Free
45 mins
Ages 5+
Upcycled desk tidy
Turn empty bottles and cardboard tubes into a pen pot for their desk. Handy for homework, and it's a great gift.
Crafts and slime
Envelope wall tidy
One side of a cardboard box, some wrapping paper and a few spare envelopes make a wall tidy for the bedroom. Hang it above the desk for pens and rulers, or by the mirror for hair clips, bobbles and secret notes.
Ages5+
Time45 mins
CostFree
MessLow mess
WhereIndoors
What you need
Make sure it hangs from a secure hook, and keep the string out of reach of little ones.
Let's go
Cover one side of the cardboard with wrapping paper and tape it down at the back.
Cut the flaps off the envelopes so they're open at the top.
Arrange the envelopes on the board, big ones for rulers and notebooks, small ones for pens and clips. Glue them down along the sides and bottom only.
A grown-up makes two small holes near the top edge of the board.
Thread the string through and tie it in a loop, then hang it up.
Real talk
- Decorate the envelopes with stickers, washi tape or their name, or label each pocket.
- Use a padded envelope as a pocket for heavier things like a hairbrush.
- Make one for the hallway to hold letters, keys and the shopping list.
Love a makeover?
Stately homes with kids' trails let them nose round some very fancy bedrooms for inspiration.
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