Transform Old Cardboard Into Cute Gift Boxes With This Easy DIY

I love keeping interesting objects around the house in case they'll come in handy for a future DIY, and I love to hold on to cool cardboard boxes.

If you've got any awesome printed cardboard that's just sitting around collecting dust, why not repurpose them into a cute gift box in just a few simple steps?

 

I was inspired to do a DIY involving leftover cardboard when I opened up the latest Marvel Collector Corps Box from Funko. The Guardians of the Galaxy-printed cardboard was just too stunning to let it go to waste.

Before you get started, make sure you have the necessary items. You'll need:

• A piece of cardboard or cardstock
• A pair of scissors
• Glue
• Lace or twine (for the tie-up boxes)

 

Begin by printing out the template below and cutting along the solid lines.

 

Next, lay the template over your cardboard. The X on the template indicates the square that will be on the top of the box, so make sure your favorite bit of the print is under the X!

If you want to avoid black lines on the outside of your box, you can also draw the outline on the opposite side of the box. Of course, this can make it tougher to get precisely the image you want on the frontside, so the decision is up to you.

Once your outline is drawn, carefully cut it out with scissors.

Next, use the dotted lines on a template as a guide for where you need to fold your cardboard. There are 12 folds in all, so be sure not to forget any.

Next, fold into a box shape, using your glue (I used a glue gun, but any strong glue will do) to secure the flaps in place. Be sure to leave the lid free—you don't want to glue that down.

Just fold the lid down into the box, and the simple version of the box is complete.

 

But for a slightly more sophisticated box, you don't have to end there. Cut out a piece of cardboard in the shape of your choice and cut a small square or circle out of the center, then glue on to the flap on the lid of the box. If you have one, you can also use a metal washer.

For the finishing touch, cut a length of lace or twine about two feet long. String it through the front hole once, around the length of the box, and back through the hole before tying in a bow to perfect the look. Feel free to cut off any excess—and look how cute Baby Groot looks on top of the box!

 

If you don't have any cardboard around, the you can use the same steps to create a similar box out of thinner card stock. Here, I used a Mario stamp I had laying around to stamp the cardstock before cutting it out with my template. Because this pattern was pretty uniform, I drew the stencil on the backside.

Once cut, fold the card stock according to the dotted lines on the template…

…and glue to get your box shape.

As with the other box, cut out a circular piece of the cardstock here to form the latch, cutting out a centerpiece to thread the string through and glue it on.

Last but not least, feed the string or lace through the clasp and loop around the box, tying a bow to secure, and you're done!

 

Looking to make more cute, personalized DIY gifts for a friend? Click HERE to find out how to make a Pokémon pocket tee.