So we gave you some great tips on things that could be recycled into gift wrapping, but what do you do with all the wrapping you’ve received from others? Most wrapping paper isn’t able to be recycled because of dyes and various fibers added to the paper. Rather than tossing it out, you might be looking for creative things to do with the paper.
Here are 10 tips on recycling gift wrapping:
1. If you received gift bags, versus wrapped gifts, you’re in luck! Gift bags are easy to reuse each year, meaning you won’t have to search for clever ways to wrap your friends and family members’ gifts. You simply need to pull out bags from the previous year and there you go! Gift bags are also great for toting things about: your lunch, an extra change of clothes or jacket, baby diapers, you name it.
2. Book covers! When we were in school, we loved cutting up paper grocery bags and using them to make book covers that we could then decorate with such great slogans as “I love Scott!” with squiggly hearts all around it. But wouldn’t it be fun to give your books a bit of festive flair during the holiday season?
3. Shred it. No, we’re not talking about snowboarding or anything cool like that. We were thinking more along the lines of using a paper shredder to make colorful filler for gift baskets and that need to be mailed.
4. Kid project: Paper Dolls. The wrapping paper can be used to make garlands of paper dolls to hang up in your kids’ rooms, or they can be used to cut out little holiday outfits for the paper dolls (you don’t think they’re happy hanging up all naked, do you?).
5. Use it for scrapbooking. When you’re putting together your holiday scrapbook, use pieces of wrapping paper as background for your pictures, frames, text boxes, etc.
6. Thank you cards. Cut a piece of wrapping paper twice the size of an index card. Tape or glue the index card to the inside, bottom and fold the other half of the wrapping paper over the index card to make the cover of the card. Write your note on the index card. You can use these cards to send thank you notes to the people who gave you the gift. If you’re really feeling clever, you can use the paper to line the inside of your envelope as well. With the flap of the envelope opened, sit it on the wrapping paper and trace the shape of the envelope. Cut the wrapping paper about ½ inch smaller than the envelope tracing. Tuck the wrapping paper into the envelope and glue it down.
7. Make a wreath. Seriously…wreaths can be made from anything!
8. Make reusable holiday gift boxes. For next year’s gifts, prepare your gift boxes in advance! Take shoe boxes and wrap the bottom and top of the box individually with wrapping paper. You’ve got a beautiful holiday gift box that can be reused year after year. When the paper finally does tear there will be plenty of other wrapping paper scraps to redo your holiday gift box.
9. Origami. ‘Nuff said. OK, one more thing to say: here’s a cute little chicken in an egg origami that we would like to recommend you use your wrapping paper on, because it’s very cute. And we like cute. OK, now ’nuff said.
10. Sewing patterns. Draw the pattern pieces on the blank side and cut out.
