If you ever worry you’ll be smothered by an avalanche of Amazon parcels, you’re in good company. Plenty of online buyers find themselves sifting through mounds of corrugated boxes or playing makeshift box Jenga in the garage — and that only intensifies after the holidays.
You could curb your online purchases or put those Amazon boxes out for curbside recycling, of course. But for folks who prefer a low-waste approach, reusing cardboard often makes the most sense. Below are some ideas to mull over before you toss your next stack of boxes onto the curb.
More From Savinly:The Dumbest Things We Keep Spending Too Much Money On (And How to Stop)
Make Some Quick Cash to Offset Your Amazon Bills
Shopping on Amazon can add up. If you want to recoup some spending, try quick ways to make money — from short surveys to simple online tasks or giving honest feedback — that can help cover future purchases.
Recycle or Reuse: Which Is Better for Amazon Boxes?
The American Forest & Paper Association says U.S. consumers recycled 91.4% of domestically produced cardboard (old corrugated cardboard) in 2021. Still, it’s worth thinking about the resources required to both manufacture and reprocess that cardboard.
Amazon isn’t the only company using cardboard, but the e-commerce behemoth does have a massive footprint:
- Represents 37.8% of U.S. e-commerce transactions.
- Says 76% of American households are Prime members.
- Delivered roughly 4.75 billion packages in the U.S. in 2021 — enough boxes to stack to the moon five times.
Practical Uses for Amazon Boxes
Before you break down the several Amazon boxes that arrived this week, consider putting that corrugated cardboard to work.
Save, Sell or Give Away Boxes for Moving
It’s a modern truism: someone is always relocating and in need of moving boxes. Moving is stressful, so stash a few empty boxes or post them for free on a local marketplace for someone who’s packing up.
Reuse Amazon Boxes to Ship Your Own Packages
Amazon boxes can serve as shipping containers for your own deliveries. Before heading to the post office or a carrier drop-off, follow these steps to safely reuse a cardboard box for mailing.
- Inspect the box for damage.Make sure the box is solid and hasn’t been cut or weakened so it can handle transit.
- Use standard sizes and respect weight limits.USPS recommends not exceeding 130 linear inches or 70 pounds.
- Remove barcodes and labels.Keep the Amazon logo if you like, but eliminate any identifying labels or old shipping stickers that could confuse scanners.
Turn Empty Amazon Boxes into Gift Boxes
Some presents are awkward to wrap. Keep a few spare cardboard boxes so you can tuck away oddly shaped items and present them neatly later.
More from Savinly:Budgeting 101: How to Budget Money
26 Smart Ways to Repurpose Cardboard Boxes
Now that the basics are covered, let’s explore creative ways to upcycle cardboard. From compost to cat condos, you can repurpose Amazon boxes into loads of useful items.
- Compost
- Garden seedling tray
- Garden kneeler
- Weed barrier
- Bird feeder
- Cardboard costumes
- Forts
- Piñatas
- Toy storage
- Planes, trains and automobiles
- General arts and crafts
- Greeting cards
- Coloring or art supply box
- Painting drop cloth
- Party decor
- Storage containers
- Pantry organizer
- Drawer organizer
- Sewing box
- Coaster
- Magazine storage
- Wall art
- Drip pan
- Cat scratcher
- Dog busy box
- Cat condo
5 Ways to Use Amazon Boxes in the Garden and Outside
Keep boxes handy while the weather’s nice and use them to improve your garden, control pests, or help local wildlife.
1. Compost
Cardboard is a carbon-rich compost ingredient, but check inks if you’re unsure about biodegradability. Shred the box into small pieces and add them to your compost pile. Peel off shipping labels, but black tape can generally break down, too.
2. Garden Seedling Tray
Amazon boxes make handy seedling trays to organize young plants or to store seed packets until the next planting season.
3. Garden Kneeler
Instead of buying an expensive kneeling pad, save an Amazon box and use it to cushion your knees while gardening — a free and disposable option for heavy-duty yard work.
4. Weed Barrier
To smother persistent weeds, lay flattened cardboard over the soil to block out sunlight. Be cautious — it will suppress anything beneath it, so avoid prized beds.
5. Bird Feeder
Kids can help craft simple bird feeders from cardboard combined with twine, twigs, birdseed and a smear of nut butter.
5 Ways to Reuse Amazon Boxes for Kids
Kids often love the box more than the toy inside. Here are ways to make cardboard the real plaything.
6. Cardboard Costumes
Cardboard makes fantastic costume parts: helmets, shields, robots, and jet packs. Keep a few boxes for rainy-day creativity.
More From Savinly:117 Places That Will Give You Free Stuff on Your Birthday
7. Forts
Large boxes are perfect for forts. Appliance-sized cartons are ideal, but you can also flatten multiple Amazon boxes and tape them into walls and roofs for imaginative play structures.
8. Piñatas
Make a homemade piñata from a cardboard box with scissors and papier-mâché — a fun and inexpensive party project.
9. Toy Storage
Keep sets of toys with small parts together in a designated Amazon box for safekeeping: trains, Lego pieces, stuffed animals, and more.
10. Planes, Trains and Automobiles
With markers, construction paper and scissors, a box can become a car, rocket or train — perfect for imaginative play.
5 Ways to Reuse Amazon Boxes for Crafts
If you enjoy DIY projects, cardboard is an indispensable material. Here are craft ideas that turn boxes into useful supplies.
11. General Arts and Crafts
Cardboard is a staple for many art projects, serving as backing, frames, or structure for displays and models.
More From Savinly:Here’s How to Start Saving Money — Even If You Don’t Have Room in Your Budget
12. Greeting Cards
Think bigger than envelopes: corrugated cardboard can be used to craft 3-D or oversized greeting cards that make a statement.
13. Coloring or Art Supply Box
Create an all-in-one art supply box with dividers cut from extra cardboard to keep markers, crayons and paper neatly organized.
14. Painting Drop Cloth
Fold or cut boxes into protective layers to keep paint off carpets and furniture during messy projects.
15. Party Decor
Make signs, banners, letters or even life-sized cardboard props for parties with a little paint and imagination.
8 Ways to Reuse Amazon Boxes for Home Organization and Decor
Stop box creep with these ideas for using cardboard to cut clutter and improve home storage.
16. Storage Containers
Old Amazon boxes make great storage bins. Dress them up with paint, fabric, or contact paper and keep them on display as functional decor.
17. Pantry Organization
Corral baking supplies or snack items in labeled boxes so everything you need is easy to find on movie night or during baking sessions.
More From Savinly:31 Ways to Make Money Online & From Home in 2024
18. Drawer Organizer
Cut cardboard into dividers for drawers to create custom cubbies for utensils, socks, or toiletries.
19. Sewing Box
Make a charming DIY sewing kit by stacking glued circles of cardboard, painting them, and adding a lid and small hardware.
20. Coasters
Cut cardboard into circles or squares to make inexpensive coasters that protect furniture from water rings.
21. Magazine Storage
Transform an Amazon box into a stylish magazine holder rather than buying a costly one — paint and trim to match your decor.
22. Wall Art
Turn cardboard into abstract or geometric wall pieces, nature-themed artwork or backing for other framed creations.
23. Drip Pan
Break down a box and slide it under sinks or shelves to catch drips and protect surfaces during messy projects.
3 Ways to Reuse Amazon Boxes for Pets
Amazon boxes can keep pets entertained and comfortable, too.
24. Cat Scratcher
Build a cat scratcher from layered corrugated cardboard — either glue stacked pieces together or arrange them into a more elaborate design.
25. Dog Busy Box
Make a foraging-style busy box for dogs by hiding treats in folded cardboard compartments to keep them engaged and occupied.
26. Cat Condo
Stack and cut boxes to assemble a cardboard condo or tower — perfect for cats who love hiding spots and elevated perches.
More From Savinly:Our Top Picks for Best Savings Accounts for December 2024
How to Recycle Amazon Boxes Properly
Sometimes the most sensible choice is to place boxes in your local recycling stream. Know which parts of Amazon’s packaging are recyclable and how to sort them.
For example, paper mailers with bubble-lined interiors typically belong in the trash, but standard Amazon cardboard boxes are recyclable — including the black packing tape in most municipal programs.
Read on:
- Our Top Picks for Best Savings Accounts
- 5 Strategies to Consolidate Your Credit Card Debt
- Best Budgeting Apps to Get Your Finances Together in 2024
Robin Hale is a senior writer for Savinly.
Also, if you’re shopping smart for Prime deals, check out this amazon prime discount 2 to see current savings options.
