Q&A for How to Fold a Paper Box

I'd say the type of paper will depend on where you plan to use the box for. If it's a simple storage box for holding lightweight items like paper clips, small notes, or trinkets, you can use regular printer or copy paper. It’s accessible, easy to fold, and holds its shape well. However, if you’re making a box for food—say, for snacks or serving treats—parchment paper is a fantastic choice. It’s grease-resistant, won’t leak, and can handle a bit of moisture without falling apart. But regardless of the type of paper you use, the secret to a sturdy paper box is in your folds. Precise, sharp folds create clean edges and give the box structure. Take your time to align the edges perfectly as you fold and press down firmly to secure each crease.

Simply follow the same steps as above, but make the box roughly 1" bigger in every direction. This top will fit right over the bottom you made earlier.

Use a bigger, square-shaped sheet of paper. If the sheet is a rectangle, fold it diagonally from the top corner to the opposite edge, trim off the excess along the bottom, then follow the article. A sheet of poster paper may work, but keep in mind that the larger the paper is, the more difficult it will be to work with.

No, but the size of the paper determines the size of the box, so you should have bigger paper for a bigger box and smaller paper for a smaller box.

You can pick any size of paper you want! Make sure that it is a square, or it would not work out.

Be sure that when on step 3, you fold the side in all the way, that might be the problem.

Simply follow the same steps as above, but make the box roughly 1" bigger in every direction and a lot shallower (as it is going to serve as a lid, not be another box). This top will fit right over the bottom you made earlier.

Maybe because you used the wrong size and shape of the origami paper. If you use rectangular shape of origami paper then you will get a rectangular box.

You can use a smaller piece of paper. The size of your box will depend on the size of the square you begin with.

You can make another box that is made of a 1'' bigger square paper to use as a lid.

Nail polish may be too heavy and warp your box. Try colored pencils or markers instead.

Yes, you just have to make a square out of the paper. Put the paper horizontally and fold down the top left corner so the left edge of the paper matches up with the bottom edge. Cut off the long rectangle to the right of this triangle, unfold, and you have a square.

Be sure that when on step three, you fold the side in all the way. That might be the problem.

Perhaps you created a fold that faced the wrong way. Try to retrace your steps to see if you can figure out where you went wrong.

Instead of using the normal measurements, make everything one inch smaller. If you're using a normal piece of paper, take a ruler, make a square, and cut it out. Just make sure the measurements are equal on all sides and then follow the instructions in the article.

Any size is fine according to the directions, but it should be square.

Use your fingernail to crease.

You can, but it is not absolutely necessary. It should stay together without glue if it is done correctly.

Yes, because you could make them for holding school supplies, sticky notes, or just hand them out to your friends. If you have a party at school, you can make those for holding things too. They also make great gift boxes!

Tape or glue it.

Your box may have turned into a rectangle because of the shape of the paper you used. This could also be because you didn't follow step 3 correctly.

Try taping only one side down. That way the box has a flap to open but still stays closed.

You may need to use tape or glue.

You can dab some glue to make them stay down, but not too much or the box will get soggy. You can use tape, too.

Paper will be the best material for this activity, but you can definitely experiment with different kinds of paper (different thickness, patterns, etc.).

Make sure the triangle shapes are big enough to hold the flaps; if that doesn't work, you could try some glue, preferably a glue stick or paste rather than liquid glue.

Use a smaller piece of square paper to start with.

No, but if you have rectangular paper you can always just cut it into a square. That should work fine.

It might be hard to do, because post-it notes are so small. They are not very durable paper, so your best bet would be to use a different type of paper in order to make this box.

Trim off 1" from the 2 sides that are next to each other, so then one of the sheets will be a lid and the other a box.