Moving into a new house, after all the hard work of packing up and getting moved brings such a feeling of satisfaction and belonging. With each box you unpack, you discover a new place to store your belongings and new ways to make your new space feel like home. What you are left with, however, are the empty cardboard boxes and no idea how to get them out of the way or make use of them. Take a look at these creative uses for leftover cardboard boxes and see what you can come up with for the dozens lying around after your move!

Kids

You might be surprised at how entertained a child can be with something as simple as a cardboard box. Then again, the possibilities are only as limited as their imagination. A cardboard box and a handful of crayons, markers, and maybe even stickers is just a canvas waiting for a child’s masterpieces. A box can be turned into a racecar, a castle, or a fort to hide in and play. Cardboard boxes make excellent robot costumes or makeshift sleds. Again, the possibilities are almost endless.

Pets

Your four-legged friends might also enjoy some fun with the leftover cardboard boxes you were thinking about throwing away after your move. Cut a few holes in a box and you might find that your cat loves to sneak in and out of their own little corrugated cave.

Papers

Whether you have a filing cabinet that is full or you don’t necessarily want to spend the money on a filing cabinet, but need to hang onto paperwork that seems to just stack up and clutter your office, those extra cardboard boxes could be the perfect solution. You can create dividers with leftovers from other boxes or purchase some file folders and get your paperwork organized and out of the way in a stackable, square box that’s easy to access and easy to store.

Waste

Most cardboard boxes are recyclable, so why not renew your environmental efforts and use it to separate your recyclable waste in? When the box gets full, you can dispose of it and the contents in your household recycle bin or at a local recycling plant.

Crafts

The web is full of crafty and creative cardboard box ideas that you can make yourself. Decoupage letters for your wall, accessories for your office and decorations for your shelves can all be created using leftover cardboard boxes and minimal extra supplies. If you are not the crafting type yourself, consider donating the boxes to a crafting group, a preschool or a local organization that might be able to use them for arts and crafts projects.