At the start of every school year, most parents encounter budget constraints when purchasing all the supplies and storage solutions their kids need for school. We think this should never be a problem.
Upcycling is not only the best way to save money, it is also the perfect opportunity to personalize school supplies made from used materials and decorate them as we please. After all, we spend so much time looking for the materials within our budget, not realizing that the only way to satisfy our selective taste is to design according to our own rules.
One of the things that shouldn’t be absent from a study or worktable is a study desk organizer. Since this could be an added cost, Tetra Pak cartons can save the day.
You will need:
- Glue gun
- Colored/fancy paper
- Glue
- Cutter
- Ruler
- Old buttons, decorative plastic flowers, old sequins and other decorative bits and pieces for designing
Here’s how:
1. Flip, flap, flat. Flip open the top side flaps, flip open the bottom flaps, then flatten the Tetra Pak cartons.
2. Rinse with water to remove excess residue and wipe with dry cloth.
3. Using a cutter, snip off edges and spread the carton horizontally. This will serve as the main frame for the organizer. Frame should measure 21 cm in height, and 24.5 cm in length.
4. Cover the base frame with fancy paper and fold frame vertically.
5. Using excess Tetra Pak cartons, prepare four horizontal strips, which measure 23 cm in length and 5 cm in height. Cover strips in fancy paper.
6. Fold strips vertically in the middle to form a “V.” Make four of these.
7. Using more Tetra Pak cartons, cut out four equilateral triangles, which will serve as the base of each compartment. Triangles should measure 11.5 cm on each side. Make four of these, as well.
8. Cover triangles in fancy paper. Attach each triangle to the base of the folded strips to seal the bottom of the compartment. Repeat step for each triangle and strip.
9. Using a glue gun, attach the compartments alternately on the base frame. Compartments should be stuck alternately, with two compartments on the left side of the board and two on the right.
10. Decorate the desk organizer further, or have your kids decorate it as they please. You can use your usual scrapbook materials, or be resourceful and reuse old buttons, sequins and colored papers.
Having this on your desk doesn’t only make the mood of your table a lot lighter and more fun; it also reminds you how recycling Tetra Pak cartons could pay off. Not only do you save money; you also help save the environment.