If you look around your room or your house, you will see a lot of things that seemingly have served their purpose and are waiting to be discarded. However, they still have the potential to be reused, for instance, shopping bags, empty cans, bottles and boxes.

This led me to creating a handy little basket from shoebox. The good thing is, it can be used for a number of purposes. Isn’t this a great way to reuse/recycle things and do our part in taking care of the environment?

Things you need:

1. Empty shoebox

2. Hot or white glue

3. Ruler scale

4. Scissors or paper cutter

5. Wrapping paper

Note: It is highly recommended to take help from an elder in the ‘cutting part’.

Directions:

1. Put the shoebox vertically sideways and measure the length in inches, picture 2.

2. Mark the centre point and cut in wide ‘v’ shape, see pictures 3, and 4.

3. Repeat step 1 and 2 on the other side of the box so that the box is cut in ‘v’ shape from both sides, picture 5.

4. Hold the box carefully from both sides and push downwards, as in pictures 6 and 7.

5. When the box is turned downwards, mark one inch from top in the middle, (this is where you have to make cuts as it will serve as handle) picture 8.

6. Turn the box upside down, so that you can see the base, cut out two, four-inches vertical strips (depending on the size of your hand), while leaving one inch between, picture 9.

7. Put glue on the base, picture 10.

8. Join both the sides of the box, just like you did in step 4 picture 7.

9. Put the cover on the side of the box, measure and mark the exact length, cut it out, picture 11.

10. Repeat step 9 on the other side of the box, picture 12.

11. Our basket is ready, paste some nice patterned paper/fabric around it or decorate it in any way you want.

This shoebox basket can be used in various household chores, moving small staples around, keeping the tools handy for dad or keeping mum’s sewing items at one place. If not this, then it can serve as a great addition on your study table for school/college stationary or art stuff.

Published in Dawn, Young World, August 24th, 2019