25 Clever Ways to ReUse Delivery Boxes
Are you still waiting on deliveries from before Christmas? Me too. In fact, whenever I hear the a knock on the door my whole body lights up and I do the little, “I wonder if it’s for me” wiggle as I go and see. It took 8 weeks for my silicon moulds to arrive to make hot chocolate bombs… and even though the hype has well passed, I’m still buzzing to try them out (here was my first make-shift attempt while I was waiting).
The increase in online shopping has probably filled your living room with an ‘unprecedented’ (sorry, I had to) number of delivery boxes from far and wide (and I won’t even mention that company).
I have a few nice ones in the wings, but also a lot of ripped cardboard hanging about that feels like a waste to just dump in the recycling bin. And not every one has the option to recycle right on their doorstep either.
So, here are 25 ‘thinking-outside-the-box’ (again, sorry) ideas to get that excess packaging glammed up, used up, or torn up so you can see the carpet again. Pick your favourite for a rainy-Saturday lockdown project and you’ll actually have something to talk about when your boss asks what you got up to at the weekend!
(Just so you know: Some links in this post are affiliate links, which means that if you click on them and buy something I get a small percentage. Thank you for supporting my small business in this way!)
Boxes for Home Organisation
1. Create a nomad box
This is something that will stop you traipsing up and down the stairs all day or having to remember all the things you need to sort out as you later as you try to make dinner. You see a book that need to go back on the shelf in the study - to the box it goes. You find a hair tie on the floor - to the box. You lay a withered houseplant to rest - put the pot in the box.
Store it in a central location, stick on a little ‘Send me Home’ note and designate that the ‘I’ll put it away later’ box. When it’s full or it’s the end of the day - walk around and return everything to their homes (jazz it up with some pretty labels).
This is my nomad box
2. Reuse to send your own parcels
Decide on a limit (this is key!) and keep sturdy boxes of different sizes to wrap your own parcels in.
3. Make pretty storage boxes
Line a box with wrapping paper, magazine pages or newspaper and make cute storage boxes that match. This is great for crafty stuff that needs to be categorised, and good for candles, stationary and anything that won’t leave a mess (baking goods) or a spill (cleaning products).
Photo by Karolina Grabowska from Pexels
4. Drawer dividers
Try folding KonMari style and keeping your clothes grouped by item (e.g. socks) or function (e.g. exercise gear). This is also great for that odd kitchen utensil drawer you have. You can do this using shallow boxes or by creating a grid-like design from longer strips of cardboard. You might like to line the boxes with a nice paper if you have time as well.
5. Make a memory box
Do you have a pile of special birthday cards on the kitchen table or some old baby clothes your child has grown out of that you want to treasure? Make a keep-sake memory box to keep them safe (I use a shoe box) so you can pull it out when you’re feeling nostalgic.
This is my memory box
6. Make a ‘kit box’
If you are forever hunting down scissors or your passport at exactly the moment you need them, a kit box is a wonder. We keep a travel kit box with currencies, sun cream, adaptors and all of my favourite travel minis (it’s a passion of mine…) so they are always ready to go. You might like to create a work from home kit that has everything you would normally have in your office desk that you find yourself poking around the house for when you need it.
7. ‘Out the Door’ Station
Designating one stop to drop your essentials as you wrestle grocery bags through the door makes it a lot easier the next time you pop out for sugar and wonder why your keys are in the fridge again. I was blown away by this DIY stacked cardboard box with cubby holes for each item.
8. Make seedling plant name markers
Remember which pots are beetroot and which are carrots by pushing cute stakes into the soil. This one really only works for indoor plants out of the rain. The cardboard will breakdown as the shoots grow.
9. Reinforce a wall chart
Do you like a goal chart as much as me? Make it last longer by gluing it to a piece of card, or fold it over to make the chart stand up on the desk as a handy reminder to keep working on your dreams.
10. Keep to wrap presents (incl. make gift tags)
Have you ever tried to wrap a teddy bear? They are slippery fellows! Pop it in a box (make air holes if you want to be cute) and wrap the box, its so much easier! You can also make gift tags by adding some decorations - make an afternoon of it.
Gift Photo by Ylanite Koppens from Pexels
11. Quick file dividers
If you don’t have a filing cabinet or box just yet, stack your papers on their size in a box and make some simple dividers with labels to keep everything organised in the meantime.
Boxes to Entertain the Kids:
12. Have a box-castle championship
‘Ok kids, make a palace, a castle or a spaceship - and do it by 3pm this afternoon for the official judging’. Give them other recyclables like yogurt tubs, cereal boxes and cartons to accessorise as well as their markers, sellotape and scissors. Ok, now I want to join too…
13. Make a fort
Combine their efforts and make a shelter to house them on their imaginary adventure. When we were kids we were jaguars and we always made sure the TV was in the fort (because, of course).
14. Craft a robot costume
A box for the head, a torso piece and silly shoes and you have a living, breathing cyborg child. Parental help is advised for measuring and cutting out to size to avoid losing hair and/or fingers.
15. Make a game
There are many classic games you can pull together in a focused 10 minutes with an average box. Try throwing balls through a selection of holes of varying sizes, pin tail on donkey, or create a spinning wheel to chose an activity.
16. Make a pet obstacle course
Small pets are enriched by having to work out puzzles (as long as they feel safe and calm). Create a hamster obstacle course, tunnel or maze for them to work out how to get a tasty treat. Film it and let your buddies enjoy it too on Facebook.
17. Make a racing track
This can be adapted for different ages for hours of fun. The smallies might enjoy pushing a car around a map you’ve drawn out with roads, pit stops and trees. The older ones will go bananas for a ramp to slide their cars down to fling them across the room. Get creative!
18. Make bookmarks
For a quiet activity, cut out bookmark-shaped pieces of thinner card and get the kids to decorate them. You can punch a hole at the bottom for a ribbon as a finishing touch. Get them excited to read with you.
19. Paint mixing tray
If you decide to go all out with a painting party, cutting out a few discs of cardboard for mixing colours and easy clean up would do quite nicely. Similarly, a large box can be flattened out to protect the table (or floor!) during messy craft times.
20. Build a miniature scene
I’ve been rather taken with doll house miniature kits this year, so my heart melted when I saw this ‘story box’. Cut one side of the box to open up to a scene that can be created with characters, trees and even a sky as a backdrop. If you have a shoebox, keep the top so you can fold it up for easy storage afterwards.
Boxes to Destroy in Style!
Photo by Luku Muffin on Unsplash
21. Let your pet destroy/enjoy them
Tubes are loved by hamsters, gerbils, guinea pigs and event rats (I miss my girls). Pop them in the cage for a hide away, or scrunch around a treat for them to nibble through and find.
Cats love a box to sit in, no matter how small!
Wind up some cardboard for a tug of war with your dog, or see how high they can jump with an increasing stack of boxes.
22. Make a scratching pad for your cat
This one makes a lot of sense and will save your carpets. Wind strips of cardboard around until it’s the size you want and leave it out for them to claw at - winner.
23. In a pinch, use them to start a fire
Please check the rules where you live, but if you don’t have much kindling or a fire-starter cardboard does burn! Stay cosy.
24. Add to the compost pile
The composting process works best with mixed materials - food waste, leave and green waste and paper - like newspaper, unwaxed or coated cardboard. Rip it up and add a layer to the pile or bin. Go you!
Photo by Eva Elijas from Pexels
25. Kneeling pad for gardening
Keep those knees happy and floors tidy as we move into spring. Sunshine is coming, my friend :)
Which one caught your fancy?
I’m heading off to make cut outs for my keys, wallet and chapstick… It’s taking the extra step to use what we have and have a bit of fun in the process that will help us do our part for the environment and our head.
