It’s no secret that cardboard moving boxes are both biodegradable and recyclable. But did you know they are versatile too? Strong and sturdy, your garden variety corrugated fiberboard box may be great for shipping and storage, but it’s also useful around the house, back yard, or wherever you find yourself. Here are some ways to get the most out of boxes you already have lying around the house—all year long.
Winter
For hours of sleigh-riding fun on a brisk winter day, you can save money and get creative by turning a flattened cardboard box (held together with some tape) into your own sleigh. Faster than you know it, you’ll be gliding down those snowy hilltops! If you’d rather stay inside and get crafty instead, use cardboard to create seasonal placemats by cutting it into desired shapes and sizes, covering with wrapping paper or cloth and securing with tape. These DIY placemats are also perfect for wedding or baby showers, birthday parties or just to brighten up the inside when it’s dark and cold outside.
Spring
Get a head start on weed control for your flowerbeds and vegetable garden: Ditch the newspaper or garden weed control burlap and use cut-up cardboard as your weed barrier. Not only will this stop those unsightly weeds from overgrowing and choking your precious plants, it will save you hours of backbreaking labor pulling weeds. Another plus—the cardboard will eventually deteriorate right into the garden soil.
Summer
When the temperature rises, you know it’s time to get those air conditioners out of storage and into the windows. But what happens if you find your unit’s insulating side panels are broken or have holes? You don’t have to revert to expensive foam insulators or buy a whole new unit. You can stuff pieces of cut up cardboard into the frame to block out the hot air and stay cool all summer long.
Fall
What’s on your mind at the first sign of brilliant colored leaves falling from trees and a slight chill in the air? No, not pumpkin spice lattes, it’s Halloween, of course! And this year, why not use one of those empty boxes from your last online purchase to fashion your own show-stopping Halloween costume? With a little imagination, you can turn plain cardboard into a robot, cereal box or even SpongeBob SquarePants! Chances are your original design will not only outshine the overpriced store-bought ones, you may just win first prize!
Creative uses aside, the best way to use cardboard is for storage. Whether you need to pack away boxes of holiday lights or Halloween decorations, or gardening tools and air conditioners, look to Secure Self Storage for the right solution at the right price for all your storage needs.