The Last Thing You Should Do with the Cardboard Box Your Sticks of Butter Came In

Shifrah Combiths
Shifrah Combiths
With five children, Shifrah is learning a thing or two about how to keep a fairly organized and pretty clean house with a grateful heart in a way that leaves plenty of time for the people who matter most. Shifrah grew up in San Francisco, but has come to appreciate smaller town life in Tallahassee, Florida, which she now calls home. She's been writing professionally for twenty years and she loves lifestyle photography, memory keeping, gardening, reading, and going to the beach with her husband and children.
published Sep 7, 2021
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Cardboard carton of butter sticks.
Credit: Sarah Crowley

If you’ve read Marie Kondo (or read about her and her techniques), you might remember that she advises us to shop around the house for organizers. That means using shoeboxes or other smaller containers, such as butter boxes and berry containers, as helpers to keep things tidy. 

Read more: The Last Thing You Should Do with an Empty Berry Container

This advice, I’m afraid, has personally made me a shoebox hoarder. But Marie Kondo is right! So many useful boxes that come into our homes can be repurposed into ideal organizers. And now that I’ve realized that the boxes my beloved butter sticks come in are surprisingly useful, I’m making plans to bake many batches of cookies — so that I have empty boxes to reuse! Who knew there could be yet another reason to love butter?

Credit: Sarah Crowley

Use Empty Butter Boxes as Organizers for Small Bits and Bobs

Butter boxes can be upcycled and used as storage containers or drawer dividers in a few variations. They can be set horizontally or vertically, and the opening can be cut from any of its sides, making them extremely versatile. The light, protective coating on the box also makes it ideal for use in the fridge. (It won’t get soggy in the humid air!) Once you get going, the options for these handy containers as organizers are endless!

Here are five easy ways to get started now.

  • Use an empty butter box on your refrigerator door shelves to store small, pre-packaged snacks, such as little guacamole cups, or hummus cups, or string cheese.
  • Use one to hold takeout soy sauce, ketchup, and wasabi packs.
  • Use one in a junk drawer or desk drawers to hold small items like binder clips, push pins, and markers.
  • Use one to hold plastic utensils or straws.
  • Use one in bathroom drawers to wrangle bobby pins, hair ties, cotton swabs, or makeup. 

Do you save your butter boxes? How do you repurpose them? Share your ideas in the comments below.

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