Compact Your Empty Juice / Milk / Whatever - Brick (carton)

How to save space in your garbage bin / or (we called PMD) recycled items bag.

This instructable will show you one way of compacting your milk / juice or other carton package.

First; It's possible that your brick has different dimensions so it could be that you don't end up correctly. I used the normal 1L bricks we have here. But maybe it will inspire you to make the same with other forms / dimensions.

Second; I used a brick wich has a screw on cap, but it also works with non cap versions

First remove the screw cap (this will help to get the air out and make the folding easier).

**sidenote; if you have a brick with no screw cap, skip this step

-- All folds should be done as good / hard / flat as possible. This will help troughout the whole process. --

Open up only the top flaps, the bottom ones (if your brick has it) should stay folded / glued.

Start with the edges on the length side of the brick. Fold the side part inside by using your thumb or index finger to push this in. Make sure the fold of the edges stays on the original fold. You just make it sharper or more flat...going from a 90° angle to a 0/180° angle. I hope this makes sense :)

Work the edges down to the bottom and the top of the brick. Making sure you can connect the two sides nicely next to eachother and flatten it out as much as possible.

Also pay attention on the carton wich is now 'inside' the brick. Make sure you press this fold also as flat as possible.

Off course to be repeated on both sides of the brick.

On the bottom (with the closed flaps) you will create a little 'pocket' this we will need later on.

On top you leave the flaps out of the folds.

You should end up with some kind of i-shape

Rolling up the i-shape.

Start to fold the bottom part to the left or the right. Depending on your preference.

Once the bottom is flat to the side you can roll / fold up further making a new fold in the side.

Work your way up to the top, normally you should end up somewhere about 3/4 of the total length, still making sure you make the folds as flat as possible.

On the top you will notice that you can only line up one side of the edges to the previous fold. Make sure that the original top, still stays outside / on top. Flaps should still be outside!

Flatten it as tight as you can.

Now it is time to make sure the folds don't come undone.

This will be done by using the top flaps, and pushing them into the bottom pockets.

First of all you should open up the pocket on the bottom, this is done where you had the original bottom part of the i-shape and made the first fold. I find it easier to hold the folded brick tight with one hand and use the thumb of my other hand to open it up. Pushing my thumb between the folded layers.

Still holding the folded brick with an open pocket, take the top flap and folded somehow in a curved way. This way you can work it into the bottompocket you just made. Fold it as deep as possible inside, and crease the fold on the top edge again as good as possible.

Both sides should be done.

-- bricks with screw cap -- (if you don't have the cap skip this step)

Still holding the package folded down and tight put the screw back on. this will provide the air to flow back in and helps to keep the folded brick in the right shape.

DONE!

You should end up to have a package much smaller than the original size.

I also added some picture with a pen for size comparison.

Happy folding!!