Organic, free-range, or conventional, egg cartons are not always easily recyclable. They are produced out of a variety of materials, including recycled paper and molded pulp, clear plastic, and expanded polystyrene foam.
So, if you’re in the habit of stockpiling your egg cartons without a good way to responsibly dispose of them, you’re in luck. (And if you don’t, you might want to start!) These containers have a ton of reuse options, most of which are extremely simple to execute.
1. Makeshift Piggy Bank
Use an egg carton to store that pesky small change that doesn’t fit in your wallet. The coins can be separated by numerical value and are easy to sort, see and reclaim.
2. Plant Containers or Seed Starters
Poke a few holes in the bottom for drainage and fill to about three-quarters capacity with potting soil. Plant seeds and set in a sunny window. Cut each cup from the tray and plant after seedlings sprout. This is a great project for kids.
3. Packing Material
If you plan to mail something fragile, simply cut up a few polystyrene egg cartons (made of the same material as foam peanuts!) to make lightweight packing material to protect the contents.
4. Desk and Jewelry Organizer
Remove the top of the egg carton and paint or cover with fabric. Presto! It can now be used to store rings, earrings, chains, cuff links, and other such items. You can also store it inside a drawer to hold paper clips, eraser stubs, rubber bands, and push pins.
5. Storage Helping Hand
Egg cartons are great for holding small pieces of jewelry, spools of thread, and sewing needles (weave through the inside top cover for safety reasons) while traveling. Hold the container together with a large rubber band so it won’t open in your suitcase.
An avid golf player? Sort your extra balls by brand, then store and stack them neatly in egg cartons.
To keep track of Christmas decorations, line the cups of an egg carton with cotton, foam, or tissue paper and use to store tree bulbs and ornaments. An egg carton is also very useful for game and toy storage. Never lose those doll shoes, game pieces, dice, and Legos ever again!
6. For Artsy-craftsy Types
Craft-oriented people can utilize an egg carton to compartmentalize beads of various sizes and colors. You can also use it to store pastels, charcoal, and colored chalk. A carton made of polystyrene works great as an artist’s palette, giving you the ability to separate shades of watercolor and acrylic paints. Detach the top and use it for mixing.
Feature image courtesy of flockine from Pixabay. This article was originally published on August 16, 2010.