Whether you are working with shoe boxes or shipping boxes, there are myriad uses for an old cardboard box before it reaches the recycling bin.
Making things from cardboard boxes is sustainable, fun and could save you some cash.
Read on for some inspiring tips on how to give your used cardboard box a second life.
Ideas for creating clever storage ideas with cardboard boxes
Durable cardboard boxes can provide light, yet robust storage long after their original contents have been removed.
Simple ways to use cardboard boxes around the home include:
- Cut-down boxes can be used as under-the-bed storage for clothes or books
- Computer accessories, cables, chargers and plugs can be kept together in a cardboard box under your desk, while smaller boxes make great desk tidies.
- Shoe boxes make excellent storage for shoes! Preserving the box your shoes came in makes stacking easy and protects them from dust.
- Small cardboard box ideas include making excellent drawer dividers, labelling them, and using them to store packets and jars in kitchen cupboards.
Clever stuff to make out of cardboard boxes
Of course, a cardboard box is the ultimate storage solution in itself. You can create a range of clever storage ideas by customising a used box.
- Cardboard boxes wrapped in attractive paper, painted, or finished with varnish create storage boxes pretty enough to display on open shelving.
- If you open both ends of a small box, you can feed your computer or AV cables through to create a nifty tidy that will conceal all those tangled cables.
- Side tables or bedside tables are easy to create by placing an attractive textile over a cardboard box.
Cardboard crafts ideas
Crafty people can think of a million ways of making things with cardboard boxes.
Examples include:
- DIY flower presses
- Drinks coasters cut to shape, decorated with decoupage and then sealed with a waterproof resin.
- Cookie cutters to create bespoke number cookies for birthday parties
- Lampshades for a pendant light or table lamp
- Decoupage picture frame
If you look at sites like Pinterest, you will find inspiration for creative projects for many beautiful and useful objects.
Easy cardboard box ideas for kids
If you have ever unpacked a big cardboard box in the presence of a small child, you will know that shipping boxes present endless possibilities for play and fun with friends.
With a pair of scissors, a roll of sticky tape, and a touch of paint or magic markers, you can encourage your kids to be creative and act out their dreams.
Popular projects include:
- doll’s house
- pretend television set for budding presenters to practise their lines
- play castle
- puppet theatre
- three D fancy dress costumes
- easy to make games like a marble maze with the addition of kitchen roll tubes or a toy car race track
Other ways to put an old cardboard box to good use
Large cardboard boxes can be repurposed around the home in a multitude of ways.
In the garden
- Mulching – planting seeds on cardboard provides a perfect organic mulch and a weed-proof layer.
- Shredded cardboard boxes mixed with organic matter in your compost pile will break down into rich compost
- Thick cardboard is combustible but burns slowly, making it an excellent foundation for your garden bonfire.
On and in your car
- Placing a cardboard sun barrier inside your window screen will protect your car’s interior from direct sunlight and prevent it from overheating when you get in. No more scorching steering wheel!
- Thick cardboard placed over your windscreen on cold nights will prevent frost from forming and save time defrosting in the morning.
Floor Protection
- The cardboard from shipping boxes is durable enough to protect floors in high-traffic areas during house renovations.
- Cardboard will protect floors and furniture from paint or other damage during painting and decorating.
More things to make out of a cardboard box
If you would like more ideas about making cool stuff from cardboard boxes, you can find plenty of videos online and on platforms like Pinterest.
Pacsafe Cardboard Boxes
You can browse our website to see our full range of cardboard boxes here.
