Transform Cardboard Boxes Into A DIY Ottoman On A Budget

Cardboard shipping boxes can be repurposed in all kinds of ways, making them a dream material for home-decor crafters. You can reuse cardboard boxes to DIY storage solutions, such as shelving and drawer dividers, but making furniture can be especially rewarding. Constructing a storage ottoman is eco-friendly and lets you express your personal style.

To build your ottoman, you'll need a few medium-to-large boxes made of thick cardboard and fabric that's stretchy, durable, and easy to clean. Other supplies include strong glue, 1-inch upholstery foam for beneath the fabric, a staple gun, utility knife, fabric scissors, pencil, and ruler. Reinforcement materials, such as Polium's 16-inch natural bamboo plant stick stakes, can also be helpful.

A cylindrical ottoman is one of the simpler models to create. First, decide what you'd like its height and diameter to be and find a circular object that's about the same diameter. After breaking down your boxes, trace the circular object onto your cardboard and cut it out. Repeat this process to make four cardboard circles. Then, measure the circumference of one of the circles. This number is how long your next piece of cardboard should be. Measure and cut out a rectangle of that length and the height you chose earlier. Score this rectangle with your utility knife to make it easy to bend into a circle. Run the knife width-wise from the rectangle's top to bottom, creating shallow cuts that are an inch or two apart.

Your next step is gluing cardboard. Stack two of your circles and stick them to each other, then do the same with the other two. Affix one of the rectangle's long edges to the outer edge of one circle stack, glue together the two short ends of the rectangle, and attach bamboo sticks to the interior to reinforce the wall. YouTuber Moms Wealth Journey recommends using E6000 adhesive for these tasks. She also reinforces the interior of her ottoman with wooden dowels.

As your glue sets, cut your foam to the same dimensions as your cardboard rectangle. Using your ruler as a guide, poke evenly spaced holes into the foam to make your fabric easy to staple to it. Glue the foam to the exterior-facing side of the cardboard rectangle. Once the glue is dry, stretch your fabric over the outside of the ottoman and staple in the holes you punched in the foam. Smooth the material as you go, stapling its bottom edges to the interior. Then, line the interior with foam using the same process. To make your ottoman's lid, cut out a piece of foam the same size as your cardboard circles, glue it to your remaining circle stack, and cover it with fabric using the same technique as earlier.

Use your new ottoman to store blankets, TV remotes, or other items that tend to clutter your home. You could even use it to store pillows, which you can turn into another style of ottoman: a no-sew pouf.