Up-Cycled to Something I Love

Most of you have seen my tired old coupon box. It has been toted in and out of stores for years and years saving my family thousands of dollars in coupon redemptions. Being the sentimental person I am it was hard to make the choice to perk up the old coupon box. All of my children had learned the mechanics and the blessings of coupons using it's contents and the system I had created many years ago.

Well, the day to make the change came recently. It was at my husbands urging since he now very often helps me with the task of and savings from the use of coupons.  He first searched the stores and online for a better system, a better container, but none met my standards.

During the days that I found myself homebound caring for my recovering daughter the idea came to create a new coupon system out of saved resources that I already had on hand. I was going to do something current and hip, good for the earth, and something creative. I so needed to do something creative. I was going to Up-Cycle!

I had a ton of saved used envelopes from weekly grocery ads that my local grocery stores have been mailing me for the last few years. They had all been sealed with a sticker and were like new other than a small mailing address, paid postage, and return address stamped on them. I knew I was going to find a good use for them one day! I didn't think to take pics of my up-cycle until I had already begun the project by prepping 37 of the yellow envelopes.

I (as in my husband and I) first trimmed the label and any loose paper from the back of the envelope. I  then sealed each enveloped closed.

I cut each envelope in half.

I needed a total of 90 envelopes.

Each of my up-cycled envelopes would make two 

new heavy duty coupon envelopes.

I made a fold on the open end of the envelope 

to the height of a legal size envelope.

I snipped the sides up to the fold line.

I glued the front fold down to make a nice

and sturdy top edge to the envelope.

The back flap was folded in half to the back

of the envelope and glued into place.

This makes the back of the envelope stand up

about 1/2" taller than the front of the envelope.

Once I had 90 envelopes made it was time to make

the box dividers.

Old notebook dividers were up-cycled to become

coupon box dividers.

I cut the divider to match the width of the envelopes.

The height was measured to be

the same as the back side of the envelopes.

I folded the bottom of the divider up to add durability 

and glued it into place.

The up-cycled tab at the top added the 

height needed for easy access.

Once the twelve dividers were 

done it was time to add labels.

My old box had computer printed words backed with

index cards and taped in place with clear packing tape.

I was inclined to do the same thing again to stay 

true to doing this project on the cheap but my husband 

insisted on using my label maker.  He helped me 

realize that the cost of the label tape was 

WORTHY of the project.

What do you think?

BEFORE

AND

AFTER

We also made envelopes for each store I coupon

at to store the coupons for that weeks shopping trip.

Once it was time to make the coupons move it actually tugged at

my heart a bit. I teased with my daughters by asking if

they had any sentimental attachment to my old system

before throwing it away. I didn't want any broken hearts!

Everyone was happy to see it go and I  LOVE my

new up-cycled system. 

I love the crisp new look, the width and the durability of

the new envelopes, and I am so happy 

I went with the label maker.

I am now proud to say

Hey, that's my coupon box!