Recycle Baby Wipes Container Into a Crayon Box!

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Intro: Recycle Baby Wipes Container Into a Crayon Box!

Here's a great way to store crayons and recycle those great plastic, rectangular baby wipe dispensers at the same time. This is just another small way you can help save the environment.

This crayon box is extremely easy to make with items you may already have around the home. I've found that baby wipe containers make wonderful crayon boxes. They are fairly durable and I have also noticed that they significantly limit crayon messes, especially when you have a child who enjoys turning over the container and dumping them out!

STEP 1: What You'll Need

Make sure you have the following items to begin this little project:

1. An empty, plastic baby wipes container with lid (hinged or removable)
2. A strong pair of kitchen scissors or sharp knife or razor blade
3. Strong scotch tape (clear packing tape lasts longest)

If your wipes container has name brand stickers on it, you might want to carefully remove them at this point. If they are not removable, you can always cover them with printed a label later.

STEP 2: Cut Opening Into the Lid

I am aware that there are different kinds of rectangular wipe containers. We normally always buy a particular brand name, with pop-up wipes. It has a push-button lid and the dispenser opening is a zig-zag in the center of the plastic. I am aware of those lids that have some flexi-rubber type material in the opening. Either type of lid is great. But I advise that you cut the rubber off to widen the opening. This way your child is still able to peak in and see before they reach for the crayons of their choice.

If you have an all plastic lid, like the one in my photos, you will need your kitchen scissors to carefully snip around the oval so that your child's hand can slip easily in and out of the box. Be sure not to leave any sharp or jagged edges as you cut. The plastic maybe be hard to cut, so be very careful, especially if you are using a razor blade or knife to carve out the opening.

STEP 3: Secure the Lid

It's been my experience that, even though the lids snap in place or even when they are hinged to the container, you have to secure them. Your children are bound to knock them around or pull the lid off. A little extra security never hurts! After all, the whole idea of my making these crayon boxes was so that the kids always had easy access to their crayons, but also so they weren't spilling them all over the place. The pop-up lid and oval opening limit (but do not eliminate) the mess of crayon spillage!

All you have to do is take your tape and add a few strips all around the sides of the lid, attaching it to the container. For this container, I only had regular Scotch tape available. The best tape I have used for this project is clear packing tape. It's stronger and wider and lasts longer.

STEP 4: The Finshed Product

You're done!

It looks a bit plain, I know. Be creative and personalize it by having your child decorate the outside with stickers. Or, what I've done in the past was print two labels reading "crayons" and taped it to the outside front and back of the container.

Be sure to save all of your wipe containers from now on. If the plastic in your current crayon box cracks or the lid breaks, you can always replace the parts or just make a new one.

Enjoy more organized coloring time with your children!

8 Comments

I was thinking the same thing... gluing the lid on... I have a box that already has this opening... I NEVER thought to use it for crayons... NOW I MUST! LOL Thanks for this great instructable!
Great tip! These are also great to throw into the garage for collecting bits. If they get damaged you can freely release it to the recycling center without feeling the pain of the loss of a really nice container. :)
Have you tried gluing the lid down? My thoughts are first super glue but then, clear silicon caulk. Also, lightly sand the outside of the container, that way, you could paint it easily to decorate it.
 Hi eetzel.  No, I have not tried gluing them down.  The tape holds pretty well, though.  I haven't had to make a new one in a while because my kids are getting better at not knocking them around.  Next time we need one, I'm going to try gluing them to see how that works.  Thanks!
I have added this instructable to the Green Kids group!
Thank you jauncourt! :)
this is a great idea!!!! As we finish up with the wipe boxes, I can use a container to didvide her lil toys too! Thanks for a great idea!
Very cool idea. I will do this the next time we empty a wipe container!