Turn Old Egg Trays Into A Unique Ottoman With This Simple DIY

Though many people may save egg cartons to make stunning DIY holiday wreaths or other crafts, it turns out these simple pieces of cardboard or foam can be transformed into furniture as well. With a few large egg trays, some hot glue, and a few decorations, you can create an interesting ottoman for practically nothing. Depending on how you craft it, this DIY would be a perfect stool for a children's playroom or bedroom, or it could add fun seating to a college dorm. Alternatively, your ottoman might be a great statement piece for your living room. If you prefer a more traditional look, fabric could also be used to dress up your upcycled furniture.

For this project, you'll need an abundance of square egg trays. The style of your ottoman will help determine exactly how many you need. If you craft a simple rectangular footrest, you likely won't need as many crates, while a larger, circular seat could require dozens. However you decide to do it, this DIY is a genius way to use old egg cartons around your house.

The simplest version of this project is to craft a small, square ottoman by stacking the egg trays. Before you begin to assemble the DIY furniture, decide what color you'd like it to be. Each tray could be dyed a different bright color for a more whimsical aesthetic, or you might alternate white or black with another color that matches your space. Alternatively, you could stick with one color for all of the trays. To start, completely cover each cardboard or foam tray with paint. This can be easily done by dipping it into a shallow container of paint, or you can use a brush or sponges. Allow the trays to dry before stacking them on top of each other.

To ensure your furniture won't fall apart, add dabs of glue to the bottom of the trays as you put them in place. Once the ottoman is your preferred height, you can decorate the top to make it prettier and more comfortable. Glue a small, round and squishy ball into each of the egg holders. Larger pom-pom balls (20 for $4 at Michaels) are a great option. Then, check out our other method for creating a stylish footrest for your furniture to fill your room with flexible pieces on a budget. 

For a more traditional version of the previous project, skip painting the egg trays. Once they're stacked, lay a large piece of fabric over it, gluing it into place as you work around the ottoman. Finish by gluing the edges of the material to the top of your furniture and securing a small throw pillow over it. This will hide the ends of the fabric and add a seat to your ottoman.

If you'd prefer a larger seat with an accordion style look, you'll need to cut many egg trays in half. Stack these together and flip them on their side, partially fanning out the cardboard into a circle. Tie a piece of string around the trays to hold them for you as you adjust them to form a sturdy cylinder. Now, insert a large, plastic bottle with the top cut off into the center of your egg tray ottoman for stability. Do this from each side, so that the bottom of each bottle is facing outward. Cut out two pieces of scrap cardboard to cover the top and bottom of your ottoman and hot glue them to the furniture. The string can then be removed, as the trays are secured, and you can decorate the top with pom-poms. Otherwise, glue a round cushion to the seat for a unique piece of DIY furniture.