Mar 1, 20234 min read

DIY Baby Shower Clothing Display & Storage Crate

Check out our TikTok how-to video HERE (for a baby girl)

AND HERE! (for a baby boy)...psst....this one has gotten over 700k views!

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After having my own baby, I found that I wanted to create gifts for others' showers that were memorable but more practical. I used a combination of other people's ideas on the internet mixed with gifts I received and came up with this!

Supplies:

Crate
Dowels
Paint
Wooden letter (optional)
Hot glue and Glue Gun
Zip ties
Ribbon or twine

Prices:

Crate: $10-$12 dollars at Joanns, $15 at Michaels for the 18" size that I used (Michaels also sells whitewashed crates for $20)
Dowels: I used a wooden round dowel and two wooden square dowels from Home Depot. The pricing depends on the scale of the project/size of the crate you want. The Round and Square are priced differently but you can get 48" for under $3. I used 2 square dowels 1/2" in width and 36" in height and one round dowel. The round dowel size depends on the hanger you are using so I recommend bringing your hanger to the store and sizing it out; please also consider weight. You want the hangers to be able to move easily but you want the rod thick enough to hold clothing. All in all, I paid under $10 for the dowels.
Paint and Brushes: I had all the paint in the house! But you could use Dollar Tree paint for this if you feel so inclined (I did!) This depends on how many colors you want but I supposed I technically spent under $5 for paint.
Wooden letter (optional): I used a 10" letter from Michaels for $5
Hot glue and Glue Gun: Varies.
Zip ties: Get a pack from the Dollar Tree for $1.25!
Ribbon or twine: I prefer to use scraps in the house for this project because you are using such a small amount but you can alos get small spools at the Dollar Tree for $1.25

Step One: Paint and Trace

I traced the "S"....you don't have to do this, this is just how I work! Helped me make sure it was centered and in a good spot and then I painted. BUT I did not paint over the two feet of the "S" to remind myself where it will go. I hated painting the crate. We actually had a bare crate left over from a previous project but I would buy the white washed one next time. Mom painted the crate for our second shower and she didn't mind it at all so, to each his own! Painting the dowels was no big deal though! I also had to paint the S. I had to mix the paint because I didn't have the pink I wanted but still, easy enough.

1a: trying to get an infant to give good hand and footprints...IMPOSSIBLE. I got one good print so I cut my loses and initialed the print that was hers....I discovered later an old school bus trick we used to do on the foggy windows: if you put your hand in a fist and place the pinkie side against the surface, it looks like a baby foot! then use a finger to "dot" five toes! I used this method but painted my fist and placed on the crate.

Step Two:

Hot glue the "S" in place

Step Three: Hot glue the square dowels into the back corners. Put glue on the bottom and the two sides that will touch the sides of the crate. We use hot glue because the intent is for the bars to be removed so the crate can be kept for storage! One TikTok user pointed out that you could keep the bars on and use as a dress up closet!

Step Four: Hot glue the round dowel. I would lay the crate down when doing this. I tried doing it upright with the level but it was pretty tricky. If the intent is to remove the bars after the presentation, it is okay if this bar is not 100% level...just make sure it is not egregious and the clothes are sliding to one side!

Step Five: after the glue dries, zip tie the round dowel to the square dowels and cut the tails. I zip tied in an "X" formation

Step Six: Cover the zip ties in your ribbon of choice. I recommend a thinner ribbon. I only had thick so I cut it width-wise in half. I glued the end pieces of ribbon and also wrapped in an "X" formation.

Step Seven: Trim the round dowel. You could (and probably should) measure, cut, then adhere, but I am a visual person and needed to see how long I wanted the round dowel. I laid the crate back down and used a basic saw to trim the edges

YOU MUST sand and paint the sawed edge when done!!!!

Step Eight: Hang your clothes and load your toys :D