consider painting the boxes a beautiful neutral and using an accent color, like a soft navy, to create the titles and motifs. You can also make the cover style to match your favorite book series or dye all the boxes in one solid color for a consistent look, à la Britannica Encyclopedia.

If linen isn't your favorite look, you can achieve the same look with Make Market wooden book boxes from Michael's and using paint to create the book covers. These are a great way to save money on materials. And, if you're not as comfy using spray paint and stencils, using paint brushes and acrylic or chalk paint can help you easily create the beautiful colors and detail work to help these storage boxes blend right into your bookshelf.