6 smart ways to reuse your empty egg cartons

Josephine Amuzu 11:13 - 16 October 2026

Discover 6 smart ways to reuse empty egg cartons around your home to reduce waste with these clever DIY ideas. Don't throw away your empty egg cartons.

Empty egg cartons can be repurposed to organise small items.
Paper-pulp cartons can help with seed starting and creative projects.
Always consider the carton material, cleanliness and intended use before reusing it.

Before you throw away that empty egg carton, consider the different ways you can put it to use around your home. What may look like ordinary packaging can become a useful storage organiser, a gardening aid or even a material for simple craft projects.

Reusing egg cartons is an easy way to reduce household waste while finding practical uses for items you already have. Depending on whether your carton is made of cardboard, moulded paper pulp or plastic, you can give it a second life in several creative ways.

Here are eight smart ways to reuse your empty egg cartons.

1. Use them to organise small items

Use them to organise small items

Egg cartons have individual compartments that make them useful for storing small household items. You can use a clean, dry carton to organise buttons, beads, sewing supplies, screws, nails and other tiny objects that are easy to misplace.

Keep the carton in a drawer or on a worktable so you can find what you need without mixing everything together.

2. Turn them into seed starters

Turn them into seed starters

If you enjoy gardening, paper-pulp egg cartons can help you start seeds before transferring the seedlings into larger containers or directly into the garden.

Fill each compartment with suitable potting mix, plant the seeds according to their instructions and water gently. Once the seedlings are ready, separate the compartments and transplant them, taking care not to damage the roots.

Avoid using cartons that have been contaminated with raw egg residue, and remember that the carton material must be suitable for planting.

3. Create a paint palette for art projects

Create a paint palette for art projects

An empty egg carton can serve as a convenient paint palette for children and adults who enjoy painting.

Pour small amounts of different paint colours into the individual compartments to keep them separate. This can be useful for school projects, craft activities and painting sessions at home.

4. Protect fragile items when packing

Protect fragile items when packing

Moving house or storing delicate decorations can require extra padding. Clean, dry egg cartons can help separate and cushion small, lightweight objects inside a larger packing box.

They may be useful for items such as small ornaments or craft supplies, but they are not a substitute for proper protective packaging for valuable, heavy or highly fragile objects.

5. Make a simple craft project with children

Egg cartons can be turned into flowers and other creative shapes for school assignments or activities at home.

Cut the carton into individual cups or sections, then decorate them with paint, paper and other craft materials. This is a fun way to encourage children to explore their creativity while learning about reusing everyday materials.

6. Use them to sort seeds and garden supplies

If you save seeds for future planting, the compartments of a clean, dry egg carton can help you separate different varieties temporarily.

Label each section with the seed variety and keep the carton in an appropriate dry storage location. For long-term seed storage, use containers suited to keeping seeds dry and protected.

The carton can also help sort small gardening supplies, such as plant labels or twist ties, as long as they fit safely.

With a little creativity, an empty egg carton can become a useful household organiser, a gardening aid or the starting point for a fun craft project.