Living rooms and bedrooms are often packed with miscellaneous throws, but finding a handy place to put them all can be a challenge. Instead of hiding your favorite blankets away in a closet when they're not being used, put them on full display with the help of an old suitcase.
A large vintage suitcase retired from travel is repurposed to add charm and functionality to your home. Relining the suitcase interior with a decorative fabric makes an attractive background for the support bars already in place. After you apply Mod Podge to secure the background fabric, you can hang blankets and throws directly over the suitcase support bars for display, or wrap and tuck them into the bottom lid. Consider adding a dusting of lavender powder or dried flowers to the bottom of the suitcase for a fragrant touch that seeps into fabrics for another sensory dimension. A suitcase blanket storage works well in your living room next to the couch, but it would also be a charming addition to your bedroom for throws or to the bathroom for hand towels.
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Materials
-Square suitcase with a 20-by-20-inch top lid
-Plastic bowl of hot water and soap
-Dish scrubber
-X-Acto knife
-Mod Podge
-Paintbrush
-Scissors
-Measuring tape
-Decorative fabric
-Blue chalk pencil
-Plastic measuring mat
-Rotary cutter
-White craft cord
-Hot glue gun
-Hot glue sticks
-Four short metal table legs with mounting plate attachment
-Pencil
-Handheld power drill
-12 screws
-Lavender dried flowers or powder
-Decorative blankets and throws
-Square suitcase with a 20-by-20-inch top lid
-Plastic bowl of hot water and soap
-Dish scrubber
-X-Acto knife
-Mod Podge
-Paintbrush
-Scissors
-Measuring tape
-Decorative fabric
-Blue chalk pencil
-Plastic measuring mat
-Rotary cutter
-White craft cord
-Hot glue gun
-Hot glue sticks
-Four short metal table legs with mounting plate attachment
-Pencil
-Handheld power drill
-12 screws
-Lavender dried flowers or powder
-Decorative blankets and throws
DIY Everywhere
Instructions
1. Place the suitcase on a flat work surface.
1. Place the suitcase on a flat work surface.
2. Scrub the hot water and soap mixture gently over the entire exterior of the suitcase using a handheld dish scrubber.
3. Cut away loose fabric on the corners of the suitcase and around hinges and buckles using an X-Acto knife.
4. Reattach any loose fabric on the corners using Mod Podge and a paintbrush.
5. Open the suitcase and position it so the top lid lies flat on the working surface.
6. Cut away the top flap of the interior lining with scissors.
7. Cut around the edges where the lining was attached once more with an X-Acto knife to make sure all excess fabric has been removed.
8. Measure the length of the interior top lid by pulling the measuring tape underneath the support bars to reach the center of the suitcase. Continue pulling the tape until it reaches the end of the bottom suitcase lid.
9. Measure the width of the top interior lid.
10. Unfold and smooth a sheet of decorative fabric on a flat surface.
11. Measure out the length of the interior of the suitcase onto the decorative fabric, and mark the fabric with a blue chalk pencil.
12. Measure out the width of the suitcase onto the fabric with a plastic measuring mat, and mark it in blue chalk pencil.
13. Cut the fabric to size using the blue chalk points as a guide.
14. Position the suitcase open once more with the top lid flat on the table.
15. Unravel the piece of measured fabric, and line up the short end with the interior edge of the top lid of the suitcase.
16. Secure the decorative fabric to the inside of the top suitcase lid using Mod Podge and a paintbrush. Leave the suitcase support bars exposed.
17. When the interior of the top lid is covered in fabric, fold the excess fabric up into the support bars, and flip the suitcase so the bottom lid is now sitting flat on the table.
18. Cut away any tie strings in the bottom lid with scissors.
19. Remove the back elastic pouch using a combination of scissors and an X-Acto knife. Leave the two side elastic pouches intact.
20. Release the remaining decorative fabric from the support bars, and continue to attach it to the backside and bottom lid of the suitcase with Mod Podge until you reach the edge.
21. Follow the edges of the decorative fabric around the entire suitcase once it’s attached, using a rotary cutter and X-Acto knife to make sure all fabric edges are even and smooth. Pay particular attention to the suitcase corners.
22. Outline the top edge of the decorative fabric with white crafting cord for a finished look. Apply a line of hot glue and press the cord to secure it in place. Cut away excess cord once the two edges meet.
23. Close the suitcase and flip it upside down.
24. Position a table leg on the bottom right corner of the suitcase.
25. Mark three of the mounting plate attachment points onto the suitcase with a pencil.
26. Remove the mounting plate and drill shallow holes through the pencil markings.
27. Replace the table leg and attach it to the corner of the suitcase by drilling three screws through the mounting plate using the previously drilled holes as guides.
28. Repeat this process on the three remaining corners of the suitcase.
29. Flip the suitcase right-side up so that it’s standing on all four legs. Open the lid.
30. Fill the side pouch of the bottom suitcase lid with a sprinkling of lavender flowers.
31. Set the new blanket storage in the living room or bedroom, and hang a collection of blankets or throws over the suitcase support bars to display. Roll up extra throw blankets and place them in the bottom of the suitcase for additional storage.
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