SECOND CHANCES

GIVING NEW LIFE TO UNWANTED HOUSEHOLD ITEMS • Boxes, Jars, Newspapers, Sweaters, Drinking Glasses

Cardboard Boxes Reuse square cardboard boxes for transporting produce, flowers or other fragile items. Here’s how to make them collapsible and easy to store.

a

d

b

c

1. Trim the top flaps to about two inches.

2. Separate the sides by cutting down the corners from top to bottom.

3. Reinforce the base with packing tape.

4. Fold the two-inch flaps down over the sides. Pierce holes in the corners of both layers of cardboard, about half an inch below the fold.

5. Cut two lengths of
cord, each six times the
width of one side (e.g. 72
inches if the sides are
12 inches wide).

6. Thread one cord through flaps a and b and the other through flaps c and d. Push the ends through a fastener and pull tight, or tie them together.

To store, loosen or untie
the cords and lay the box
flat. Fold flaps a and c
into the center. Turn the
box over and fold b and
d into the center. Wrap
the cords around the
folded box. Slip the loose
cord ends back into
the fasteners and tighten
or retie them.