Wooden boxes, whether antique, vintage or new, add a sense of mystery and substance to your decor. These solid pieces are decorative and functional which make them “dual appropriate.” Caring for these pieces is easy and will help to keep your boxes and chests in good condition to hold keepsakes and treasures or to act as storage to reduce clutter and enhance organization.

As usual, gather all your wooden boxes, and decorative items. Check for any needed repairs on hinges or latches. Now for the cleaning and rejuvenating. Again we are going to use our Murphy’s Oil Soap for cleaning. You can use a sponge semi-wet with the oil soap mixed (1/3 cup oil soap to two cups water) to wipe down the boxes inside and out. Then dry with a soft cloth. This will clean and moisturize the wood to make your boxes and wooden items shine. You will also want to photograph and inventory the boxes to add ot your household inventory for insurance purposes.

Now that all your wooden items are clean, you can maintain the moisture monthly by wiping them with a quality wood conditioner. Also, if your wooden items need a new look, they can always be painted or stained by sanding a applying a few coats of paint or stain with polyurethane. The boxes and chests are great for storing items so determine what items you would like to store in them and begin collecting those items. Keepsakes, blankets, bedding, seasonal items and other items are perfect for storage in larger chests. Smaller items can be stored in the smaller boxes to make use of the storage potential. Items such as keys, batteries, light bulbs, packing supplies, cards, sewing notions, silver pieces, etc can all be stored safely in a wooden box or chest. Using these boxes and chests for storage helps to keep your home more organized and reduce the clutter while making your home more aesthetically pleasing and functional.