What to do with packing paper after a move

When moving to a new place, you have the chance to create your dream home – you can choose the type of residence you like the most and the size of dwelling that best suits your needs, furnish it and decorate it to your liking, etc. You can surround yourself with things you love and create your personal haven.

Yet, even if you’ve found the perfect new home for you and your family, immediately after the move it will probably look more like a warehouse rather than a dream abode. There will be piles of moving boxes and pieces of bubble wrap everywhere around the house, packing peanuts and crumpled paper will be scattered throughout the space, etc.

You won’t be able to arrange your new place and make it feel like home until you get rid of the boxes and other packing materials lying around – you need to deal with the mess first.  Just throwing everything in the trash, however, is not an option – at least, not a good option. There are much better ways to dispose of packing materials after a move.

We’ve already provided some suggestions on how to recycle moving boxes and what to do with bubble wrap after moving. But what about packing paper? Should you recycle it all after the relocation? Can you reuse it somehow?

Here are some useful ideas on what to do with used packing paper when your move is over:

How to reuse packing paper after moving

Like most paper products, packing paper is easily recyclable, so you can simply take it to the recycling bin when you’re done unpacking. Yet, recycling perfectly good paper seems like a real waste – there are so many things you can do with it instead:

1) Use it around the house

Used packing paper can come in handy in various activities and projects around the home:

• Protecting furniture and floors from paint and debris during repair works and crafting projects – Cover the floors, walls, furniture pieces, kitchen appliances, and other items in your house with sheets of packing paper whenever you undertake a DIY home project – the thick paper will keep your household surfaces and items clean and safe from minor damage like scratches and scuffs;
• Making disposable table covers – Cover your table with packing paper when eating a messy meal – the paper will not only keep the table clean, but will also make cleaning up after the meal fast and easy (all you’ll need to do is fold up the paper from the edges and dump the “package” in the trash);
• Cleaning windows – Use unprinted packing paper to clean windows and other glass surfaces in your home – it will help make the glass sparkle and won’t leave lint behind (unlike paper towels and cotton cloths);
• Keeping shoes and hats in shape – Stuff wadded up pieces of packing paper inside your shoes, hats, purses, etc. while they’re not being worn to help them keep their shape. The paper will also absorb any moisture from your shoes and prevent odors and mildew;
• Lining pets’ cages – You can line a bird’s cage with sheets of packing paper, shred the paper to create hamster bedding, etc. (Packing paper is perfectly safe for your pets as it is not printed with toxic ink.);
• Lining shelves and drawers – Lay sheets of packing paper on the bottom of kitchen cabinets and underneath pantry items to protect the furniture from spills and stains. It is a good idea to line your dresser drawers and desk drawers with packing paper as well – it will help keep moisture away from your clothes and office supplies;
• Taking notes – Cut packing paper into pieces and stack them by the telephone for jotting down messages, addresses, phone numbers, etc.;
• Cushioning items – Whether you’re preparing a care package or storing holiday decorations in a box, crumpled packing paper can provide perfect cushioning to your items. You can also use packing paper for wrapping things, of course;
• Protecting your car windshield from ice and snow – If you need to park outside during the winter, be sure to lay some packing paper on your car’s windshield (place the wipers over the paper to keep it in place) – no matter how much snow falls, you will be able to remove it all in one fell swoop by simply lifting off the paper. And the windshield will be completely free of frost;
• Lighting a fire – Packing paper is a good kindling and can be safely burned in a fireplace.

2) Use packing paper for gardening purposes

Packing paper can be put to good use around the garden as well:

• Making compost – Shred the packing paper or tear it into strips and add it to your compost bin. Paper is considered a “brown” composting material (carbon-rich material) that provides the energy microbes need to thrive. You need some “green” material (plant matter) to provide nitrogen proteins for the microbes to eat and multiply, as well. In general, it is a good idea to have about 4 times as many browns as greens in your compost pile, though the proportion may vary. Be sure to add some water and turn the pile every once in a while – in a couple of weeks, you’ll have homemade soil conditioner and organic fertilizer for your garden;
• Making garden mulch – Tear packing paper into strips and put a layer around the base of each plant in your garden (leave enough space around the stems to allow water in). Cover the paper with grass clippings, leaves, and soil. The paper will block weed seedlings from sprouting through and will eventually break down and enrich the soil;
• Speeding up the ripening process – If you want some fruits or vegetables to ripen up more quickly, simply wrap the individual pieces in packing paper and store them in a cool, dry place. They’ll be ready to eat in no time;
• Creating seedling pots – Fold packing paper to create bowl shapes for potting soil and seedlings – paper bowls are perfect for the purpose since they provide good drainage and aeration (just be very careful when watering the seedlings or moving the paper pots around as they can easily break apart). What’s more, paper pots are biodegradable, so you can plant them directly into the soil once the seedlings have sprouted.

3) Use packing paper to provide entertainment for your kids

All packing supplies can offer hours of fun and entertainment, but packing paper is especially good for art projects:

• Flatten the crumpled paper as much as you can and let your kids paint and draw on it;
• Cover your dining table with packing paper to turn it into a no-mess kids’ art table;
• Cover books, textbooks, and notebooks with packing paper to keep them clean and protected while your children are using them. Your little ones can draw pictures or put stickers on the plain paper covers to make them more attractive and to make it easier to differentiate the books from one another;
• Use packing paper for paper mache crafts;
• Weave paper baskets from brown packing paper;
• Make paper hats for your family members to wear while working or playing in the yard during the summer, etc.

You can think of many other ways to reuse packing paper after moving, of course – your creativity is your only limit.

It is also a good idea to store clean and undamaged sheets of packing paper for your next move (just place the sheets inside clean plastic bags, seal them well against moisture, dust, and bugs, and keep them in one of the storage areas in your home) or give them away to someone who is about to move house (friends, neighbors, coworkers, etc.). You can even offer them for free to anyone who might need them via sites like Craigslist and Freecycle. Thrift stores may also accept used packing paper (for wrapping up fragile items when they’re sold).

See also: What to do with packing materials after moving

How to recycle packing paper

If you can’t find any usage for the packing paper you used during your move, you need to get rid of it. Undoubtedly, the best way to dispose of packing paper is to recycle it.

Is packing paper recyclable? Unlike fancy wrapping paper that is often laminated or glitter-decorated and cannot be recycled, simple white or brown packing paper is fully recyclable. Just put it into the blue recycling bin or take it to the nearest recycling center. (It’s a good idea to contact the local waste management company to get more information about how the curbside collection scheme works in your new place in order to decide how to recycle your used packing paper.)

So, what to do with packing paper after moving? You can store it for future use, give it away to someone who needs it, reuse it for various purposes in your new home, or have it recycled – the choice is yours. Pick the option that best suits your needs and circumstances, so you don’t waste time, money, or resources after the move – and so you can successfully turn your new place into the home of your dreams.