You may have just moved, or are about to move, or like the majority of people who buy online, you have to deal with an accumulated surplus of cardboard boxes but rather than putting them in your recycling for disposal, they can be put to many uses in the home & garden, and can save you money. Corrugated cardboard boxes and cartons can keep young children or pets entertained for hours and can be reused for general storage in your home and garden.
If you planning to move home and need packing materials, you can follow this link.
You can also use the cardboard core of kitchen rolls, toilet rolls, and cereal boxes, and together with a tube of glue you can extend the range of items you can make. As an example, take a small open cardboard box, fill it with toilet roll cores cut to length and you have a desk tidy for all your pens. The possibilities are limited only by your own imagination and there are plenty of suggestions online, for example, search online for “cardboard laptop” and you and your children can make a cardboard model of a laptop, from images and instructions obtained online.
Whatever you decide to do with your surplus cardboard, you can paint it, cover it with surplus wallpaper or vinyl or even cut colourful images out of magazines and cover the cardboard with these, in order to make it more attractive in the home or co-ordinate it with your existing décor.
Many of the ideas listed below are well known to most people but hopefully there may be a few new ideas for you.
HOME OFFICE / STORAGE POSSIBILITIES
In addition to using cardboard boxes for general storage in the home or garage, there are endless possibilities to make other items, of which a few are-
Desk tidy, draw dividers, paper bin, keepsake box , photograph box, magazine rack, signs for such as “Garage sale”, photograph frames, laundry box, filing system, car boot liner, car boot tidy, protective case for computer tablet.
FOR YOUR PETS
Just about everyone knows that cats love cardboard boxes in which to hide, but you could make a temporary bed for a cat or dog on an uncarpeted floor by placing several layers of cardboard under their blanket. This will reduce the cold they feel in winter.
Although your pets will play happily in boxes – you could even make a cardboard house/kennel for them, complete with front arched entrance and sloping roof. Your children can join in too. A temporary cat litter tray is another possibility
FOR YOUR CHILDREN
Since you can decorate cardboard with paint and various coverings, so your children can use cardboard for creative purposes such as school projects.
Using images, instructions and methods obtained online, children can make all kinds of objects in cardboard, a few of which are-
Imaginative toys such as a play den, shop front or pirate ship, child’s toy box, dolls house, creative wall art, play kitchen, or playpen.
IN YOUR GARDEN
Weed Protection
Cardboard is an excellent weed deterrent, and those wishing to plant in their garden can put down a layer of cardboard below their soil to prevent weed growth.
One of the most popular cardboard garden ideas is sheet mulching – creating a raised flower bed. Clear the area and then lay down the cardboard and moisten it. Use heavy items to hold it in place and keep the area damp. It is best to do this in autumn so that the area is ready to till by spring. Layer the cardboard with mulch or compost to make an even richer and more nutrient-dense bed. In the spring, simply till the bed, and you can begin planting.
Gardening Pad
You can use a cardboard box square to kneel on when gardening
Use cardboard boxes as planting boxes
Cardboard planting boxes are useful where you have no garden. Simply find a place to hang your planter, poke a few holes in the bottom for drainage, and start planting. This is a great way to garden when you have limited space, as the boxes can be resized to match your available space. These planters are also environmentally friendly, as they fully degrade after your growing season.
Layering compost
Cardboard and paper are great for balancing compost as they are rich in carbon and are great for insulating your compost heap during the winter. Cardboard helps to supress weeds, increase worm activity, and generally improve soil quality. The best cardboard to use for this is either flat cardboard (like cereal boxes) or corrugated cardboard. It is advisable to make sure corrugated cardboard is broken down into small pieces (preferably shredded, but ripped up or cut down will work, as this will help it to degrade faster.
Compost boxes
Tonne bags or builders bags have an open top to provide easy access, and a flat base so it will remain in place on a flat surface. They are ideal for garden waste and garden landscaping materials. They are equipped with four carrying handles.
You can view suitable tonne bags for garden use at-https://www.martinsmillpackaging.co.uk/garden-waste–landscaping-bags–sacks-5497-p.asp
The bags are made from strong woven polypropylene, and are designed especially for heavy duty use and ideal for heavy or sharp items that typically burst through standard bags and are rot-proof and tear resistant.
In addition to being used for garden waste and landscaping materials, tonne bags are highly suitable as compost boxes since they are slightly porous and water can seep out. They can, if you prefer be lined with a slightly smaller cardboard box to keep the bag semi rigid until you fill it with compost. The cardboard box will degrade naturally as the compost develops. Cardboard usually degrades completely in about a year.
We have covered just a few of the possibilities to recycle your unwanted cardboard. Another major feature of recycling is that you would also be helping the planet and we all need to contribute to that!
