How to Make a Gift Box from a Cereal Box

Making a gift box from a cereal box is a matter of drawing two squares accurately. One square of card folds up into the base, and a second, very slightly larger one folds into the lid. There is no template to print, and a ruler and pencil are all the planning you need.

The box here is 3 in (7.6 cm) square and 1 1/2 in (3.8 cm) deep, a good size for jewelry, a small ornament, a folded scarf or a set of handmade tags. Once you see how the numbers work, you can change them for any small present.

What you need

• 1 empty cereal box, clean and dry
• Pencil and ruler (a metal ruler if you cut with a knife)
• Scissors, or a craft knife and cutting mat
• A blunt point for scoring: an empty ballpoint pen, a butter knife or the back of a scissor blade
• Tacky glue or white (PVA) glue
• 8 clothespins or paper clips
• Decorative paper for the outside (optional)
• A fabric strip, ribbon or twine to tie it

Flatten the box and plan the sizes

Open the glued seams of the cereal box and press it flat. The two large panels are your working material, and each one gives a piece big enough for this project. Avoid the factory fold lines, because a crease in the wrong place weakens a wall.

Each part starts as a square: the base size plus two wall heights.

The lid base is 1/8 in (3 mm) wider than the box. That small difference is what lets the lid slide on without splitting its corners and without rattling.

Mark the template

Work on the printed side of the card. The printing will end up inside the box, and the plain gray or brown side faces out, which is easier to cover or decorate.

1. Draw the 6 in (15.2 cm) square and cut it out.
2. Draw a line 1 1/2 in (3.8 cm) in from each of the four edges. The lines cross to form a center square, four side walls and four small corner squares.
3. The four lines around the center square are fold lines. So is one side of each corner square, where it joins a wall.
4. Mark the other inner side of each corner square as a cut line. Choose the same side at every corner, working around the square, so each wall ends up with one tab.

Score, cut and fold

Scoring presses a groove into the card so it folds in a straight, sharp line instead of buckling.

1. Lay the ruler along a fold line and draw the blunt point along it with firm pressure. You want a dent, not a cut.
2. Score all four long lines from edge to edge.
3. Cut the four short cut lines, from the outer edge in to the corner of the center square, and stop there.
4. Trim a thin sliver off the free edges of each tab at a slight angle, so the tabs tuck in without catching.
5. Fold each wall up along its score and crease it firmly, then fold each tab to a right angle with its wall.

If you cut with a craft knife, use a cutting mat and metal ruler, make light passes and cut away from the hand holding the ruler. An adult does the knife work when children are helping. For more on scoring and folding thin card, see the guide on how to cut cardboard cleanly.

Glue the corners

1. Spread a thin layer of glue on the outer face of one tab.
2. Bring the two neighboring walls upright and press the tab against the inside of the next wall.
3. Line up the top edges of the two walls, then clip the corner with a clothespin.
4. Repeat at the other three corners and leave the box to set for about 20 to 30 minutes.

The printed face of cereal box card is slightly glossy, so glue grips it more slowly than plain card. Tacky glue holds best here. With white glue, leave the clips on longer.

Make the lid

The lid is built exactly like the base. Cut a 4 5/8 in (11.7 cm) square, draw lines 3/4 in (1.9 cm) in from each edge, then score, cut the four short lines, fold and glue.

Measure the lid carefully, since the 1/8 in (3 mm) allowance is small enough to lose with a thick pencil line. Test the fit before the lid glue has fully set. If it is tight, ease the corners outward a little and clip them again.

Cover and finish the outside

The plain side of the card looks neat on its own with a stamped pattern or a simple drawn border. For a more finished look, cover it.

• Paper wrap: glue the assembled base onto the center of a paper square, fold the paper up each wall and over the rim, and trim the excess at the corners.
• Paint: two thin coats of acrylic craft paint, with the first left to dry.
• Lid only: cover just the lid and leave the base plain for contrast.

Line the inside with a scrap of tissue or a square of fabric to hide the printing, and tie the closed box with a fabric strip or twine. There are more ways to dress it in the roundup of recycled gift wrap ideas.

Change the size

For any other box, pick the base size and wall height you need. The square to cut is the base plus twice the wall height. Then add 1/8 in (3 mm) to the base for the lid and use a wall about half as tall.

A rectangular box works the same way, starting from a rectangle instead of a square. The limit is the size of the cereal box panel, so for a gift too large for one panel, a decorated jar is a good alternative. The collection of jar gift ideas shows how to assemble one.