14 Ways To Repurpose Cardboard Milk Cartons Around Your Home

Before you wash that empty cardboard milk carton out to recycle or throw away, just consider what you can transform that "trash" into. Milk cartons have so many uses and functions in your house that have nothing to do with holding milk, and it may surprise you just how versatile they can be. From cute household crafts to gardening hacks, cardboard cartons in particular, are extremely useful in a number of ways, given that modern cartons are made with poly-lined paper and thus give the carton a bit more structure and strength. They're not made completely from plastic, still making them environmentally friendly, but are much easier to repurpose in more ways than their wax lined predecessors. With all that said, there's a world of milk carton re-purposes to explore.

With a little imagination, you can upcycle milk cartons into something fun, useful, aesthetically pleasing, or all of the above. Crafters will especially enjoy some milk carton DIYs that put a creative twist onto otherwise mundane home items, like storage for arts and crafts or a cutlery organizer. Serious fans of upcycling will find some advanced transformation projects, while hobbyists can enjoy some light, yet useful crafts. Whichever your enthusiasm level, here are 14 ways to repurpose those cardboard milk cartons.

Indoor planting just got a little bit easier (and less expensive) with this milk carton DIY. Using either just the bottom of the square carton or turning it on its side and cutting an opening along the length, fill it with soil and plant your herb seedlings right inside. This is a great way to save on buying individual pots for the herbs, and you can even propagate larger plants, like tomatoes or peppers indoors using milk cartons as pots before transplanting them outdoors. 

What kid doesn't love a new toy, and how much more fun is it when they can make the toy themselves? This fun craft repurposes a regular old cardboard milk carton into a wheeled car that you and your kids can transform into a firetruck, an ambulance, a school bus, or any other wheeled vehicle your little one might currently be obsessed with. With some paint, a few bottle caps, and maybe a popsicle stick or two, your children are sure to enjoy playing with it!

This is another simple milk carton upcycle that's easy to do with your kids too. Grab some string, a lollipop stick or wooden dowel, and a pair of scissors to start your craft. Punching holes at the top of the carton, string your yarn or ribbon through the holes to make a hanging mechanism. Cut out a bird-sized hole on the front of the carton and line up your wooden dowel underneath the hole; glue it on or punch it through. From there, customize the bird house however you'd like.

A beautiful DIY that repurposes your milk cartons into a stunning scrapbook, you'll have a unique piece that's ready to fill with all of your memories at the end of it. It's also a great way to recycle any stray pieces of wrapping paper, fabric, and ribbons you may have gathered over the years, as well. While this craft may take some patience to cut out the cardboard, wrap the cover in paper or fabric, and leaf and glue in pages for the book, the payoff will be a beautiful, customized keepsake.

This milk carton repurposing project isn't for the crafting faint of heart, but it is a really unique way to make different sized and colored baskets that can be used in a variety of ways. This craft takes a fair bit of dexterity to weave folded strips of the cardboard together, so it's best for adults and older children. Smaller projects make for great lampshades or desk organizers, while bigger versions can be used as bread baskets, holiday baskets for the kids (colored-milk cartons would be great for Easter), or even as gift baskets. 

If you're wanting to make a desk organizer, but aren't the most talented weaver, then this milk carton DIY is for you. This is a simple trace and cut sort of project. Outline what you want the top of your organizer to look like, then cut along that guide for the desired shape. If you want to make it really adorable, then try painting fun animal faces on the front. And if you're feeling really ambitious, use items to organize your desk too, for the ultimate clean, yet quirky look.

Once again, the integrity of a poly-lined, cardboard milk carton box helps make this upcycle a truly useful gadget in your home. Utilizing the bottom half of the carton, cut out a basket shaped portion, and wrap it in a fun kraft paper. Attach a handle to the top of the basket, and if you're feeling like embellishing, you can stick some decorative details onto the handle, base, and body. Now, you have a creative cutlery holder that's easy to bring to the table or use outside.

Is your little one getting a bit tired of their same old, two-dimensional play mat? You can give it an upgrade by repurposing several milk cartons and transforming them into a three-dimensional cityscape. This craft is an uncomplicated one, so your kids can get in on the upcycling action here, too. All you'll need are some markers, a bit of paper, and scissors to turn your boring milk carton into the Empire State Building! Or at least, a house or two.

For trading card collecting enthusiasts, whether you're a sports aficionado or a table-top playing wizard, milk cartons are great to repurpose into a card deck box that'll keep your precious collectibles safe, but without breaking the bank to purchase those "official" cardholders. Quart size milk cartons or juice cartons are probably the most optimal for this craft since they best match trading and playing card sizes. And like other DIYs on this list, you can personalize your deck box by wrapping it in different papers or fabrics.

Try making some cute seasonal decor with milk cartons of all sizes with this "bright" craft. Start by cutting the carton's top off, and then cut each side out so that only a border of the cardboard remains. Pick out a seasonal tissue paper and glue the fitted pieces inside the carton. Then, add a battery-operated tea light, and you have a fun seasonal lantern. Of course, this doesn't have to be a seasonal craft, but they make for particularly creative Halloween pieces. And who says you can't use Halloween decor all year round, right?

Milk cartons come in all shapes and sizes, and this upcycling project can use any number of those differently shaped bits. Crafting some drawers from smaller cartons and a larger stand from bigger cartons, the resulting DIY is a nifty little set of organizational drawers or mini dressers. You can use them as jewelry storage or on your desk to keep small supplies, like paper clips and push pins, organized. Wrap the drawers and the stand in different fabrics or paper to give it a decor upgrade that matches your space.

This particular upcycling project is probably the most difficult and time consuming of our list since it involves separating the cardboard from the poly-lining, ripping up the cardboard pieces, and blending it all together before reconstituting paper from the resulting pulp. While all of this may sound a little complicated, it's a great craft for a series of rainy or snowy days, and the end result is an eye-catching batch of textured kraft paper. Use this paper for unique art or as one-of-a-kind wrapping paper to add a personal touch to gifts.

Repurposing your milk cartons into door stoppers can be as simple as you'd like it or as crafty as you want to make it. Use a block shaped carton and fill it with sand or other weighted materials. Like with the other hacks on this list, poly-lined cardboard cartons help maintain structure, so whatever shape you choose to fashion your door stop in, whether it's a simple block or the base of a cactus, it should keep its integrity and won't collapse in on itself. 

Much like using milk cartons for herbs and propagating plants, this project is great for gardeners looking to bring some of the outdoors in. All it takes is a grid wall organizer and some painted milk carton trays to mimic a living wall. Chefs will love having their indoor herbs for their kitchen garden beautifully displayed and at their fingertips, while plant lovers can make a hanging garden of their favorite ornamental plants. Paint your cartons however best reflects your own decor style, and it'll become a centerpiece for your home.