“Thinking out of the box” can apply to so many things, including the humble little cardboard box. There are many ways to reuse and to recycle cardboard boxes; storing stuff in them is just one of their many uses (More tips on how to get rid of cardboard boxes). Big storage boxes, like the ones refrigerators and other big appliances come in, are perfect materials for making all sorts of costumes for Halloween, a school play, or a costume party.

Where to Get Boxes

Boxes can be found just about everywhere, but the key to making a good costume out of boxes is to use a clean, complete box. You won’t find good boxes in a garbage can or a dumpster, unless you’re lucky enough to find one. A large box, like the ones used to store wholesale goods and protect appliances during shipping, are perfect for full-body costumes. Here are some places where you can find large boxes for your costume:

• New large home appliances. A refrigerator box is your perfect option for boxes. A large refrigerator has enough material to make one full adult-sized costume, or two children’s costumes.
• Department stores. Most department stores, grocery stores, and wholesale outlets have boxes ready to sell or to give away. You can get boxes cheap, or you can get them for free if the owner doesn’t mind.
• Recycling centers. Many boxes are either shredded or incinerated in recycling centers, even if there are still a few good uses for them. You can get boxes for loose change at a recycling center, or in bulk for an affordable price. Like boxes in a department store, you may even get them for free.

Tree Costumes

Your kid may be playing an enchanted talking tree for a school play or a community presentation, but you don’t know how to go about making a tree costume. Here’s how you can make a tree costume out of a box, green crepe paper, brown paint, and dead, broken branches from a real tree:

• Fold the box lengthwise as many times as needed to make a round shape.
• Cut out holes on the sides of the box to provide holes for the face and both arms.
• Paint the box brown. Make sure to add some variations in shading and color to make the tree look more natural.
• Make “leaves” out of strips of green crepe paper. The leaves don’t have to look perfect, but it shouldn’t look like a horrible-looking green paper wig.
• Have the person wearing the costume hold two real tree branches when acting out the part of the tree to make it seem more realistic.

Human Alphabet Blocks

If you have 26 boxes and 26 children, you can make a very cute display of alphabet blocks:

• Prepare 26 large boxes, colorful paints, and a large can of white paint.
• Cut holes on the top and two opposite sides of the box for the head and the arms. You don’t need to cut leg holes; instead, open the bottom flaps of the box for the kid’s legs to move around freely and comfortably.
• Paint each box a different color. You don’t have to have 26 different colors, but just make sure that you distribute the colors evenly to make the display more colorful.
• When the painted boxes are dry, paint big capital letters on the sides of the boxes. Make sure the letters are very visible from a distance, but that they do not mess with the color of the boxes.

Robot Costumes

If you want a really challenging costume made from boxes, you can try making your very own robot costume:

• Draw a robot sketch, or get inspiration from a robot-themed movie or TV series.
• One big box is usually enough for the body of the robot, but you may also need smaller boxes (like clean food boxes or shoe boxes) to build the other parts of the robot.
• Build the robot by adding the “wings,” “engines,” “exhaust manifolds,” and other parts of the robot depending on the sketch or the robot model on the TV. It will take you a few hours to a few days before you complete the robot, depending on how complicated its parts are.
• Paint the robot with metallic paint or flat matte paint. You may also want to add lightweight metallic objects like pipes, washers, nuts and bolts to make the robot more authentic.

Boxes may not seem like much for some people, but a bit of thinking out of the box can make you a nice costume made from boxes. With these ideas and steps to help you build your own box costumes, you can save yourself the time and effort you spend in costume shops and make a unique, one-of-a-kind costume. If you enjoy reading this article, the Top Ten ways to recycle & redecorate might interest you.

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