How to Easily Make an Origami Box With Lid

Origami boxes are one of the most practical things you can fold. Using differently sized and colored paper, you can make boxes for whatever occasion you need them. At first, origami boxes may seem complicated to make. Many creases are made on the paper, which then collapses at the corners along the creases to form the box shape. However, once you understand the basic crease patterns and collapsing technique, making an origami box with a lid is not difficult at all.

Things You'll Need

• Two square pieces of paper, of equal size

Instructions

1. Lay a square piece of paper in front of you. The colored side should face up.

2. Bring the bottom edge of the paper up to meet the top edge. Normally, this would create a horizontal center crease. However, since that crease would be visible on the surface of the box, simply pinch the bottom left and right corners, to mark the horizontal center of the paper. Then, unfold.

3. Bring the right-hand edge of the paper to meet the left-hand edge. Only crease the top and bottom corners. Unfold.

4. Flip the paper over and rotate it, so that a corner faces you.

5. Fold the bottom corner of the paper in to touch the center of the paper. Use the crease marks you made as guides, lining them up along the sides of the bottom corner as you fold it up. Use the other crease marks to fold the remaining three corners inward in the same way, so all the corners touch at the center of the paper.

6. Fold the bottom edge of the paper in, until in touches the center of the model. If there were a horizontal centerline, the bottom edge would rest against it. Crease well; then unfold. Fold the top edge down in the same manner, creasing well before unfolding. Fold the right and left edges in to touch the center as well. Crease and unfold these folds.

7. Open the right and left triangular flaps.

8. Follow the creases you made to form the first edge of the box. Lift the top edge slightly, so it bends upward at the crease you made. At the same time, pull the right-hand corner up. The paper between the top edge and the right corner collapses inward, folding in on itself.

9. Lift the bottom edge and collapse the area of paper between it and the right hand corner as well. This, combined with the last step, forms a sort of wall at the right hand edge. Fold the right hand triangular flap tightly over this right-hand edge. Tuck the flap down into the center of the box, so it sits tightly against the side of the box. The tip of the triangular flap will rest at the center of the bottom of the box.

10. Form the left-hand side of the box in the same manner, allowing the excess paper between the left side and the top and bottom edges to collapse inward. Tuck the left triangular flap into the box.

11. Make the lid of the box by folding a second box with a paper the same size as you used for the original box. When making the creases, keep them slightly away from the centerlines, so the lid is a tiny bit bigger than the box and will fit neatly.

References

• "Trash Origami"; Michael G. LaFosse and Richard L. Alexander; 2010
• "Practical Origami"; Rick Beech; 2006