Wooden boxes

Storage that tidies up and looks good

You know that pile of little things that never really finds a place to be. Remote controls in the living room, toys wandering around on the floor, vegetables rolling around loosely in the cabinet. You are not the only one. Clutter often arises because things do not have a fixed place to return to. Wooden boxes solve exactly that. They give you a concrete place for what would otherwise be floating around, and they do it with a warm, natural look that fits in almost anywhere in the home. Here you get an overview of what wooden boxes can be used for, what sizes and shapes are available, and how to choose between an open front and a classic box.

Acacia or natural wood

The wooden boxes at élé living are available in two finishes. Acacia has a darker, warm tone with distinct grains, and it gives a calm, slightly more striking look on a shelf or a desk. Natural wood is lighter and more subdued and easily blends into a bright, Nordic home. Both are solid wood that will last for many years and withstand daily use, unlike cardboard boxes that bend and plastic boxes that become matte and scratched over time. Choose the tone that plays best with your furniture and your kitchen. If you want to go all the way, you can stick to one of them, so you get the uniform and aesthetic look that creates calm for the eye.

You will find both colors in our wooden boxes, and the corresponding shelves in acacia wooden boxes, so you can build a unified solution in the same material.

Square, wide, elongated, or with an open front

The shape determines what the box is good for. The four basic shapes cover most needs in the home.

• The square box is versatile and good for toys, soft balls, keys, chargers, and everything else that otherwise clutters a shelf. See acacia wooden box and natural wooden box, which are both available in all four shapes.
• The wide box holds more in width and is suitable for clothes, tea towels, hobby items, or fruit and vegetables in the kitchen. It is available in both versions.
• The elongated, tall box fits well on narrow shelves and in deep cabinets where you want to utilize the height. It is available in both versions and as a tall elongated wooden box.
• The box with an open front has a cutout in the front, so you can take things out without lifting the box down. It is ideal for fruit, packages of dry goods, or toys that the children themselves should be able to reach. It is available in both versions.

Open front when you often need to reach into the box

The choice between a completely closed box and one with an open front is about how often you use the contents. If you need to go into the box several times a day, the open front is practical. You see immediately what is in it, and can take an orange or a package of pasta without pulling the whole box out. Therefore, it works well in the kitchen and in the children's room. If the contents, on the other hand, are something you rarely touch, or something you would like to keep hidden and dust-free, a box without an opening gives a more closed and calm look. A good rule of thumb is to place what you use regularly in open boxes at the front and what you rarely use in closed boxes further in.

Stackable boxes and shelves that build in height

Several of the boxes can be stacked, so you utilize the height in a deep cabinet or on the floor instead of only using the floor area. The open front boxes are particularly suitable for this because you can still reach into the bottom one, even if there is a box on top. If you want a finished solution that builds in height from the start, there are shelves in the same series. See natural wood shelf and acacia wood shelf, both with an open front. They give you more compartments in the same piece of furniture and a unified look, where a stackable mix of loose boxes can end up looking more random.

How to keep the wood looking good for many years

Wood is a living material, and it requires a little something different than plastic. Wipe the boxes dry with a well-wrung, damp cloth, and never let them stand in water or get soaked. Water that is allowed to seep into the wood can cause it to warp and crack over time. If the box stands in a damp room, wipe it dry if it gets wet. With a little bit of care, a wooden box will last for years and only become more beautiful as the wood patinates. It is one of the reasons it can replace cardboard and plastic that you would otherwise have to replace regularly.

Room by room throughout the home

The beautiful thing about wooden boxes is that they do not tie you to one room. The same box can move along as the need changes.

• In the kitchen, they collect fruit, vegetables, onions, and bags of dry goods, so the cabinet does not overflow.
• In the living room, they store remote controls, chargers, magazines, and what otherwise piles up on the coffee table.
• In the children's room, they give the toys a fixed place, and the children can tidy up themselves when the box has an open front.
• In the hallway and wardrobe, they hold hats, mittens, bags, and the loose items that otherwise lie around and float.
• In the office and on the desk, they keep track of papers, cables, and office supplies.

Feel free to start with one room or just one cabinet at a time. You do not need to overhaul the whole house at once to feel the difference.

Choose the size according to what will go in

The right size depends on what you want to use the box for, and where it will stand. Measure the space before you choose, especially if the box is going into a cabinet or on a specific shelf. If it is to hold small things on a desk, a small square box is often enough. If it is to house clothes, toys, or fruit, a wide or tall box gives more space. If you want to utilize deep cabinets, look for the elongated, tall models that go far in without taking up width. Also think about whether you will stack later, so it is an advantage to choose boxes in the same series from the start, so they fit together.