Rather than toss your next empty cardboard box into the recycle bin, why not upgrade it into a DIY ribbon dispenser to organize your crafty space?

Recycling is great, but it takes energy to turn old paper products into new ones. In fact, there's a question as to whether recycled paper is greener than paper from sustainably managed forests. The best way to dispose of old paper products is to use your crafty skills to give them a brand new life. This DIY ribbon dispenser fits the bill perfectly.

Crafter Rachael of Rachael's Handmade Designs created this DIY ribbon dispenser out of an old granola box, and it couldn't be simpler to make. All she did was use a corkscrew to punch holes into the box, stick her spools of ribbon inside, and feed each piece of ribbon through a hole.

If you wanted to fancy this up a bit, you could decoupage your box with magazine pages, the insides of junk mail envelopes, or any other reclaimed paper you like! You could also paint the box after you punch the holes. Just make sure you opt for some zero-VOC paint if you go that route.

I bet there are other ways you could deck out this upcycled DIY ribbon dispenser! Do you guys have any ideas on how to do it?

Image Credit: Creative Commons photo by Etsy Ketsy