When my daughter was growing up she loved playing dress up. Not so much with pretty clothing, but with make-believe accessories and costumes that allowed her to become anything her mind could create. The problem I ran into was finding a place to keep the all of the stuff we had collected when she wasn't playing with it.
Instead of it occupying her closet or drawer space, we decorated an inexpensive old trunk and filled it with all kinds of costumes, (you know, all the costumes you've stored from previous Halloweens? If not, check out local garage sales. We found vintage clothing and accessories for pennies on the dollar. We even picked up a few unique costumes). I also cleaned out my closet and threw in the "what were you thinking buying that" clothes that still had tags on them, along with some old favorites that I didn't wear anymore. Double points for cleaning out my own closet and not feeling guilty getting rid of things that were overtaking my closet. We added in silly accessories and hats, and let her play to her heart's content. The best part about having the trunk already filled up was that she could play with it anytime she wanted and then the items tucked neatly back into her adorable trunk, out of the way.
Making your own trunk is pretty easy and really not as expensive as you might think. Most Targets and Wal-Marts carry them in all kinds of colors and sizes. They are usually found under the term "storage trunk". We used an old beat up white trunk we found at a garage sale for a couple of dollars that matched her room at the time and decorated it with pinks and whites. If it's a boy your making a trunk for, he might like one of the superhero wallpapers. When you are ready to decorate, choose a pre-glued wallpaper in a pattern that you feel would match the room décor you are putting it in. Cut the paper to fit all sides and stick it down. Start from one corner and peel the back away as you place it down. If the paper comes up or rolls at the ends, use glitter glue or another colored glue to stick it down while dressing it up. You can hide tiny flaws in your measurements that way.
We used the same glitter glue to write her name on the top. If you are really creative then you might consider putting some lace around the edges to dress it up. If your uncomfortable working with wallpaper, use a themed duct tape. Duct tape now has an endless supply of patterns and themes. They stick well, so it makes a great craft material. You can find them at most Michaels and discount department stores. If your own kids are past the age of playing dress up, a costume trunk makes a great keepsake gift for birthdays or holidays.
Our trunk has lasted more then fifteen years now. It doesn't contain the dress up clothes that she played with in her youth, now it holds her special baby items and the crafts she made for us throughout the years. It may be a bit old and the wallpaper is slightly discolored, but the memories in it and the memories made from watching her play with it are priceless!
If you choose a wheeled storage trunk to decorate instead of a regular one, you can wheel it back in the closet or the garage when it's not in use. As of this posting I found a wheeled storage trunk for $38 on Wal-Mart's website. Check out garage sales for vintage ones. Since you will be decorating them, it will not matter if the one you purchase has some damage. Decorate over it.
Instead of it occupying her closet or drawer space, we decorated an inexpensive old trunk and filled it with all kinds of costumes, (you know, all the costumes you've stored from previous Halloweens? If not, check out local garage sales. We found vintage clothing and accessories for pennies on the dollar. We even picked up a few unique costumes). I also cleaned out my closet and threw in the "what were you thinking buying that" clothes that still had tags on them, along with some old favorites that I didn't wear anymore. Double points for cleaning out my own closet and not feeling guilty getting rid of things that were overtaking my closet. We added in silly accessories and hats, and let her play to her heart's content. The best part about having the trunk already filled up was that she could play with it anytime she wanted and then the items tucked neatly back into her adorable trunk, out of the way.
Making your own trunk is pretty easy and really not as expensive as you might think. Most Targets and Wal-Marts carry them in all kinds of colors and sizes. They are usually found under the term "storage trunk". We used an old beat up white trunk we found at a garage sale for a couple of dollars that matched her room at the time and decorated it with pinks and whites. If it's a boy your making a trunk for, he might like one of the superhero wallpapers. When you are ready to decorate, choose a pre-glued wallpaper in a pattern that you feel would match the room décor you are putting it in. Cut the paper to fit all sides and stick it down. Start from one corner and peel the back away as you place it down. If the paper comes up or rolls at the ends, use glitter glue or another colored glue to stick it down while dressing it up. You can hide tiny flaws in your measurements that way.
We used the same glitter glue to write her name on the top. If you are really creative then you might consider putting some lace around the edges to dress it up. If your uncomfortable working with wallpaper, use a themed duct tape. Duct tape now has an endless supply of patterns and themes. They stick well, so it makes a great craft material. You can find them at most Michaels and discount department stores. If your own kids are past the age of playing dress up, a costume trunk makes a great keepsake gift for birthdays or holidays.
Our trunk has lasted more then fifteen years now. It doesn't contain the dress up clothes that she played with in her youth, now it holds her special baby items and the crafts she made for us throughout the years. It may be a bit old and the wallpaper is slightly discolored, but the memories in it and the memories made from watching her play with it are priceless!
If you choose a wheeled storage trunk to decorate instead of a regular one, you can wheel it back in the closet or the garage when it's not in use. As of this posting I found a wheeled storage trunk for $38 on Wal-Mart's website. Check out garage sales for vintage ones. Since you will be decorating them, it will not matter if the one you purchase has some damage. Decorate over it.
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