From the protective sleeve around your favorite hot beverage to the box of pasta you made for dinner last night, cardboard is all around us. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the demand for cardboard is higher than ever before, as people are increasingly shopping online instead of going to brick-and-mortar retailers.

While reusing and recycling cardboard moving boxes and shipping containers can help you become more environmentally sustainable, many people do not appreciate the full scope of this versatile material. Here are five DIY cardboard box ideas to help keep more cardboard out of landfills.

1. Indoor Dog or Cat House

Your pampered pet already has a place in your heart – now, you can give them a designated spot to hang out in your home. Depending on how much cardboard you have to use and your creativity, you can make shingles for the roof or paint a little nameplate over the door.

2. Drawer Dividers

If you love having a tidy home, you can repurpose old cardboard boxes into DIY drawer dividers. Even if you aren’t a crafty person, you can complete this project in a single afternoon and enjoy it for a long time to come. Use pieces of leftover cardboard to separate socks, underwear, pajamas and all sorts of other items to keep your drawers perfectly organized. Be sure to carefully measure and cut the cardboard to fit tightly inside your drawers without collapsing.

3. Container Garden

Gardening offers many other creative ways to reuse cardboard boxes. For example, if you’ve always liked the idea of making a container garden, you can poke some holes in a plastic bag and use it to line a cardboard box. Then, fill it with soil and plants, and remember to give it all the water and sunlight it prefers.

4. Holiday Decor

With the holiday season fast approaching, you may be searching for inventive ways to repurpose the boxes from all the gifts you’ve ordered for family and friends. Cardboard offers virtually endless DIY crafting ideas, from lanterns to picture frames to stars and even Christmas trees. Keep the fruits of your handiwork for yourself, or give them as handmade presents. You can even use leftover scraps of cardboard to make one-of-a-kind gift tags that will be sure to make your presents stand out under the tree this year.

5. A Maze

If you’ve recently moved and have lots of leftover cardboard boxes, you can tape them together in any configuration you like to make a DIY maze that will keep younger kids entertained. Get creative and decorate the inside and outside walls of the maze with silly pictures or funny sayings. If you have pets, they might be curious enough to explore the maze and get in on the fun, too.

Plan Your Move to or From Atlanta

Atlanta is a vibrant Southern capital with so much to offer. If you are relocating to or from the city, count on Fox Moving and Storage to make your next move a cinch. Our courteous, experienced team members can help with everything you need, from boxes and packing materials to packing and junk removal services. We are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and can be ready within one hour’s notice. Contact us today for your free quote!