Got Extra Moving Boxes? Here’s What to Do Next

Have you recently moved? Have you ever looked in your garage and asked yourself “What do I do with all of these boxes?” Well look no further, we have compiled a list of 15 of the best ways to repurpose your moving boxes. 

Reusing boxes can be a great way to save money while adding a new life to old boxes. Whether you like DIY crafts or just want to make use of what you have here are 15 great ideas to reuse your moving boxes!

If you are looking for safe and reliable self storage, our Arco’s Stockton storage facility is a great place to store and protect your belongings! If your moving boxes are full of your personal items and are taking up space in your home, our facility is more than happy to assist you! We have a full range of features and unit sizes to fit your every need! Check out our self storage facility page to learn more!

1. Drawer Divider-  A great way to repurpose your old moving boxes is to create easy drawer dividers. Either using smaller short boxes or by cutting up your boxes into long strips that can stand up in the drawer vertically. Make sure to use a ruler and mark with pencil where to cut on all the strips to ensure the same height and width. Make sure the cardboard dividers do not affect the movement of opening and closing the drawers. After making vertical dividers, if you want to make smaller compartments you can add in scraps of cardboard horizontally between the dividers. This way you can keep small items organized simultaneously. This is a great way to keep your drawers organized and to make use of old boxes.  
2. Make labels from the Cardboard- Labels are a great way to stay organized and can make some great use out of moving box scraps. Simply cut small rectangles from the moving boxes and use a marker to write out labels such as “pencils” “screws” etc, as a way to remain organized. You can easily secure the labels on with packing tape.
3. Gift Box- For upcoming birthdays or holidays, you can use the box as a mold to shape and wrap an item creatively. Once wrapped, it gives the illusion of a simple square gift, making it fun to surprise someone with an unexpected item inside!
4. Party Drink Coasters- cardboard can be cut into small squares or circles that mugs and cups could fit on. This way, you and your guests can decorate your own personalized coasters with markers, colored pencils, stickers and even paint all while protecting your tables from wet marks and stains. This is also a great way to keep your kids entertained.
5. Kids Fort- By positioning your boxes into a fun little house structure and adding pillows, blankets and markers your kids can have a homemade fort that they can design! The more boxes or “rooms” can make this even more fun for your kids and keep them entertained for long periods of time. If your kids have ipads they can watch a movie together in their fort or make funny videos together! This is a great way to engage your kids and get them playing together. 
6. Animal Toy/ Cat Scratching Board- As we know, animals love cardboard boxes! If you rip your cardboard box into long strips and then rip them again but by separating them so the internal zig zag is showing. Cats love scratching and filing down their nails on cardboard so this is a great way to repurpose boxes and keep your cats from scratching your furniture or other belongings!
7. Document Storing- A super great way to keep your legal documents organized is to use a moving box to store all of your papers together. Using some other ideas from above, you can add labels or some wrapping paper to make your boxes pretty and memorable. This can make it easier to locate and remember where you put everything. 
8. Shoe Organizer- If you need to keep your shoes together, using moving boxes to maintain cleanliness and keep them organized and stored. This will make them easier to access if you put them under the bed, or within your closet you can keep them neatly stacked and organized. 
9. Storing Fragile Items-  If you have any little items such as ceramics, ornaments, mugs or glasses that can break easily it is a good idea to keep them stored securely. Using moving boxes is a great way to keep them safe. If you need to add padding you can cut up other boxes and use the cardboard to cushion the sides and bottom of the box. You can also cut up cardboard into smaller pieces and use this as makeshift packing material to protect all sides of the items. 
10. Organizing Seasonal Items- Moving boxes are a great way of storing decorations and seasonal items! Simply add your items, refer back to number 9 to make soft material to cushion your belongings. You can also add some wrapping paper to customize the boxes and add labels to keep everything organized. 
11. Kids Art Canvas- If you are in need of a great arts and crafts idea to do with your kids. Look no further than repurposing cardboard. Cut or rip the boxes at the seams until you have long rectangular pieces and that's it! Let your kids draw, paint, color, add stickers and express their creativity! You can also draw a simple street and let your kids drive their cars along them for easy racetracks. This can keep them entertained and make use of your boxes. 
12. Grocery Trips- Moving boxes are a great addition to the trunk of your car for grocery store trips. This can make it easier to load and unload your food in one go and keep your bags of food organized. You can also sort them into cold and warm food boxes to maintain temperature control.
13. Bulletin Board- Bulletin boards are a simple yet effective way to keep your papers and calendars in perfect sight and can help you maintain schedule. All you need is to cut your box into a large square or rectangle- this can be achieved by ripping the corners along the side that you want to use. After this you can prop up the board on a desk or secure to a wall and use push pins to secure your papers to it. You can use dry erase or permanent markers to create fun designs along the sides to personalize it!
14. Donation Bins- A super simple easy way to repurpose your boxes is to create a donation bin. Everything you no longer need, such as clothing, shoes, blankets, books, accessories can be neatly piled into your boxes. From here you can easily put everything into your car and drop off at a charity to benefit the community.
15. Donating your Moving Boxes- Moving boxes can also be donated to community centers for others to benefit from. Schools can use them to sort out papers and books for their students to use. Animal shelters can use them to make a bed or to sort out blankets or toys for the pets. Local libraries can use them to sort out books or to organize papers. The possibilities are endless with moving boxes and paying it forward is a great way to repurpose your moving boxes. 

If you are looking for self storage in Stockton, CA, we are a high rated, friendly and reliable facility. We offer a full range of features including temperature controlled units, drive up storage, RV and boat storage as well as having 24 hour surveillance. Check out our website for a full range of features and unit sizes. Our Arco’s self storage in Stockton, California would love to protect your belongings!