Built for two, this little doll size locker is just right for two doll friends!

With fun working details you can set these up for school or sports.

Morgan is going to show us some of those details!  She takes out her key to unlock this little doll size lock.

The lock is connected through a wire loop that holds the door securely shut.

She reaches for the handle to open up the locker door.

She loves the sparkly finish on the locker!

She loves how much room there is inside!  She can fit her soccer gear along with all of her regular school supplies!

Now where is that math book?  I guess Morgan may need a little help organizing her locker! 🙂

Would you like to make your dolls a locker?  Come along with me and I’ll show you how I made ours!

The basic structure for the locker is a box.  (Empty box of wipes=a baby in diapers at our house!;) )  I showed the box at different angles and next to a doll to show it’s basic size, and as you can see it is just a regular box.  I know you will not have the exact same box but I have the measurements so you can compare the dimensions to your box.  It is 7 1/4″ deep, 17″ tall, and 9″ wide.

Cut the box in half right down the middle lengthwise.  Each half is going to be one locker.

We need the door to each locker to open the same direction so we are going to line up each half of the box.  Using the photo as a guide, turn half of the box so the loose flaps open the same direction.  The loose flaps are the locker doors.

It’s time to cut three pieces of cardboard.  One for the right side and one for the left side of the whole locker unit. The third will go in between the two lockers.  Two of the pieces of cardboard are going to measure the same as the locker side + 1″ to the width and 2″ to the length.  The added width is for a flap and the added length is for the locker stand.  Create the flaps on the 2 cardboard pieces by folding in the long side 1″.  The last piece of cardboard will measure the same as the locker side + 2″ to the length.  Let’s put the lockers together!

Starting with the right locker, glue the cardboard piece (with no flap), to the right side.  Line it up, so the extra cardboard length hangs off the bottom.  The extra is going to be part of the locker stand.

Take a piece of cardboard (with the flap) and glue it to the other side of the locker. Position it so that the flap folds around to the front of the locker.  The flap will help us keep the locker door shut! 🙂

With both sides of the locker in place you can see the locker stand in action!

Grab the second locker box.  With the last piece of cardboard (with the flap), cover the open left side of the box.  Again the flap should fold onto the front of the box!

Set the two lockers side by side, and glue them together.

Let’s add a little cardboard to the locker stand.  Each locker needs two front flaps so it looks like each locker has 2 legs to stand on.  I cut 2 flaps 2″x 8″.  Fold the cardboard in an inch so it now measures 2″ x 7″.  Place one flap on the right side of the locker stand and one on the left side of the center leg.  To really get a visual of where I’m going with this whole locker stand/locker legs thing, see the pictures of the finished locker with the stand/legs showing in the picture.

These lockers have built in closures to keep them shut!  On each locker door, make a hole 9 1/4″ from the bottom of the locker(including the stand), and 3/8″ in from the side.  After you poke the initial whole with a large needle, widen it with the tip of a pair of scissors.  Push the scissors through the whole until the hole is about 3/8″ long.  Close the door and poke a pen through the hole, marking the hole on the flap.  Where the mark is on the flap, make a hole with the large needle.  Enlarge the hole with a pair of scissors, like we did with the hole on the locker door.  The hole on the flap should be smaller, about 1/4″ long.

Bend a 6″ piece of wire with a 3/4″ loop in the middle.  My wire is coated.  It is a little more durable with a coating.  A thicker gauge wire would also work.  Poke just the loop through the hole on the side tab of the locker.  Glue the extra wire to the inside of the flap.  The loop comes out on the front of the flap.  Close the locker door and slip the loop through the hole.

This little loop is for a lock.  It also holds the door shut (and keeps baby sisters out!).

Let’s talk about the finish on the outside of the locker.  I first duck taped the whole locker unit.  It worked great but I had a complaint, it lacked pizzaz.  So I found black sparkle paper and at first covered one door with it.  Yes!  It was the pizzaz I was looking for!  I ended up covering both doors, both sides and the top of the locker in black sparkle paper.  In the end I would just cover the whole thing in paper.  So there are definitely options depending on the look you want!

Lockers have little vents in the door.  I added those details with strips of black paper.  I glued three strips for the top and three for the bottom of the door.

For another fun detail I added locker handles.  The handles are cut from the hook portion of a hanger.  You can see I cut off the very top of the hook.  I cut the first handle with a sturdy pair of scissors.  For the second handle I used my miter box and saw.  Both worked great.  I have to say the miter box was just fun to use because it cut so easily and made such a straight cut!

Look at these fancy locks!  Of course they had to sparkle and shine!  With a little bling on a roll and a jewel they were transformed!  You can buy little working locks like these at the hardware store.  Ours were a thrift store find and I was thrilled to incorporate them!

All finished and ready for play!

Did you know Morgan already has a locker partner?

It’s Maria, and she gave us a sneak peak into her locker yesterday at Doll Diaries!  Yes, of course it involves sparkle and shine! 🙂

Enjoy this locker for two and love that you made it out of a box!  Isn’t it awesome to see the transformation of everyday things!

Craft, play and transform the world!

Anna