Reduce, Re-use, Recycle: Ingenious ways to reuse your old storage boxes

Author: PACKQUEEN   Date Posted:15 July 2019 

How does one upcycle those storage boxes stacked up somewhere in the house? We have some tips for you!

In this day and age of environmental awareness, upcycling every single thing in the household is a must. How about those old storage boxes you have lying around? How do you give them a new lease of life? All it takes is a little creative thinking and, in some cases, glue, glitter and gumption.

1. Bookshelves

Wooden crates and those plastic egg crates work best here, especially if you’re living in a rented home where you’re not allowed to drill holes into the walls. These boxes can be stacked horizontally or vertically and screwed together to create a bookshelf 3 boxes high, at least, depending on what you plan on putting in them. These shelves can be stained or painted to match the overall aesthetic of the room they’re designated for.

2. Additional storage

Surprise! Old storage boxes – whether they’re made of plastic, wood and even cardboard – can be upcycled to store things. If you have a cardboard box, you can line the inside and outside with patterned or colored craft paper and reuse them as toy boxes for your children or even your pets.

The plastic ones can be reused as raised beds for gardening, recycling bins or large capacity toolboxes. Whatever your hobby is, you can upcycle these storage boxes to serve a purpose in your home. Need to clean up the clutter in your office? Old plastic boxes are right there with you!

If you have wooden crates or storage boxes lying around, they can be reused as bench seating with storage space underneath in your mudroom or entrance hall. You can also reuse them to hold toys for your children or pets. You can even use them as cat trees or beds for puppies and smaller dogs.

3. Organiser

Need to put storage items in order? Organise old clothes, toys, tools and what-not in old storage boxes.

Put together your own emergency kit and stow it in the trunk of your car or somewhere in the house for ready use when needed.

It’s not enough to just take something apart or knock it down flat to dispose of later. Look around your eyes and evaluate which storage boxes can be reused for a purpose. Everything – absolutely everything – has more than one use if you really think about it.