Creative uses for cereal boxes...?

[Christi]

Hey everyone! I'm new here but have been reading a ton of old posts. But that is besides the point! I notice that my SO and I go through tons of cereal, and therefore have tons of cereal boxes. Everytime I throw one out I think, "There has to be something I can do with this..." but I can never think of anything.

I was curious as to if any of you have any ideas...?
Thanks in advance!
_christi_

[QuilterMom]

Check out this old thread - http://frugalvillage.com/forums/show...light=gift+bag

[bumplett]

15 Creative Ways to Reuse Small Boxes

by Rachel Keller

* Boxes can make stylish and colorful bookmarks. When I was in second grade, my teacher gave us pretty bookmarks made from empty Kleenex boxes. I treasured that simple gift with the pretty pink design. Later, when I became a classroom teacher myself, I saved empty tissue boxes and made my students bookmarks.

* Use empty tissue boxes to store extra plastic bags. Whenever you need a plastic bag, just pull one out of the box.

* Save the box and cover with contact paper, or try painting the box. After decorating the box, use it for storing school papers or other items.

* By cutting off the top and part of the side of the box, you can use it as a magazine holder.

* Some boxes can make great treasure chests for young children. Once, when I was getting ready to toss out a small empty pie box, my one son asked me if he could have it to store his treasures.

* Empty boxes are great for arts and crafts collages.

* Use empty gelatin boxes, toothpaste, or makeup boxes to make animals, trains, or other toys. For some great craft ideas see the book Just a Box? by Goldie Taub Chernoff (Scholastic Book Services,1971).

* Small boxes (such as pudding or gelatin boxes) can make great puppets. Decorate your box. Punch a hole in the bottom box and insert a stick or pencil in the hole. You can also make a hand puppet by cutting through the middle of a small individual-size cereal box. (Cut only 3 sides.) Fold the box on the uncut side. Move fingers and thumb to make your puppet "talk."

* Open an empty cereal box and let your young child have fun coloring on the inside.

* Use these boxes to protect items when mailing.

* Use empty boxes for kindling to start fires.

* You can also make a book report on a cereal box. We did this for a home school book report (although we used a large empty dry milk box for it). You will want to cover the box with construction paper or something else. Draw a picture from the story on the front of the box. You can either put your summary on the front or on the back. On the side where the ingredients are typically listed, you can list the characters, setting, plot, etc. Be creative. This is more fun than an ordinary book report!

* Save and decorate empty salt boxes for your children to use as building blocks. (Be careful about the sharp spout. Either remove or cover it.)

* Large boxes are great for mailing packages, storing items, making costumes, or even for playing. My children made play houses from a washing machine and a dishwasher box. We eventually recycled the dilapidated boxes.

* Rather than throwing boxes in the trash, recycle whatever boxes you cannot use. Open the box flat and put in a recycling bin. You may see your box later as an egg carton, construction paper, or even another box!

[Christi]

Check out this old thread

Thanks for the link! I remember seeing once on Clean House (Style Network) the organizing lady used them as seperators in her junk drawer. Problem is I tried that and it just didn't work for us that well. I like the idea of using them for gift bags

[bumplett]

13 Creative Uses for Cereal Bag Liners

by Rachel Keller

1. Microwave hot dogs and sandwiches inside bag.

2. Open the cereal liner and use to cover a dish to prevent splatters while microwaving. Do NOT try this in the oven.

3. Use an open cereal liner to place homemade chocolate-covered candies and pretzels on to harden and cool. After the candy cools, just toss the liner for easy cleanup

4. Place no-bake cookies on an open liner to cool.

5. Fill an unopened bag with crackers or nuts and crush with a rolling pin.

6. Fill an unopened bag with seasoned bread or cracker crumbs. Use this to shake and bake meats such as fish or chicken or even vegetables.

7. Fill an unopened bag with quartered potatoes. Drizzle olive oil and dump in a packet of onion soup mix or other seasonings. Shake to coat. Place in a crockpot or in the oven to bake.

8. Place sandwiches or other foods in the bag for your lunch instead of using sandwich bags.

9. Open and use the bag when rolling out pie dough to prevent it from sticking to the counter top. Moisten the counter top before placing the liner on it to keep it from slipping. Sprinkle flour on the cereal bag and then put your dough on the liner.

10. Use an opened bag for rolling out cookie dough to keep your counter top from getting messy.

11. Use to separate hamburgers, cheese, or other meats when freezing.

12. Use when pushing down rice krispy treats in a pan to keep the marshmallow mixture from sticking to your hands.

13. If you are planning to take the cooled rice krispy treats to a picnic or party, use the cereal liner to keep the treats from sticking to each other and to make for easy removal of the treats. Cut the liner just slightly smaller than the container you’re using. Place cut liners in the container between each layer of treats. No more clumps of stuck-together rice krispy treats!

You can use cereal liners in place of wax paper in many ways (except do not try ironing or pressing leaves between cereal liners).

[Christi]

That's a good one also. Thanks for the information

[Nada.Leona]

to the Village if I haven't said so already!

Some uses off the top of my head:

~ use them as dividers in a binder -- just cut out the "pretty" side of the box, punch holes in it and put it in the binder
~ cut the large, flat sides off the box, punch holes all along the line, give several to a small child with a shoelace and the child can practice "sewing" (thank Amy D. for that one! )
~ matts for photos -- cut to the appropriate size and then paint it the color you wish
~ liners for small drawers
~ drip trays
~ trays for small items (just cut the bottom off the box)
~ skinny organizers for a silverware drawer
~ toys for children -- cut out the character from the box and give him to your small child! Stick him on a popcicle stick for a puppet; make a mobile; paste them on the wall with clear tape (careful not to peel off the paint or wallpaper).

Wow, I came up with a lot more than I expected!

[NoDebtMom]

I have used them to pound chicken breasts thinner. Put the breasts inside and it is less messy.

[Goodwin17]

Welcome to the Village! . You could also use a popsicle stick and cut out a square to make a fan. Don't have many other thoughts right now.

[sugarbowlbaby]

I made gift bags for last Christmas using cereal boxes and pop tart boxes. Just cut the top flaps off and paint the entire box with a solid color of acrylic craft paint. Then sponge paint with another color all over the box and allow to dry completely. Then sponge paint all over the box with another color (like silver, gold or bronze). Allow to dry completely and then punch a hole using a single hand-held hole puncher on each side at the top of the box. Insert a length of decorative cord/rope through one hole and tie in a knot inside the box. Tie off the other end of the cord/rope into a knot inside the box through the other hole - this will make a *handle* for your gift bag.

I love this idea. I have oodles of half empty cans of paint I have been wanting to get rid of. Cool!!

[fernykins]

My youngest Zack had a teacher in high school who one day was telling the class and then teres Zack who does his homework on a cereal box........so my son came home and did his homework on a cereal box.......... It made his teachers day............
Fern

[leela21]

DS was a "cereal killer" for halloween once. We used old cereal boxes and sewed them to an old sweatshirt and covered him in fake blood and he carried around a knife.

[pkellyc]

What ever happened to the days of recycled boxes? When I was growing up on Christmas morning you never knew what you were getting until after you ripped off the Christmas paper and opened that cereal box.

[leela21]

Woops probably should have mentioned a fake knife-one of the kinds you find at the dollar store

[Christi]

My youngest Zack had a teacher in high school who one day was telling the class and then teres Zack who does his homework on a cereal box........so my son came home and did his homework on a cereal box.......... It made his teachers day............
Fern

Oh that is too cute!