Keep An Old Egg Carton To DIY The Cutest Woodland Animal Patio Decor

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

If you aren't familiar with the genius DIYs you can try with your old egg cartons, you may consider them useless and throw them out. And this can be a mistake for two reasons. One, you won't get your money's worth. Remember, when you buy a box, you don't just pay for the eggs; you pay for the carton as well. Second, you'll be relegating more waste to already overflowing landfills. Plus, Styrofoam ones aren't biodegradable. So, to avoid committing these errors, stop throwing out egg cartons and instead turn them into whimsical forest-inspired decor you can hang on your patio.

Simply draw faces of your favorite woodland animals on the "cups" in a carton and glue them onto a plank of wood to DIY fancy decor for your patio. You can even hang it from your porch and use it as a secondary nameplate if you like. All you have to do is add the same number of animal faces as the members in your family and decorate them in their likeness. Write their names on the bottom or carefully pick each person's spirit animal to denote them instead.

After you decide whether you'll be hanging the decor from your patio or porch, gather a few supplies for this craft. You'll need a paper or Styrofoam egg carton (it'll be difficult to paint or glue plastic cutouts), a sharp utility knife (like X-Acto) or scissor, a strong adhesive (such as E6000, since it'll hanging outside and hot glue might melt), acrylic paint, a paint brush and palette, a plank of wood, a strong piece of twine or jute cord, and a Sharpie. You can even keep some decorative elements, like scrap fabric or colored paper, handy, though they're optional.

Before you start, remove any packaging labels. Then, dampen a clean microfiber cloth and use it to wipe your egg carton thoroughly. This will remove lingering crumbs and light stains. Finally, spray it with hydrogen peroxide or rubbing alcohol to sanitize it and eliminate bacteria. Now, set it aside to dry. In the meanwhile, pick common woodland animals, such as raccoons, boars, foxes, deer, bears, chimpanzees, leopards, koalas, jaguars, and more. But if you're hoping to have some fun and want to turn this DIY into funny home decor that will make you laugh, pick ones (think pandas, pigs, frogs, and donkeys) that remind you of your beloved family members. Cute rabbits and squirrels are on the table, too. Or, if you wish to turn it into a seasonal decor piece, fashion-friendly or spooky ghosts for Halloween and Mr. and Mrs. Claus for Christmas.

Once you finalize the theme, cut out the required number of cups from your now-dry egg carton and start painting them in the likeness of the animals you chose. Use leftover pieces from your carton to craft ears and eyes, too. As for the nose and other details (like spectacles for your grandparents or freckles for your teen), use a Sharpie. You can also use scrap fabric or colored paper to design clothes for your animals' heads. When you're done, prepare the wood plank by sanding it down, drilling two holes in the corners for twine, and giving it a fresh coat of stain or paint as you want. Finally, glue everything together and seal your decor (Mod Podge spray is a good option) to protect it from the elements.