Repurposed Boxes: Notebook Fun | Family Economics

By Cathe

Who wouldn’t love to find a happy little note from someone special tucked among their socks in a drawer, or in the pocket of the jeans they pull on in the morning. Create a new family tradition of leaving thoughtful mementos for one another with simple little repurposed food box notebooks.

The supplies needed for making these little notebooks are:

• Colorful cardboard boxes, such as cereal, cracker or other lightweight product boxes from your recycling bin
• Office paper
• Rubber bands
• Golf pencils (optional) found at the office supply store
• Stapler
• Scissors or craft knife
• Cutting board

How to Make:
1. Cut out box sections for covers and paper to 2 inch x 4 inch pieces. 
2. Draw score lines on the cardboard for easier folding by running a straight line down center of the back side with a ball point pen.
3. Fold sets of six paper pieces together in half and line up with the cardboard cover.
4. Slide the stack into the stapler and staple the fold.
5. Fold the notebook in half, add a pencil and secure with a rubber band.

Keep a bowl of little notebooks for reciprocating kind words to one another in a place where anyone can access them. Write a positive little note to someone in one of the notebooks and tuck it somewhere they will easily find it by surprise. Try a place they have access to daily, such as a jacket pocket, school backpack, under their pillow, in their toothbrush drawer, etc. You can also add your name and their name to the cover, keeping messages just between the two of you. Then, keep an eye out for a returned notebook in unexpected places!