Home-made filing tray - any ideas?

katylittlelady

Not sure if this is the best place for this as really its a bit of a craft project but just wanted some ideas from some other people. I need a filing tray for my home office (dining room table) but have 0 pennies to spend on it! Was planning on making something up just from household waste etc, was thinking of cereal boxes cut open then put together with toilet rolls to divide them. Think cereal boxes will be a bit flimsy tho. Anyway, as it is kind of old style money saving I was hoping to see if anyone had any better ideas?? Planning on having three trays - in, pending and filing!!

Many Thanks for any suggestions in advance, would be great to hear from some more creative brains!

rosieben

I think you've got the start of a good idea; can you ask at a stationery store or large offices if they can let you have some empty paper boxes (the ones that hold 5 reams of copier paper); the lids are quite strong and would be ideal for this; Duc tape is your friend if you have to make trays from flat pieces of cardboard

I would stuff the toilet roll middles with newspaper or something to strengthen them too; let us know how they turn out .

Bronnie

Just make a vertical filing tray with the cereal boxes standing upright instead. Cut down the fronts lower for easier access and join the boxes together together. IYSWIM

Gigervamp

Papier mache will stiffen the cereal boxes.

sexymouse

Another alternative is to post a wanted message on your local freecycle group for some that people don't need any more.

absolutebounder

Assuming you are working for the minimum wage, the time you waste on this project will be far outweigghed by borrowing a pound or two and a trip to poundland to get a reasonable one.

Fozz

Try going to a greengrocer or supermarket, and ask for some tomato boxes. I get them at work ,they have "posts" at each corner, are nice and strong and you can stack them to make a whole filing system! Am planning to do this myself when I go back to work after my hols.

Caterina

Although cereal boxes are flimsy as filing trays, they are really quite good as cardbord stand-up magazine/document holders, with the top and half ofone of the narrow sides cut off, and also diagonal cut offs of the two large sides. Oh dear, I hope I am making sense, is there anyone who knows what I am talking about and could post an image of it?

Caterina

katylittlelady

Thanks for all the ideas everyone!! Has been very helpful!! I should be able to get some printing paper lids from work and should be able to ask the local market guys about the veg trays! Will see what I can get my hands on first or if we manage to eat all our cereal! Having said that I will post on freecycle first as you never know I may save myself some time as well as money!

Don't want to buy it as the money I save making it can go on credit card bills and unless they are suddenly very generous with overtime at work this is a good use of my time! x x

THIRZAH

I paint copier paper boxes-it usually takes a couple of coats of left over emulsion paint-and use them for storage.

rosieben

THIRZAH wrote: »

I paint copier paper boxes-it usually takes a couple of coats of left over emulsion paint-and use them for storage.

They're really strong aren't they and the lids are a good fit so they can be stacked. I used a few of these for fragiles when I moved house last year.