Two Simple Ways to Reuse Cardboard Boxes Around Your Home

A photo Raisin Bran and Cheerios boxes to the left of the words "Two Simple Ways to Reuse Cardboard Boxes Around Your Home" in a blue box on a background of blue sketched flowers.

Two simple ways to reuse cardboard boxes you have around your house is to turn them into baskets and file folders! Baskets and file folders can be expensive, so why not use what you already have around your house to create your own! A little creativity, some twine, some glue, and scissors are all you need for these easy craft projects.

Simple Ways to Reuse Cardboard Boxes

Instead of putting those cardboard boxes in the recycle bin, grab some craft supplies and turn them into items you can use around the house. Below are step-by-step instructions on how to take your boxes and turn them into baskets and file folders!

Reuse a box as a basket

Baskets can get really expensive, so let’s dive into a couple of ways to reuse cardboard boxes as baskets!

Supplies needed:

  • a cardboard box of your choice (tip: when considering which boxes to use think about the height and width of the box, the weight of the cardboard and the color of the box),
  • twine or cord (you’ll find two examples of baskets made from boxes, one made with twine and one made with cord. The process to make both baskets are the same.),
  • hot glue gun,
  • glue sticks,
  • Optional embellishments: ribbon or a liner to cover the rim of the box, ribbon or cord to tie around the box, other embellishments of your choice to celebrate different seasons or holidays.
A cardboard box, an off-white tea towel, a roll of twine, an exacto knife, glue sticks and a glue gun on a craft mat for the blog post "Two Simple Ways to Reuse Cardboard Boxes Around Your Home".

Tip: when choosing boxes for your projects, consider the following:

  • the height of the box,
  • the width of the box,
  • the weight of the cardboard for durability,
  • the color of the box.

Step-by-step instructions to create a basket from a box:

A photo of a cardboard box being wrapped in twine with a hot glue gun on a craft mat for the blog post "Two Simple Ways to Reuse Cardboard Boxes Around Your Home".

Step 1: start at the bottom of your box and lay down some hot glue along one side.

Step 2: lay down your twine or cord along the glue.

Step 3: let set, turn the box and repeat on all sides.

Step 4: continue to lay down hot glue and twine/cord around your box until you reach the top. Tip: take your time and make sure each row of twine/cord is close to the previous one so that less of the box shows through.

Step 5: once the entire box is covered, cut your twine/cord and hot glue the end to the box.

Step 6: attach ribbon to the rim of your box (ribbon used on the small off-white basket had an adhesive backing, but you could hot glue your ribbon as well) or line your box with a basket liner.

A basket made from a card board box and twine with an off-white tea towel liner and an off-white cord tied in a bow around the basket holding toilet paper and a blue rolled hand towel on top of a white commode for the blog post "Two Simple Ways to Reuse Cardboard Boxes Around Your Home".
A small basket on a tabletop made from a box and off-white cord with a ribbon with little blue flower surrounding the rim holding green Easter grass, a blue and green plastic Easter egg, a small yellow chick and a small green bunny for the blog post "Two Simple Ways to Reuse Cardboard Boxes Around Your Home".

These baskets would also make a great way to present a gift! You could place any items you are gifting into the basket, wrap with cellophane and have a unique and fun gift to give away!

Reuse Cereal Boxes as File Folders

You can find file folders in all different colors and designs, but why not use your favorite cereal boxes to create your own? This was a pretty easy craft, but there are a couple of things to watch for when you create your folders!

Supplies needed:

  • cereal box(es) of your choice (note: the General Mills box was made from cardboard with a better weight which will make it more durable, but any cereal box in a standard size will work well),
  • a standard file folder to use as a template,
  • a marker or pen to trace your template,
  • scissors or an exacto knife to cut your box into the right shape.
  • Optional: washi tape to cover the inside of the box that will show when the file folder is closed.

Step-by-step instructions to turn your cereal box into a file folder:

  • Step 1: flatten your cereal box.
A flattened Cheerios box on a craft mat for the blog post "Two Simple Ways to Reuse Cardboard Boxes Around Your Home".
  • Step 2: flip your box so that the blank side is facing up, use your standard file to trace a template onto your cereal box and then cut out the shape. Here are a couple of tips for this part of the process:
    • make sure your cereal box is oriented so that the cover of the file folder will show the part of the box you desire. (Note that the Cheerios box was oriented so that the back of the box shows on the cover of the file folder which was not necessarily the desired look!)
    • line up the fold of the file folder you are using as the template with a fold in the cereal box.
An orange file folder with a pair of scissors with blue handles, and a blue pen sitting on top over a flattened cereal box on a craft mat for the blog post "Two Simple Ways to Reuse Cardboard Boxes Around Your Home".
  • Step 3: add some washi tape to cover the inside of the box that shows when the folder is closed (optional).
A Cheerios box cut and folded into a file folder on a craft mat with a roll of brown washi tape with flowers sitting on top of the file folder for the blog post "Two Simple Ways to Reuse Cardboard Boxes Around Your Home".

Pro Tip: before tracing your file folder template onto your cereal box, make sure the cereal box is oriented so that the cover of the file folder shows the portion of the box you want to see!

  • Step 4: fold your cereal box folder and place something heavy on top of it for several hours or overnight to encourage it to stay flat and keep its new shape.
Two file folders made from Raisin Bran and Cheerios cereal boxes on a table for the blog post "Two Simple Ways to Reuse Cardboard Boxes Around Your Home".

These are just 2 simple ideas for ways to reuse cardboard boxes around your home! I hope you are inspired to reuse your boxes and make something fun!

If you liked these ways to reuse cardboard boxes, check out some mini jam jar craft ideas! You can also get on my email list for weekly ideas, inspiration, tips and tricks and the latest news about Chalk Couture!

I can’t wait to see what you create!

Sustainably yours,

Luana

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