Transform a cardboard box into your dream dollhouse

Steeped in the elusive magic of childhood, anything feels possible. Maybe that's why dollhouses are so often relegated to child's play—they require some imagination and suspension of disbelief to fully enjoy. If you have both of those qualities in spades, plus an extra box from your latest delivery lying around, then this is the project for you.

With just a few simple materials (plus some elaborate, though tiny, decorations), you can transform a simple cardboard box into the kind of fantastic dreamland you've always yearned for.

- Cardboard box
- Box cutters
- Decorative paper
- Hot glue gun and glue
- Small decorative items

1. Using the box cutters, cut the flaps off of the box so it's just an open rectangle.

2. Place one of the severed flaps in the middle of the box so it serves as a divider, and use the hot glue gun to glue it into place.

3. Line the box with decorative paper, like the kind you might have for scrapbooking. Glue it in place so your dollhouse appears to be wallpapered. If possible, use a woodgrain paper on the sides you'll be using as the floors.

4. Turn the box upright so the longer sides are perpendicular to the floor, and the shorter sides serve as the floor and roof of the dollhouse.

5. Now that the house is assembled, fill it with whatever decorative items you'd like. You can place tiny curtain rods, tables and chairs, rugs, or even construct a cardboard staircase.