If your family is anything like ours, you probably go through a fair amount of cereal! Interestingly enough, we don’t actually eat cereal for breakfast very often, so our cereal consumption is almost entirely a result of late-night snacking. (Any other nighttime cereal eaters out there?) :-)
One side effect of going through as much cereal as we do is that we are never short on empty cereal boxes! And luckily for us, there are plenty of creative (and surprisingly useful) ways to put those boxes to good use, and we’ll be exploring them in today’s post!
So the next time you pour out the dregs of a box of cereal, why not hang onto that box and recycle it into something new? Here are 9 great ways to use them (and as always, please feel free to share your own cereal box ideas with us in a comment at the bottom of this post!)
9 Creative Ways to Recycle Your Cereal Boxes
1. Mini Notebooks
With just one cereal box and few sheets of paper, you can make dozens of the world’s cutest mini notebooks! For each notebook, you’ll need to cut out one piece of cereal box and six pieces of paper that all measure 2 inches by 4 inches.
Fold both the box piece and the papers in half, then stack them together with the box piece at the bottom. Use a stapler to staple the papers and box piece together along the fold, and you’re done!
2. Gift Tags
Use a cereal box to make several customized gift tags to use for your holiday gifts, or for gift giving occasions throughout the year! Start by cutting out a section of cereal box into the shape of a gift tag.
Trace the tag onto a piece of decorative scrapbook paper, cut it out, then use glue or double-sided tape to secure the paper to the tag. Use a hole punch to make a hole near the top of the tag, then use a piece of twine to attach the tag to your gift!
3. Drawer Dividers
Save up a few cereal boxes and use them to make drawer dividers to tidy up a messy drawer. First, place the cereal boxes in the drawer. This will help you figure out both how many dividers you’ll need, and how deep each divider should be so they match the depth of the drawer.
Once you’ve done that, use a craft knife or box cutter to remove the top portion of each box to create your dividers. You can use your drawer dividers as-is, or you can go a step further by lining them with cute scrapbook paper. Either way, they are sure to keep the contents of your drawer much more organized! :-)
4. Gift Boxes
Download the template at Stuff You Can’t Have
Turn an old cereal box into a small gift box that’s perfect for gifting cash or gift cards. First, you’ll need to grab the template from Stuff You Can’t Have, print it, and cut it out. (Note: The template is sized for legal paper. But if you don’t have any on hand, you can always print the image out over two sheets of paper and then tape them together!)
Once you have the template printed and cut, trace the shape onto a cereal box and cut it down to size. Then just fold up the box according to the lines on the template and close up your gift box!
5. Postcards
Use cereal boxes to make simple postcards to send to your friends and family around the world! Who wouldn’t love to open their mailbox and see some good old fashioned “snail mail” from a loved one mixed in with the junk mail and bills? :-)
Cut out a piece of cereal box measuring 4 inches by 6 inches, then draw a line down the center on the non-printed side. Write your message on the left side of the postcard, put the recipient’s address and your stamp on the right, then drop it in the mail!
More Ideas You'll Love
6. Pencil Cases
Download the template at Scribd
All you need is a cereal box, a pair of scissors, and some self-adhesive velcro to make a fun and practical pencil case. First, grab the template from Scribd, print it, and cut it out.
Lay the prepared template against a flattened cereal box, trace it, then cut out the shape. Use a paper scorer (or a butter knife or paper clip if you don’t have one) to score the box along the fold lines on the template.
Fold up the pencil case and glue or tape all of the sides shut except the top flap. Apply the two sides of a small section of self-adhesive velcro to both the flap and the top of the front panel, then fill up your newly upcycled pencil case!
7. Bookmarks
Can’t bear to dog-ear the pages of your favorite books? Use an old cereal box to make a few handy bookmarks! Cut out pieces of the box that measure 1.5 inches by 6 inches, punch a hole at the top of each one, then thread a length of string or ribbon through the hole and cinch it.
8. Treat Boxes
If you don’t have one of those fancy cupcake carriers, taking cupcakes and other treats anywhere can be a real logistical nightmare! Or at least it used to be, before you learned how to turn cereal boxes into makeshift treat boxes! ;-)
Start by taping or gluing the top flaps of your cereal box shut. Use a craft knife or box cutter to cut along three of the edges of the front panel, leaving one long edge intact.
Line the inside of the box with tissue paper if desired, then place your treats inside. You can secure the top of your treat box with a piece of ribbon to keep it closed during travel.
9. Puzzles
And finally, you can also turn the front panel of your old cereal boxes into simple puzzles. They’re great for little kids, but you can also make it a fun challenge for adults by setting a 60-second time limit for them to assemble the image!
Do you have a favorite way to reuse your empty cereal boxes?
More Ideas You'll Love
Thanks for more great ways to recycle cereal boxes. Here are some I’ve done:
http://craftyjournal.com/fall-leaf-turkey-magnet/
http://craftyjournal.com/craft-with-cereal-boxes/
Please log in or create a free account to comment.We go through ridiculous amounts of cereal, so I am really excited about this post. Thanks for sharing!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Ooh, Ooh, ooh~ I saw “box tops for education” in one of those pics! Please Jillie~ even though you don’t have young children, please save these for a local boy or girl scout troop that is collecting them, or an elementary school. Most especially here in CA, we need the extra $ for things like playground balls, etc. etc.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Oh MY Gosh!!! That is so funny with the cereal because we are the same exact way I am 37 and I still love a bowl of cereal at night or for lunch or a snack and so does my 7 yr old we could probably eat cereal morning, noon , and night. I’m so glad were not the only ones that treasure the taste of a simple bowl of cereal. Love this post and ideas very creative. My 7yr old girl who I think is becoming a craft fanatic like her mama is going to love doing these. When we do them I will send pics to you!!! Thank you for inspiring us to see beyond what was the original use of the packaging!!!!! Have a wonderful day!!!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.HAPPY CRAFTING TO ALL!!!
AMY
Hello!
I am wondering if you would do a post on homemade Christmas gifts and then invite your readers to submit their ideas– maybe even a link up post? It would be great to have some ideas for the holidays, all in one place. Thanks! I enjoy your site very much and am happy for your success. You make it look effortless, but I am sure it is a lot of work.
M.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Yes, please! I would love to see a post on homemade Christmas gifts!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Ditto! What a fun idea!
I also love to reuse these kinds of boxes to make shipping containers for small gifts like jewelry or soaps. Things that need to be packaged with a little more care than usual, but are also smaller than most. A couple layers of the cardstock makes a really sturdy mailer. Plus it can be decorated any way you like on the inside and outside if you put the layers front to front!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.how can you paint a little tikes washer and dryer and where can you find tickers for the wear and fadedcolors also how to clean cloth on play toys
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I know that there is a spray paint that you can use on plastic that would work for the Little Tikes Washer and Dryer
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Cool!!! My kids always steal them for their own crafts & they get very creative with them. But now it looks like I will have some uses for them myself.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.My cereal box recycle is pretty basic. I use the large cereal boxes that come from warehouse stores like Costco. I use packaging tape to secure the flaps on the outside of the box; it also strengthens the box. I use the box this way as a small recycling box in rooms that don’t need a huge one.
I have one in my bathroom to throw toilet roll tubes, old prescription bottles, etc. Another is close to the family room chair where I sit and open mail, read catalogs, etc. I throw any junk mail, unwanted catalogs, etc. in that recycle box.
I’m a quilter and keep one next to my cutting/ ironing board for paper I use in the course of making quilts.
I could be creative and paint or cover the boxes, but I’m afraid I just don’t have the need. It’d be nice but I’d rather quilt!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Thanks for the great post! My kids just finished their 4-H county fair judging, and I was wondering how to save or display their ribbons. The gift box looks like it might be the perfect size. They can even store other mementos from the year, and we can catalogue each new year of 4-H. Love it!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Very impressive indeed! Love them all. : )
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Great ideas….. I also need different sized boxes and I bet if I go online and search for patterns to make gift boxes there will be a lot more sizes already thought out. Thank you for the idea.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Yes! I’m sure there are tons more out there. :-)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Save the inner bags, too. They’re super tough and great for crushing crackers, nuts, etc and a much better alternative to wax paper for pounding/tenderizing meat.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Brilliant! The plastic zip type bags always get holes in them when I crush corn flakes for my gluten free peanut butter chocolate bars! Thanks Deb. :-)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.So glad that you are addressing gluten allergies. A few months ago you said that you had no interest in gluten-free recipes or ideas as so few people had that issue. I gather you found that one of your children or close relatives did have an allergy to gluten. We live and learn. Cooking gluten-free is easier today and corn or rice starch is a great alternative to wheat flour.
I had never considered keeping them, but that is brilliant! Thanks!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.That is an amazing idea for the plastic liners!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.They are great to pound chicken–doesn’t tear or get chicken stuff all over you.
Jillee,
You gave me the idea for hand made Christmas gifts yesterday-now I have learned a fantastic gift box idea that is TOTALLY FREE, from something I use anyway!! How awesome is that! Now I just need to stick Post Its on the cereal boxes-DO NOT THROW AWAY!!! :)
Thank you my dear!
xoxo
http://www.roddyjones.com
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Love the idea of upcycling like this. I really want to make some of the gift boxes, but they’re not the right size or shape for what I really need.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I’m making scrapbooks for Christmas, for my cousins, filled with photos of our grandparents and parents throughout the years. They’re only little books – the pages are 6×6, so the boxes don’t need to be very large. I have been able to find a couple of leftover boxes here and there that’ll work, but if I could make my own, that would be really awesome.
That is a great idea!!! Making a scrapbook is an awesome use for this!!!
http://www.roddyjones.com
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I looked for a pattern, but none seem to be quite right for the size I need. I decided I just need to fiddle with it myself. However, I found a really awesome site that had a few more ideas for upcycling cereal boxes.
http://www.mnn.com/food/healthy-eating/blogs/kitchen-recycling-tip-cereal-boxes
Use cardstock or similar heavy paper. Draw a square or rectangle the dimension of your album. Add 1/16″ on all sides. Draw extensions on all sides the depth you want boxes to be. Fold extensions up towards center. On opposite ends cut along fold line of side extensions. Cut jus to the fold like. Fold the ends that were cut in towards the center of the end side piece. Glue. Make lid the same way, only add 1/8″ on sides to make the lid large enough to fit over bottom. Recycled greeting cards can make unique boxes.
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