How To Make A Paper Box With A Lid

Let's make something awesome! Get ready to fold your way to organizational bliss, crafting a ridiculously cute paper box with its own perfectly fitting lid.

All you need is paper, and a flat surface! Seriously, that's it. If you have scissors, great, but even those are optional for the truly dedicated folder.

The Box Bottom Bonanza

First, grab a piece of paper - square or rectangle. Think printer paper, fancy scrapbook paper, even a newspaper page in a pinch (talk about eco-chic!).

Fold it in half. Hotdog style, hamburger style, it doesn't really matter. Just make a crease!

Now unfold it. You should see a line right down the middle.

Next, fold each edge to that center line. Boom! You're basically making a paper airplane... except not, because this is way more practical.

Now, fold those new edges to the center line again. You are like a folding machine right now! Incredible stuff.

Unfold those last two folds. You should see vertical creases dividing your paper into sections.

See those folds closest to the center? You're going to fold them out, away from the center line.

Fold the two ends toward the middle so that the end fold touches the crease where the side panel folds up. Almost there.

Fold in each of the two edges that make the new side wall. Almost done with the bottom!

Stand the sides up, creating the walls of the box. If you need to use tape to secure the corners, feel free, but if you folded everything just right, they should hold themselves up.

Ta-da! You now have a paper box. You're basically a folding ninja at this point. Feel free to take a bow.

Lid-tastic Time

Now, for the lid! You'll need a second piece of paper, just slightly larger than the first.

Follow the same steps as before to make a base!

If you're wondering how much bigger the lid base needs to be, don't panic! The difference between the base sizes for the box and lid is very small.

Follow the steps on making a box bottom.

You should now have the top for your box!

Test the fit! The top should sit very nicely on the box bottom you created before.

Pro Tip

If your box is too loose, it means your second paper (used for the top) wasn't big enough. Start over with a slightly larger paper to fix it.

If your box top is too tight to fit on the box, it means you made your second paper *too* big. Don't give up!

You might need to use glue if the walls keep falling down when folding the box, but if you are using thicker paper, this is unlikely. Good luck!

Behold!

You did it! You've conquered the paper box. Now go forth and organize! Small toys, paperclips, maybe even tiny secret messages – the possibilities are endless.

Impress your friends, baffle your enemies (with your superior folding skills, of course), and bask in the glory of your newfound paper-crafting prowess!

Remember, practice makes perfect! Don't be discouraged if your first few attempts are a little wonky. Even the most experienced paper folders started somewhere.

Now, grab some more paper and get folding! The world needs more adorable, handmade paper boxes, and you are just the person to deliver them.