How to Make Present Boxes with Cardboard

A small present box can hold very small gifts such as jewelry.

For nearly any small present you want to give, you can make a cardboard box for it with material you already have in your home. You can use thin cardboard from used cereal or cracker boxes to the backs of notebooks or legal pads. Once you know how to make present boxes with cardboard, you can create boxes in different shapes and sizes.

Things You'll Need

• Two pieces of cardboard
• Ruler
• Pencil
• Scissors
• Hot glue gun or school glue
• Paper clips or binder clips

Instructions

1. Cut two cardboard pieces 8 inches square. Trim one piece of cardboard to measure ¼ inch smaller in length and width than the other. The slightly smaller piece will be the bottom of the box.

2. Set each piece of cardboard down with the inside surface of the box facing up. Use a ruler to measure and mark a line 2 inches in from the edges of all four sides on both pieces of cardboard.

3. Make a short cut along only the horizontal lines of the boxes from the edge to where the horizontal line meets the vertical line to create a tab at each corner. Fold each side of the cardboard up along the drawn line.

4. Fold in the tabs along the drawn line to put them inside the box. Apply glue to the outside edge of the tabs and push them against the inside edge of the adjacent side where the box corners form.

5. Use paper clips or binder clips to hold the tabs to the adjacent side. Let the glue dry for one to two hours. Remove the clips and slip the slightly larger top over the smaller bottom to close the box.

Tips & Warnings

• Change the size and shape of your box by determining the finished length and width. Add two times the desired depth to each of those numbers, say making it 12 inches square rather than 8 inches square. Cut your cardboard to this size. Use the desired depth you prefer, instead of a 2-inch depth.

• Add decorations to the boxes by covering them with wrapping paper, painting over the boxes, using rubber stamps and tying with ribbon. By choosing specific items or themes for decorating the box, you can tailor the box to suite the style of the gift's recipient.

References

• "Gifts With Heart: Inspiring Stories, Handmade Crafts and One-Of-A-Kind Ideas"; Mary Beth Sammons and Susannah Seton; 2002
• "Home Made Best Made"; Christopher Cavanaugh; 1998