My name is Jill and I am an egg carton hoarder.

It’s not entirely my fault though… Well, sort of…

People know we have chickens, so people give us egg cartons. Lot of ’em. Which is awesome, because we do need egg cartons. But we probably don’t need hundreds… *a-hem* I guess I just have a hard time saying “no” to a good carton.

Therefore, I have a giant, precarious stack of them in my basement that falls over and whacks me in the head every time I walk by.

I think I need an egg carton intervention.

Of course, when you’re a homesteader, the most obvious use of egg cartons is to use them to hold your farm-fresh eggs–especially if you are sharing them with family and friends. However, my little flock of chickens can’t seem to keep up with the sheer volume of eggs cartons I’ve been collecting lately…

So it’s time it figure out some alternative ways to use them.

Recycling and composting are two very viable options if you are in a state of egg-carton-overflow like I am, but I’ve also found some more creative uses for those egg cartons that I think you’re gonna love.

11 Creative Egg Carton Uses:

1. Make Egg Carton Flower Lights:

A bit of creative cutting, a strand of Christmas lights, and a dab of paint can turn a boring carton into an adorable floral lighting string. Check out this egg carton light tutorial from Upcycle That.

You could add these egg carton flower lights to your Christmas decorations for the year for a unique look. Check out some of my Rustic Christmas Decorations ideas for more inspiration.

2. Give ‘Em to Your Chicken-Owning Friends:

But not if they also have an egg carton hoarding problem. Then you’ll just be enabling them.

3. Grow Seedlings in Egg Cartons:

The small egg carton cups are the perfect size for smaller seedlings. This post has a bunch of other ideas for frugal seed-starting systems, too. The seeds I most commonly use are from True Leaf Market.

4. Egg Carton Wreath:

I’ll admit it… When I first heard of making wreaths out of egg cartons, I was skeptical. But after seeing this Egg Carton Wreath, I’m totally impressed!

5. Use Egg Cartons to store Christmas Ornaments:

I’ve been using egg cartons to store my smaller holiday decorations for several years now. They work like a charm, and save a lot of space.

6. Make DIY Fire Starters:

Add a bit of wax, and some dryer lint, and voila! You have a handy-dandy fire starter for camping or cold winter nights. Learn more about why we heat with wood HERE.

7. Use Egg Cartons as Creative Gift Packaging:

This is the classiest egg carton gift packaging I’ve ever seen. Such a cool idea! You can also check out my list of Wrapping Paper Alternatives for some more ideas on how to package gifts.

8. Use Egg Cartons as Paint Cups:

This idea will be popular with the kiddos, or if you are needing to use several colors at once. The plastic cartons might work best for this, especially if the paint will be sitting for a while.

9. Make an Egg Carton Mancala Game:

My sister and I played mancala a TON growing up. Egg cartons make the perfect game board, and you can use beads, marbles, or dry beans for the playing pieces. This post has instructions, along with rules for the game. THIS is the “official” version of the game.

10. Get Organized:

Egg cartons are the perfect way to organize “small stuff.” Use them to store jewelry, beads, office supplies, buttons, craft supplies, nuts/bolts, and more.

11. Get Crafty:

There are TONS of ways to turn old egg cartons into kid’s craft projects, and a quick Google search will yield plenty of inspiration. Here are a few of my favorite finds to get you started:

OK… I know I missed some–what are you favorite ways to use egg cartons?

Other Creative “Ways to Use” Posts: