Don’t toss that empty cereal box yet! That thin, sturdy cardboard is one of the most useful free craft supplies in the house. These 20 DIY ideas with cereal boxes cover organizing, decor, gifts and kids’ activities, all from boxes you’d normally flatten for recycling. Cover a few in pretty paper for drawer dividers or a book holder. Cut them up for paper beads, puzzle pieces and postcards. Stack and layer them for a sheet music monogram or an embossing plate. There’s even a pinata, monster jaws and a marquee light. Most need only scissors, glue and tape, so they’re perfect for a rainy afternoon with kids or a budget craft night!
1. DIY Cereal Box Drawer Dividers
DIY cereal box drawer dividers bring order to a messy desk drawer for almost nothing. Save boxes from cereal, waffles and granola bars, then set them in the drawer to plan the layout. Use the drawer as a guide to mark each box’s height and cut them down with a box cutter. Wrap each one in pretty wrapping paper or cardstock, laying a strip across the bottom first and pressing the inside creases with a pencil eraser before taping. Repeat until every box is covered.
Get the full tutorial at IHeart Organizing.
2. DIY Ribbon-Tie Vanity Basket
A DIY ribbon-tie vanity basket corrals perfume, lotion and makeup in style. Cereal box cardboard has just the right thickness to bend without collapsing. Cut a plus shaped template, crease the four flaps first so they’ll stand up later, then cover both sides with fabric using fabric glue or a few stitches, folding the edges over for neat borders. Attach short ribbons near the top of each corner and tie them into bows to pull the sides upright. Tighter bows make stiffer walls.
Get the full tutorial at Craft A Doodle Doo.
3. DIY Cereal Box Book Holder
A DIY cereal box book holder gives library books and comics their own spot on the shelf. Cut the top flaps off a big box, then mark five inches up from the bottom and three inches in from the side. Connect the marks with a ruler and cut away the corner to make the classic magazine file shape. Cover the whole thing in patterned duct tape, and let the kids pick the print. It’s an easy back to school project that keeps reading material tidy.
Get the full tutorial at Julie Measures.
4. Industrial Decorative Spheres
Industrial decorative spheres look like pricey home store orbs, but each one costs pennies. Cut a cereal box into eight strips about 3/4 inch wide and 10 inches long, then punch a hole at both ends. Spray paint them aged copper first if you like a metal look. Stack six strips, join one end with a mini brass fastener, fan them into a star, then arch them over and fasten the other end. Wrap the last two strips around the middle and fasten them on.
Get the full tutorial at Taryn Whiteaker Designs.
5. Cereal Box Craft Room Organizer
A cereal box craft room organizer keeps ribbon, lace and thread on display and ready to grab. Large cereal boxes become sturdy open frames when you cover the fronts in pretty gift wrap and trim the edges with matching paper tape. Plain craft paper covers the sides and back to save the good stuff. Threaded steel rods cut to size slide through the box and hold the spools, secured with wingnuts. Two grommets on the back let you hang it on the wall.
Get the full tutorial at Wings of Whimsy.
6. Marquee Light Made From Duct Tape & Cereal Box
A marquee light made from duct tape and a cereal box is a quick way to add glow to a shelf. Cut a heart, or any shape, from the box, plus several strips of equal width. Cover everything in silver duct tape. Run tape sticky side up around the shape’s edge, stand the strips on it to form the walls, then trim and fold the extra tape up to hold them. Cut small slits with a craft knife and push LED string lights through.
Get the full tutorial at Mad in Crafts.
7. Cereal Box Lacing Cards
Cereal box lacing cards keep little hands busy in the car or at a restaurant. Cut shapes from clean, thin cardboard, either your own designs or the pictures already printed on the box. Punch holes all the way around, or in fun patterns. Cut yarn into lengths about two feet long, and wrap one end in a short piece of tape, rolling it at an angle to make a stiff tip that threads easily. Knot the other end, then toss everything in a bag.
Get the full tutorial at 30 Minute Crafts.
8. Cereal Box Postcards
Cereal box postcards are the easiest way to send a smile through the mail. Dig through the recycling bin for boxes with fun, bright designs and big bold words. Cut the cardboard into 4 by 6 inch rectangles with a paper cutter, or a craft knife and a ruler, then round the corners with a corner punch for a finished look. Flip each card over and use a ruler and a fine permanent marker to draw a divider line and a few address lines. Kids love mailing these to grandparents, and a ribbon tied stack makes a sweet gift!
Get the full tutorial at Infarrantly Creative.
9. Sheet Music Monogram
A sheet music monogram is a thrifty way to show off a love of music. Cut your letter from cardboard several times, a cereal box works perfectly, and glue the layers into one thick, sturdy shape. Tear old sheet music along a straight edge so the pieces get a soft, frayed edge. Brush white glue on generously and cover every edge first, then the front, then the back, adding smaller scraps to fill in. Let it dry overnight, then distress the edges with brown ink.
Get the full tutorial at The Country Chic Cottage.
10. DIY Embossed School Folders
DIY embossed school folders give plain supplies a sleek, personalized look. Cut your letters or shapes from cereal box cardboard three or four times, stack them into one thick form and glue it to a larger cardboard plate. Lightly mist a sheet of cardstock and lay it over the plate. Top it with plain white paper so the cardstock doesn’t get shiny, then rub around the shape slowly with a bone folder. Glue the embossed piece onto a folder or notebook cover.
Get the full tutorial at Design Mom.
11. Inspiration Board Organizer
An inspiration board organizer adds handy supply pockets to a cork board. Cut the tabs off six mini cereal boxes. Measure around the two short sides and one long side, add half an inch, and cut scrapbook paper to that size and the box’s height. Wrap each box with Mod Podge, then hot glue them in a row onto a painted strip of scrap cardboard. Attach the strip along the bottom of the cork board and fill the pockets with pens, pencils and scissors.
Get the full tutorial at The Cwafty Blog.
12. Cereal Box Mosaic Frame
A cereal box mosaic frame turns colorful packaging into a chalkboard that’s fun to look at. Cut cereal, granola bar and fruit snack boxes into strips with a paper trimmer, then into small squares and rectangles. Paint the frame white, brush on a thick coat of Mod Podge and press the pieces in place, trimming the edges for a snug fit. Lay wax paper over it and roll a brayer across so every piece lies flat. Once it’s dry, seal it with three coats of glossy Mod Podge. Kids love hunting for their favorite cereal in the border!
Get the full tutorial at Infarrantly Creative.
13. Cereal Box Monster Jaws
Cereal box monster jaws snap out a foot or two when you squeeze the handles, and kids of every age love them. Cut a couple of large cereal boxes into long strips of equal width. Punch holes and join the strips with brads into a crisscross, scissor style frame, following the template if your box is the same size. Cut pointy teeth from the scraps and glue them to the ends. Remind little ones that real noses are off limits!
Get the full tutorial at It's Always Autumn.
14. DIY Cereal Box Pinata
A DIY cereal box pinata comes together in about 20 minutes. Tie the twine on first and secure it to the top of the box with plenty of duct tape so it can take a few whacks. Cut tissue paper into strips about three inches wide, then snip slits every half inch along one edge for fluffy fringe. Starting at the bottom, wrap one strip at a time around the box, taping as you go. Add little tissue paper flowers on top, then fill it with candy.
Get the full tutorial at Messes to Memories.
15. Upcycled Heart Charms
Upcycled heart charms turn the back of a cereal box into sweet little jewelry. Make a heart template so every charm matches, then trace at least three hearts per charm and cut them out carefully. Glue the three layers together for a sturdy piece, and poke a small hole at the top. Paint the hearts with red or pink nail polish, two coats if needed. Draw a heartbeat line across the front in permanent marker, then add a jump ring and chain.
Get the full tutorial at Curlymade.
16. DIY Woven Paper Baskets
DIY woven paper baskets made from cereal boxes are sturdy, colorful and completely free. Flatten three boxes, cut off the top and bottom flaps and slice the cardboard into strips about 3/4 inch wide. Join strips end to end with hot glue or double stick tape to make longer ones. Weave four long strips together at their centers, over and under, and keep adding strips to build a square base. Fold the ends up for the sides, then weave the longest strips around them. A coat of Mod Podge makes it even stronger.
Get the full tutorial at Cucicucicoo.
17. DIY Paper Beads
DIY paper beads use the bright printing on cereal boxes for colorful, one of a kind beads. Open a box flat and cut off the top and bottom tabs. On the back, draw long, skinny triangles about 3/4 inch wide at one end and 1/8 inch at the other, then cut them out. Roll each strip around a piece of wire from the wide end, slide the wire out halfway and keep rolling. Glue the tip, let them dry, then coat with glossy Mod Podge.
Get the full tutorial at Suzy's Artsy Craftsy Sitcom.
18. Clever Gift Box
A clever gift box closes with four heart shaped flaps, no tape or ribbon needed. Print the free template on legal size cardstock, or print it on regular paper in two parts and glue it to the back of the cardboard. Trace it onto a flattened cereal box, cut it out and score the fold lines. Fold up the sides and tuck the heart flaps together on top. Fill it with cookies, candy or a small gift. The printed side makes a fun surprise.
Get the full tutorial at Stuff You Can't Have.
19. Cereal Box Puzzle
A cereal box puzzle is a quick rainy day activity, and it’s free. Cut the front panel off the box. On the back, draw a grid of lines across and down, and don’t worry if they’re not perfect. Trace half of a coin along the lines to make the knobs that lock the pieces together, erasing the extra lines as you go. Cut the pieces out with scissors or a craft knife. Make bigger pieces for younger kids so they won’t get frustrated.
Get the full tutorial at Artzy Creations.
20. Dollar Tree Contact Paper and Used Boxes Wall Art
Dollar Tree contact paper and used boxes wall art is a budget gallery wall in an afternoon. Save four same size food boxes and tape up any open flaps. Spray paint the fronts white if your contact paper is light, so the printing doesn’t show through. Cut the contact paper to size and wrap each box like a present, patching any gaps with small pieces. Snip a tiny slit in the center back of each box and hang it on a nail.
Get the full tutorial at Ahhh Mom.
