Recycled Gift Wrap: Creative Ways to Reuse Brown Packing Paper

 

Anyone else a Prime Member on Amazon?

I had originally signed up on the free 30 day promotion, and ended up keeping the 1 year subscription after being billed. Considering you can buy virtually anything on Amazon and get "free" unlimited 2 day shipping, I have been buying everything from books, appliances, and garden seeds, to groceries and 50 lb. bags of dog food! All with freeeee shipping! I have already earned all my money back. Oh not to mention, Prime member free eBooks, and movies to watch.

Okay, I need to stay on topic. I didn't post this to sell you to Amazon Prime membership. I actually wanted to point out that I have been getting a LOT of paper in my Amazon shipments. I've noticed in my shipments they use wads and wads of brown paper to protect the packaging (instead of bubble wrap) and I've started to smooth out the paper and roll it onto some old boards I've had leftover from my bolts of fabric.

 

 

Some of the paper I've smoothed out has been up to 4 yards long uncut. That's 12 feet long of quality brown paper.

 

One of my projects is turning the packing paper into wrapping paper. With crayola, I can make birthday paper, Christmas paper, or any other type of occasion. Any other ideas on what to do with the paper? Again, this is all freeeee stuff from my Amazon Prime membership.

More Ways to Reuse Packing Paper

Brown packing paper is surprisingly useful around the home and garden. Instead of throwing it away, consider giving it a second life. Here are a few ideas:

• Make homemade gift wrap and decorate it with stamps, ribbon, or hand-drawn artwork.
• Use it as packing material when mailing fragile items.
• Protect tables and floors during painting or craft projects.
• Place sheets under pumpkins or melons in the garden to help keep fruit clean.
• Shred it for compost or use it as a carbon source in the compost pile.
• Line shelves or drawers.
• Start campfires or fireplaces.
• Let children use it as a giant coloring page or craft paper.

One of the principles of homesteading is finding value in things that might otherwise be thrown away. A simple roll of packing paper can become a useful household supply instead of another item headed to the trash.