Using Scraps of Wrapping Paper
Wrapping paper just seems impractical to me. It always has, but it is just one of those things you are expected to use, so I have. I am considering some other options for the future, but for now I have quite the stockpile of wrapping paper to use that has been purchased on clearance in previous seasons.
In addition to wrapping paper itself seeming wasteful, another thing that has always bothered me is the scraps of paper left after wrapping a present. The paper never fits the box right. You always end up trimming off several inch strips. What do you do with them?
Perhaps this is an example of frugality gone over board, but I just can't stand to throw them away. When I was a kid we always used those scraps to make name tags. We'd cut the scraps into squares, fold them in half, write the two and from on the bottom half, and tape it onto the gift. It does work well, but it doesn't use up all the scraps.
I'm not even using the scraps for name tags this year because for some reason I bought a bunch of name tags last year after Christmas. When those run out, I'd like to try a prettier way to make name tags. Cut out the pictures of last years Christmas cards. Then take the picture, punch a small hole in the corner, write your to and from on the backside, and attach the whole thing with ribbon.
In years past, I've saved the larger scraps of paper for some future unknown small gift that needs wrapped. That hasn't worked out so well. How many gifts do you really have that require a small amount of paper? By the time I actually needed one, the paper was in shambles.
This year I've found a solution to my wrapping scraps issue: use it as packing material for packages I'm sending. I sent all my scraps through the shredder. You wouldn't have to shred them though. You could just wad them up to provide some cushion when packaging.
Then I lined the bottom of the box with the paper.
And put in the goodies. The shredded paper made a colorful and protective packing base. To my astonishment, I did not have enough paper scraps to finish the job, and had to use some other materials, but I was so happy to finally find a use for those scraps!
Do you have any other ideas for how to use up those scraps of wrapping paper?
10 comments:
What a great idea to shred that paper and use it to pack stuff with!
I have used the left over paper in making artist trading cards and in my journals.
Use it to start our fires...
that is an awesome idea!! I love it!
I use the small scrap to wrap small gifts a million times. BwaaHaaHaa! There's nothing more fun than watching a kid, who knows by the shape of the package that it's a video game, have to unwrap and unwrap and unwrap to find out what game it is!
a great idea ~ I too used to save those tiny loing strips of excess paper to only have then scrumpled by the time it was next yr!!
If it is a decent size piece of leftover, I roll it up and put it inside the roll so it doesn't get all wrinked.
That is a great idea!
I use scraps with cute pictures or characters as a crafty solution- I let my kids cut out the shapes and paste them to card stock to make Christmas cards for Grandma and Grandpa.
Thanks for another great idea!
Take Care,
LJ
http://www.mommygetspaid.com/
How about using them as a contrasting strip on a package - this works best if you have one plain paper and one patterned one. Just fold it neatly inot a strip and wrap it around the parcel as if it were ribbon. They you can put a piece of contrasting ribbon on top :)
What great ideas. Why didn't I ever think to store the scraps in the tube to keep them decent? CD mom that is a smart tip!
That's awesome! I use mine for gift tags.
That's a great idea. I could have used it for all the used wrapping paper that my mother had saved & we threw out in total exasperation when we cleaned out the house. (You can't believe the stuff she saved because of her Depression mentality. It was beyond ridiculous.)
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