CraftsSanity On TV: Crafty DIY Organizing Tips Using Recycled Containers Part 2

Ok, I’m back with Part 2 of the instructions for today’s “Take Five” craft segment projects.

My 6-year-old daughter, Amelia, asked for construction paper for Christmas and was thrilled to receive a lot of it. I was thrilled, too, when I saw her drawing microphones (another one of her presents) until the unused paper started getting scattered around on the floor. That’s when I decided to retrieve the recycled priority shipping boxes I had stashed next to the recycle bin and asked Amelia to help me make an organizer for her paper.

Please note that three cereal boxes of equal size would work for this project, too.

Recycled Box Paper Organizer

Ok, so this is what we did in between Amelia’s frequent singing breaks. (She really likes her new microphone.) First, we cut off the long flaps at the top of the box. I used packing tape to secure the flap pieces I removed inside to reinforce the narrow side walls of the boxes, but this is optional.

Then we folded down the narrow flaps to the inside of each box and secured them in place with packaging tape. This helps reinforce things a bit.

Then it was time to stack. To do this, hold two boxes on on top of the other and wrap with packaging tape at the front, middle and back of the stack. Now stack the third box on top of the stack and wrap the stack again with tape. When Amelia was on break and unavailable to hold the boxes while I taped, I used a couple clamps to keep the boxes from shifting. (Clothespins would work, too.)

Amelia and I covered her organizer with scrapbook paper (that I seem to use for everything but scrapbooking), but you can use wrapping or craft paper of fabric to cover the boxes to match your decor.

I used packaging tape to secure the scrapbook paper in place. While this required a serious amount of tape, the finished product is pretty durable.

While the finished product is not as spiffy as the white store-bought organizers I have upstairs in my office, Amelia is quite pleased with her custom organizer and happily keeping her paper in it. Yay!

Cereal Box Magazine Holder

When we got done with three-box paper organizer project, we realized we still had more construction paper. (I know, we’re a bit overstocked at the moment.) So, I grabbed a cereal box and cut it to look like a magazine holder. To do this, cut off the top flaps, then use a straight edge to draw a diagonal line from the middle of the top edge of the box  to a point on the right side edge of the box about 4 to 6 inches up from the bottom. Then cut straight across the narrow right side of the box and straight up the fold. Use the triangle shape you cut out of the front side of the box as a template to cut the same shape out of the back of the box.

Use as is, or cover with decorative paper or kid’s drawings. Abby likes to draw scenes from her favorite Mario video games, so we decided to cover  the overflow construction paper holder with one of her latest drawings. Go Mario!