If you have lots of leftover materials after your move we are here to help you reuse your packing boxes.
No wonder relocating is such a stressful time.
There is so much to think about in the momentous build-up to move day.
When the big day arrives, it’s all systems go, and it is absolutely mind-boggling how many cardboard boxes and paper materials are needed to transport your effects from one home to another.
After the dust has settled and you finally unpack the last box, (a great moment actually), what do you do with all the empty ones?
Many removal companies will collect them for you when they are in the area, but there are plenty of other ways you can get inventive with the leftovers.
Although you may have a mountain of boxes to dispose of, it is good to know that they are recyclable, renewable, reusable, and biodegradable.
Here are some creative ways you can reuse your packing boxes after moving:
Visit your Recycling Centre
Go down the eco-friendly route. Taking your boxes to the local recycling centre is a sustainable way to dispose of empty removal boxes.
The centre will also take all other paper materials used during the move such as tissue paper, newspaper, or bubble wrap.
Use Boxes in your Garden
As the majority of removal companies now use boxes made from compostable materials, they are easily added to your garden’s compost heap.
Boxes can be laid down around the base of plants to suppress weeds.
Create a wormery. Place a layer of organic matter such as leaf mould under the boxes.
The worms and other insect life will enjoy processing both and provide you with excellent soil, ready for spring planting.
Carefully cut open boxes and roll them, secure them with string and tuck them inside pots to supply the perfect winter ‘bug hotel’.
Organise the Loft
Don’t get rid of all the boxes, use some of them to organise the loft area.
It is so much easier to find things when you have a really neat and tidy attic.
Box up things that won’t be needed immediately, or things you don’t use often but can’t bear to part with.
Boxes stack really well and as long as you clearly label the front of them with the contents, you will have no problem finding things at a later date.
Having everything safely boxed also avoids damp and dust settling and spoiling your stored items.
Keep Some for the Kids
All children love to climb into a large empty box.
We have all experienced as parents, the joy that children get at Christmas when the expensive toy is abandoned only for them to spend more time inside the packaging!
Give them some coloured pens and sellotape and let their imaginations run wild.
There are hundreds of ways to build things with cardboard.
Just visit The Everyday Mom Squad website for some fantastic cardboard craft ideas.
Pet Bedding
As well as entertaining the children, pets also love to hide in boxes, particularly cats and dogs.
Corrugated material is strong enough to hold a small pet and provide it with a comfortable place to relax.
For an added bit of fun for your feline friends, you can make some holes in the side and attach some feathers or string to the box.
Line the box with a towel or something soft and your pet will be in residence in no time.
Pass to Family and Friends
Someone is always moving home, be it a relative, neighbour or friend so, you can pass the boxes to them.
For people who are doing their own move via a man and van, buying boxes in large quantities can be expensive.
Many towns have local neighbour websites.
These are ideal platforms for advertising leftover boxes. A win-win situation. You get rid of them and someone else has free packaging materials.
Fire Starting Logs
DIY logs made with old cardboard boxes are a great, environmentally friendly alternative. For those with fireplaces or fire pits, it also saves money.
Just flatten them and soak the with enough water to make the cardboard pliable. Roll the damp cardboard up like a swiss roll, as tightly as you can.
Secure with string or hemp twine (avoid plastic string) and leave them to dry in the sun or open space.
Presto, you have homemade logs.
Other Paper/Cardboard Packaging
All the above ideas work perfectly with leftover removal boxes however, as more and more of us order and shop online, we are inundated with small boxes and paper on a regular basis.
These smaller boxes can also be given a new lease of life.
With just a little bit of creativity and imagination, you can use cardboard for almost anything you put your mind to.
Sustainability is so important today and doing our bit for the planet by recycling as much waste as we can is both good for the environment and our wallets.
