DIY Washi Tape Box

Were all collectors, even if we don't think so. One of the things I found myself collecting was washi tape. Its adorable, useful and affordable. But as my collection has grown I needed somewhere to store it. I started keeping it in a cute tin I got from a thrift store, but I could never find the one I wanted and it began overflowing...

Ive seen a few washi organizers that are incredibly cute, useful and expensive. So with my DIY spirt in hand, I headed to Hobby Lobby and with a 50% off sale on the wood items, this project cost $3.50. I bought a wooden box and a dowel rod that was 1/2'' by 36''. Here's how the magic happened.

My dad is quite the master craftsman, so he was enlisted to assist, umm completely do this project for me since it was outside of my modge podge and sewing machine skill range.  We tried 2 tools, the router and that yellow thing, which clearly didn't work because I don't know what it's called.

We tried a few practice runs on a spare piece of wood to be sure we could the grooves right and not split the wood.

We measured using 2 large rolls of tape so be sure the rods would fit correctly when they are full.

We made marks to know where to drill.

 The box was too small to use the router correctly, so we ended up having to hold it straight up and drill down.

We took the box apart so they router would sit flat by unscrewing the hinges.

And the magic begins...

The box is clamped onto the work table to ensure it doesn't move while drilling.

We then rounded the edges of the dowel rods so they would sit correctly in the grooves.

And cut them down to size. See my hand here, this is the extent of help I offered.

The rods fit perfectly the first time! One is the tiniest bit tighter than the other, but they slip in and out easily to add more tapes! Tip: Remember you can always make the rods shorter, not longer, so don't be worried if they are too long the first cut you make.

The box was reassembled barely in time to contain my excitement!

Ta Da! The finished product! This project took about an hour, but should take you less since you wont have to figure out which tools and how to use them, etc, which is where most of our time went.

I've already been using my box and I love it! It stacks and can be stored easily when not in use and travels perfectly since it has a latch! I'm still debating on whether or not to paint my box, right now I love the unfinished wood look but I may stain it. Now go make  your own and be sure to share your finished product!