After you’ve moved, you may be tempted to throw away your moving boxes. After all, you may not want a reminder of all the work that came with moving. However, despite looking like worthless pieces of cardboard, moving boxes can have plenty of uses. Whether you just use them for storage or get more creative, here are six ways you can reuse moving boxes.
1. Storage Space
If you have extra storage space in your home or storage unit, moving boxes help consolidate items. Instead of having items strewn about a room, they can be neatly stored and organized in individual boxes. Whether it’s holiday decorations or your old high school yearbook, cardboard boxes are a great place to store just about anything. Outside of the home, you can store work files in cardboard boxes as well. Instead of having to buy more expensive plastic containers, your moving boxes can make great storage spaces.
2. Food or Clothing Drives
It’s always good to give back. If you still have larger boxes, they can make perfect donation receptacles. Check to see if your local school, church, or other charitable organization is holding a food or clothing drive soon. You can also start your own food drive and donate items to your local food bank. When your options are throwing the boxes away or using them for a great cause, why not do the latter?
3. Arts and Crafts
Cardboard is a versatile material. You can use cut-up cardboard as a cheaper picture frame. An even more exciting way to use the old boxes is to turn the cardboard itself into art. For ideas, check out this gallery of DIY cardboard projects on Pinterest. You’d be amazed by how intricate your cardboard masterpiece could become!
4. Toys for Kids or Pets
Large moving boxes can make great toy forts. Even with all the technology around today, you’d be surprised by how much fun kids can have with a simple box. Using cardboard boxes, you and your little ones can make costumes, toy furniture, or a puppet theatre. Well, a box may look ordinary, it’s full of possibilities for kids. Cardboard boxes are also great for pets. You can build a tower for your cat to climb or a makeshift doghouse.
5. In the Garden
If you’d prefer to avoid using pesticides, cardboard is a great solution for killing weeds. By putting cardboard over soil with weeds, you can block sunlight and prevent growth. Additionally, you can cut up pieces of cardboard to fit around plants you’d like to grow. The cardboard will keep the soil warm and insulated during the cooler months. Eventually, the cardboard will decompose after it has served its purpose.
6. Save them for Another Move
After you move, the last thing on your mind is moving again. However, the reality is you never know when you could move again. Even if your new home is your last stop, you can always lend boxes to a friend or family member. Although you may not think it, cardboard boxes can be pretty durable. If you pack and carry your boxes correctly, a single box could make it through multiple moves.
No matter how you decide to reuse your moving boxes, any of these options is better than throwing them away! However, keep in mind that if a box becomes ripped or unusable, cardboard is recyclable. By making the most out of moving boxes you can help yourself and the planet!
