Apartment Therapy Chicago | Jessica's Project: Photo Box Face Lift

My January Jumpstart is so easy, I almost feel embarrassed detailing the steps. Yet when it comes to your home, any little bit of work is good work and not every project has to be a big one.

Step one: Measure the photo box.

Step two: Cut out sections of contact paper. I cut separate pieces for the front, back, sides, and lid. The grid on the paper's liner helps to round up on the box measurements. Always round up! Other pre-cut tips down below...

Step two (continued): I've finished a project like this in the past and learned a valuable lesson: leave plenty of overhang material when making a sharp turn. In this case, make sure you cut a large enough piece to provide at least 1.5 to 2 inches of extra paper on the interior of the box. If you leave too little, the paper will begin to peel up. For extra insurance, I added a piece of double-stick tape.

Step three: Remove the liner and stick the paper to the box. You can be as finicky as you want to with the corners. I cut the front and back panels an inch (or so) wider than the box so the seams would be on the sides. Similar to wrapping a present, I cut on the diagonal on the box edge so I could cover as much as the hideous green as possible.

Obstacle: Oh no! I saved the front panel until last because I knew it would be tricky. I thought I could cut around the face-plate but it appears my X-Acto skills aren't all that I imagined.