College is a time when many people learn to be thrifty. It might be due to
apathy, the college culture, a lack of finances, or any combination of these
three. There are some functional ways to reuse packing materials from your
college move
that will save you money and give your new place a more "lived-in" feel.
Boxes
You could just throw your cardboard boxes out, but at the
very least, you'll probably want to hold onto them for
move-out day;
they can be expensive to buy. On top of that, though, there are other uses you
can find for these versatile objects.
- Storage/organization – Dorm rooms aren't the most spacious
accommodations, and that goes for closet/storage space as well. In all
likelihood, you'll be keeping your excess things under your bed or stacked
somewhere to the side of your desk. Use your extra cardboard boxes to organize
books, movies, or magazines and minimize the clutter in your room.
- Extra garbage can – If you are short on waste receptacles in your
room, you could put a cardboard box someplace where you have a lot of paper
waste; food and other wet garbage might destroy it. If you are going to recycle,
this is an easy way to sort your stuff.
- End table – If a box is large and sturdy enough, you can put it next
to a couch or chair and use it as a piece of furniture.
- TV stand – If your TV isn't too heavy, a sturdy box could keep it at
eye level for your viewing pleasure.
Bubble Wrap
If you can keep yourself from popping all of it
after you unpack, you can save your bubble wrap and put it to good use. Here are
a few ideas:
- Laying bubble wrap under your contour sheet could make your bed more
comfortable to sleep on, especially in the case of some dorm mattresses.
- Bubble wrap can be used to protect certain items during shipping. You might
want to keep it around for future use.
- Finals can be a really stressful time. It might be nice to have some bubble
wrap you've saved for popping when you're under a lot of strain.
Other Materials
You might have other
packing
materials left over from your move. Here are some sensible-to-somewhat-kooky
suggestions for reusing those:
- Fill a heavy-duty garbage bag with packing peanuts and: voila! You have a
beanbag chair.
- Stuff your shoes with extra packing paper so they keep their shape even if
they're piled on top of one another. This is especially important for dress
shoes.
- Use packing tape to secure your rugs to the floor, posters to your wall, or
to take care of books whose binding is coming loose.
With a little
ingenuity, you can make almost anything useful. So, before you just throw away
all that extra packing material, try and see the potential in it.
