Here Are 10 Creative Ways To Reuse Your Old Amazon Boxes

If you follow me on social media, you may already know that I’ve been contending with a stubborn foot injury for the past several months. My knee-scooter has made it easy enough to get around the house, but I hate hauling it in and out of my car, so I’ve been doing a lot of my usual shopping online. And after months of shopping online as much as humanly possible, I’ve been asking myself one question… “What the heck I am going to do with all these boxes?!”

My collection of cardboard boxes has grown exponentially, but it seemed wasteful to just throw them all out. So I started looking around the web for ways that I could reuse them, and I found a lot of great ideas! I wanted to share my findings with you today, because I think most people do at least SOME online shopping. And while my shipping box collection may be somewhat extreme, it’s not all that unusual to have a few empty boxes lying around and taking up space. So without further ado, let’s get creative with those boxes!

10 Creative Ways To Reuse Cardboard Boxes

1. Postcards

Cut out a 6″ x 4″ rectangle to use as a postcard! Just decorate to your liking, address, stamp, and send it off. This would be a fun project to do with the kids. Let them paint or draw a masterpiece on the front of the postcard, then send it off to Grandma or a relative who lives out of town. :-)

 

2. Organizers

Cardboard isn’t very cute on its own, but with some washi tape and a bit of creativity, it can be! Use your old cardboard boxes to construct all kinds of handy organizers, then use washi tape to take them to the next level.

Related: DIY Washi Tape Organizers

3. Weed Control

You can use cardboard in your garden to help control weeds. To “install” cardboard, scrape the first few inches of soil away from the area. Break down your cardboard box so that it lays flat, then grab your hose and a spray attachment. You want to soak the cardboard thoroughly with water (This step helps to start the biodegrading process, and it helps it lie flatter.) After soaking the cardboard, replace the dirt.

4. Knee Pads

Use a spare piece of cardboard as a knee-pad while you’re working in your flower beds or garden. Even a single layer of cardboard has enough give to act as a cushion on the hard ground, but you can double- or triple-up on layers to make it even more comfortable.

5. All-Purpose Container

Use an old cardboard box… as a box! I like to keep a small box in the back of my car to corral gear like washer fluid, jumper cables, my ice scraper, and more. It keeps them from rolling around noisily in the back of my car. :-)

Outside of the car, there are plenty of other ways to use an old cardboard box. Use it as a laundry basket, a trash can, a recycling bin, a toy box, or as a collection box for items you want to donate. The sky’s the limit!

6. Signs

Use an old cardboard box to make signs for your upcoming sales ventures, whether it be a yard sale, a bake sale, or your kid’s lemonade stand.

7. Pet Beds

You’ve probably seen a hundred videos of this phenomenon already , but in case you didn’t already know – cats love sitting in cardboard boxes. So you can give a spare box to your cat or a friend’s cat, and they will probably be quite pleased about it. But if you want to, you can make that box extra appealing by turning it into a hammock!

Related: Make A Simple DIY Cat Hammock

And cat’s aren’t the only pets who can find a way to use your old boxes. You can make a simple bed for your dog by lining the bottom of a shallow box with soft blankets and pillows!

8. Halloween Costumes

If you have somewhere to store your extra cardboard until October, you can keep a collection to use for making homemade Halloween costumes! I posted a few years ago about a few different ideas for homemade Halloween costumes, including a LEGO brick costume that I made out of (you guessed it) cardboard.

Related: Simple DIY Halloween Costumes For Adults & Kids

9. Floor Protectors

Use an extra piece of cardboard to create custom floor protector pads for your furniture. Just place your chair right on top of the cardboard, trace the legs, then cut out the circles using a craft knife. Glue or tape the pieces to the legs of the chair, and the cardboard will create a gentle barrier between your chair and your wood floor. This simple step will keep your floor from getting scratched up by the movement of the chair.

10. Donate

If you still have more cardboard than you can reasonably use, you can always give your boxes away. Donate them to a neighbor who is moving out, give them to your kids to use for art projects, or contact local charities in your area to see if could use any boxes. And if you can’t find anyone who needs or wants your boxes, recycle them (at the very least!)