Packing boxes have many different uses, and there are many reasons why you may have some cardboard boxes left over. They are commonly used for house moving, storage or shipping, and they are used by both businesses as well as the public too. Cardboard is made from recycled paper, and it is fully recyclable, so it is the most environmentally friendly option for choosing boxes when compared with plastic alternatives, and they are hard wearing and durable so they are perfect for re using for different purposes. Here are some ‘out of the box’ ideas of how to reuse cardboard boxes!
- You could create a children’s play house out of large cardboard boxes. This involves cutting out window holes and door spaces, painting the outside of the house, creating a small door, making a roof and if you are very adventurous, you could even create the inside of the house with all the furniture too. You can make anything out of cardboard, so you can make tiny beds for the different rooms of the house, and you can make rooms by creating dividers from the cardboard too. You could build a staircase as well as a sofa and television, and you can create small people to live in the house as well. The children will certainly love it, and it will use up some of the leftover cardboard.
- You can reuse cardboard for insulation in your home. Cardboard makes a brilliant insulator because it is thick and has many layers. It is flat, so you can easily put it between your plasterboard in your home to ensure that the house is a bit warmer. You can shred up cardboard so that it can fit into almost any space for insulation, so if there are any particularly cold rooms of your house and you don’t want to spend much money on insulation, then cardboard boxes could be the answer you are looking for.
- If you have a pet dog, then they will love to play with the old cardboard boxes. Dogs typically love to shred up cardboard, and will spend hours simply doing that. Cardboard is harmless to dogs, and it makes for a great toy when you have nothing left to do with the boxes. Many people actually buy cardboard storage boxes purely for this purpose, so if you don’t have a dog, why not pass the old boxes onto somebody who does! Their dogs will certainly thank you.
- Cardboard actually makes a great table mat, and it can protect your table from hot mugs and plates. You can use it for a temporary table cloth, or just a temporary place mat. If you are having a small party and don’t want to ruin your table, you could put some cardboard in between your table cloth and the table for extra protection, or if you have young children then cardboard can also help for extra protection. The heat from a hot mug or plate will not pass through the cardboard onto the table.
- Cardboard is actually made from recycled paper, and it is therefore great for making notes and drawing on. You can simply use the old cardboard as note paper, which can be used in your office at home or at work. You can simply use it for notes in your kitchen, such as a shopping list, or you can use it for your children to draw on when they are bored. You can paint on cardboard the same as you would with paper, and in fact it can make a great painting if you are creative enough. Think of it like a blank canvas.
- Depending on the size of the boxes you have leftover; you could use them for shoe storage boxes. Every home has too many shoes lying around near the front door (don’t pretend this doesn’t apply to you). Old house moving boxes can help to enable you to store away some of the shoes that you don’t wear regularly, and make your home look much neater and tidier. You can store the old shoes away in the attic or garage knowing they are safe in the old boxes.
- You can create fantastic decorations for a birthday or Christmas with old cardboard. You can cut out any shape that you want, and you can paint and draw on them too. An example would be a 30th birthday, you can cut out the person’s name using letters cut from cardboard, or you can cut the numbers 30 and stick them around the room. Cardboard is lightweight so you can easily hang the decorations, and they will look great. Most decorations that you would buy from a shop would be made from either paper or cardboard, so they will certainly look professional.
If all else fails...
- As we all know that cardboard boxes for moving are great for moving home, storage or shipping, you should always keep the boxes safe until you find another use for them; never throw them away. Boxes can easily be flat packed, so that they won’t take up much room in your home until you need to use them again.
- If you don’t have another use for them, then why not ask a friend or family member if they have a use for them instead.
- If there are absolutely no other options, then you should make sure that you recycle the boxes as they are fully recyclable. Take them down to a local recycling centre if you have a lot of them, or if you only have one or two then you can just leave them with your normal cardboard recycling box to be collected each week.
- Businesses always have uses for boxes of all kinds, so why not ask a local business if they want to reuse your boxes. Small businesses will be very thankful for the opportunity, especially if they are sending products in the post.
