Highlights
- Congratulations on your successful move! What’s next on the agenda? Unpacking, of course.
- As you keep unpacking, various packing materials will keep building up and up… until you do something about it.
- Here’s the big question: what should you do with your packing supplies after a move?
- Luckily, you have great options for your post-move packing materials. Take a look below.
As you keep unpacking your things after you’ve moved into the new house or apartment, the packing materials will keep increasing in volume and may soon become an issue – another post-relocation problem you’ll need to deal with in a timely manner.
What to do with your moving materials after moving?
- Should you keep them for your next house move?
- Should you try to sell them as a way to get back some money from your initial investment?
- Should you give them away to friends and strangers to help them reduce their moving costs and expenses?
- Or should you just throw them away for recycling?
Read on to get more information about your viable options – 1) keep, 2) sell, 3) gift, or 4) recycle when it comes to your cardboard boxes, bubble wrap, packing paper, and packing peanuts.
So, what to do with packing supplies after a move?
Option 1: KEEP your packing supplies after the move
If you happen to be wondering what to do with your packing materials after a move, it’s useful to know that the first option is to just keep those packing supplies for future use.
In fact, it’s the most logical thing to do as long as your boxes, packing paper, bubble wrap, and packing peanuts have been preserved enough to be reused at a later stage – your next move, of course.
The big question here is why should you sell, give away to friends, donate to charity, or throw away perfectly reusable packing supplies only to have to purchase new ones when the next house move comes around the corner.
Moving boxes
You should definitely keep most of the cardboard boxes that have survived the move fairly intact – flatten out and store the best containers (strongest and cleanest ones) in case you need to move house again in the foreseeable future.
Also, you can use the boxes to store some of the items you’ve just unpacked.
Where to Get Free Moving Boxes: Complete Checklist
Feel free to use some of the cardboard boxes that have barely survived the move in various DIY home projects such as floor and wall protection whenever needed and cardboard backings for framed art.
Also, clean cardboard boxes can provide hours of fun for young children – cardboard costumes, playhouses, castles, forts, mazes, and even puppet theaters.
Cardboard boxes are also safe for animals to play with, so don’t be quick to give them away or throw them away, but think about whether or not you can take advantage of their versatility.
KEEP MOVING BOXES for a future move, storage, home projects, fun, and entertainment for kids and pets.
What to Do With Boxes After Moving: 20 Great Options
Packing paper
Consider keeping all the sheets of packing paper that have not been damaged or stained during the move.
After all, you’re going to need plenty of wrapping paper the next time you get down to packing up your things for moving, so why should you throw away perfectly reusable packing paper?
A good way to store undamaged sheets of white wrapping paper is to place them inside clean plastic bags, seal them off well against dust, moisture, and bugs, and keep them inside one of your storage rooms.
Slightly damaged packing paper is still great for covering floors, walls, and furniture during repair or renovation works, especially when you’re painting a room.
So, before you decide to recycle your packing paper after the move, consider your future needs and do what’s best for you in terms of saving money from having to purchase that type of paper again.
KEEP PACKING PAPER for future packing needs, as well as for floor and wall protection during home renovation and repair projects.
How to Use Packing Paper When Moving
Bubble wrap
Bubble wrap is an extremely versatile packing material that you shouldn’t just throw away.
In fact, you should consider reusing it in many different ways so that it can pay off its initial investment.
First of all, bubble wrap is expensive so unless it is really damaged after you’ve unpacked your fragile things, you should definitely keep the leftover plastic material for a future move.
Also, bubble wrap is an excellent insulator – you can use it to insulate your home (doors, windows, etc.) or insulate your delicate plants during the cold months of the year. When storing handbags, totes, and shoes (especially boots), you can place bubble wrap inside them to prevent them from losing their shape.
Yet, the best thing about keeping most of your bubble wrap sheets is the fun it can bring for small kids and adults alike.
Have you ever heard of bubble wrap painting?
And what about popping away your stress when unpacking in the new home?
KEEP BUBBLE WRAP for future packing needs, home insulation, house and garden plants insulation, fun and entertainment, and of course – stress relief by popping the air bubbles.
How to Use Bubble Wrap for Packing
Packing peanuts
If you’ve invested in packing peanuts – either starch-based ones (degradable) or polystyrene-based foam ones (non-degradable) to protect your fragile items during the move, then you won’t be willing to recycle those peanuts right after the move is over.
In addition to storing them for your next house move – whenever that may be, you can use packing peanuts to form drainage systems in flower pot bases.
Also, Styrofoam peanuts can be used for different fun projects around the house – garlands for the Christmas tree, holiday wreaths, or other types of hanging decorations.
Of course, packing peanuts can provide hours of fun for small kids too – just make sure you supervise your children, for those packing pieces may present a choking hazard.
KEEP PACKING PEANUTS for future packing needs, drainage systems for plants, various fun projects, hanging decorations, and undoubtedly, fun and entertainment for small children.
We used United Van Lines for moving. Some of the moving paper is obviously paper and can be recycled, but some of the moving paper seems to either be plastic coated or plastic. Can these be recycled?
I was just told by a Sanitation company here in Grants Pass, Oregon that I could NOT recycle the moving paper, they said they only accept Newspaper. I have a TON of the paper that they wrap stuff in and I hate to put it in the trash. Why is that?
It’s great you mentioned what foam packaging can do especially when people come to use it–and then afterward would have to dispose of it. The good thing about this is that people can actually do something else with the foam packaging–like they can recycle it by bringing it to a recycling plant, or even give it to people who might be needing it since they’re going to be moving as well. If I had known about this sooner then I wouldn’t have just thrown away the foam packaging I’d amassed after unpacking everything!
Excellent post. I want to thank you for this what to do with packaging informative read; I really appreciate sharing this great post. Keep up your work.first of all thank you so much for this post and honestly I was searching for the same information from last few days. Keep posting and keep sharing.
I appreciate the tips of reusing bubble wrap after moving. My wife and I will have a lot of extra materials left over after we move. We’ll be sure to use these tips so we don’t waste anything.