Just polished off a box of Golden Grahams and looking for something better to do with it than throw it in the recycling bin? You can use it as the shell for a visual diary, or follow this tutorial from Claire Obias, one of our readers in Edgewater, New Jersy. 

Claire says, “I’m still a big fan of snail mail. To keep my stationery supplies organized, I made this mail caddy by recycling empty food boxes. It has everything I need from note cards and envelopes to pens, stickers, and stamps. It sits on my desk and I always feel inspired to pick up a card and write—birthday cards and thank you notes will never be late again.”

Materials

Empty food boxes in different sizes (tea, cereal, biscuits, sugar, etc.)
Glue stick
Decorative paper (gift wrap, old maps, or excess wallpaper)

Tools

Scissors
Hot glue gun

1. Create an opening on one end of each box by cutting off the box tops.
2. Secure the bottom end of each box with hot glue.
3. Try out different configurations using boxes in various sizes. Once decided on the look of the mail caddy, wrap each box in decorative paper like you would a gift, using a glue stick to attach the paper to the box. Tuck the paper into the open part of the box for a neat finish. Seal with glue.
4. Attach the boxes with a generous amount of hot glue. Line the edges and level the bottoms before sticking them together.
5. Use it as a correspondence center by filling the compartments with all occasion cards. Or, you can also use it as a bills paying station by adding security envelopes, return labels, and stamps.

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