What to do with leftover moving supplies?

Once you’re done moving, you’ll likely notice the now-useless piles of boxes, wrapping paper, and the like. Odds are that you dislike them just sitting there and taking up space. So what to do with leftover moving supplies?

There are actually plenty of different answers to that question. Depending on your situation, you can dispose of leftover packing materials in many ways. Before we start listing them off, however, let’s see whether you even need these materials for moving in the first place.

How to not use leftover moving supplies

Are you worried about boxes and bubble wrap cluttering up your living space? If so, you can avoid that concern altogether and hire professional movers. Moving businesses typically use their own resources, which they also take with them once their job is done. They also deal with a wide variety of moves – from senior movers in New York to piano or commercial movers – so they’ll likely know how to handle your situation.

You’ll probably need the help of professionals while moving, either way. If you’re hiring, let’s say, Brooklyn movers to help you across the borough, they’ll handle the job well without you risking injuries or property damage. And the bit about the leftover moving supplies is just a lovely cherry on top, so there’s zero reasons not to hire someone.

Use the supplies for storage

Moving supplies are obviously great for storing stuff. So why not use them for exactly that? Simply use leftover packing boxes to keep other things you can’t find room for.

But if you don’t have room for these things, you may not have the room for their boxes, either. In that case, buying/renting storage facilities would be a great idea. When looking for these, make sure they’re of good quality and not too far from your residence. So if you’re somewhere in Great Kills, Staten Island, for example, searching for storage 10312 would be a safe bet.

Recycle your excess moving supplies

Few issues of today are as hot-button as that of the environment. With that in mind, tossing a pile of styrofoam and plastic outside is a pretty bad idea. Cities like New York even have zero-waste design guidelines to minimize its garbage pileups. Luckily, you can recycle your leftover moving boxes and other materials.

It’s pretty easy to find recycling bins or facilities nowadays. Should you be moving to Staten Island, for example, it’s basically a necessity.  Therefore, you shouldn’t have any problems doing that. Cut up the boxes into sheets to make the carrying and disposing easier. They’re far easier to hold properly when they’re flat. Alternatively, you can use them to carry the paper or wrapping bags and then cut them when you arrive.

Hand over your leftover moving supplies to someone else

So you’re done using your leftover packing boxes and other such materials. But do you perhaps know someone who could make use of them? Mayhaps a friend or acquaintance of yours is moving and therefore needs some relocating supplies. They would definitely appreciate it if you lent them some of yours, especially if they aren’t hiring a packing service in New York or wherever else.

If you don’t know anyone who needs leftover moving materials, though, you can always give them to a stranger. Out of so many people around, chances are someone will notice. Maybe post online that you’re getting rid of them to cast a broader net, so to speak? You might even manage to sell rather than give them, though that isn’t as likely.

Reuse the supplies for decoration or other projects

Here’s a chance to get creative. Cardboard boxes, tape, and styrofoam work really well as materials for various DIY projects. As such, you could try turning these materials into something you can admire at or use.

Ideas for reusing leftover moving materials

The sky is the limit in terms of what you can create from leftover materials for moving. Take a look at some ideas to get your wheels turning:

• cardboard photo frames
• miniature city toy
• dog house
• cardboard lantern
• scratching post
• craft storage (little shelves and such)
• toy cards made of leftover moving supplies
• decorative cardboard letters
• pen/cellphone/notebook holder

Create items for your pets

It’s common knowledge that cats often prefer the package their toys came in than the toys themselves. If you own a pet, why not make their day by letting them enjoy your leftover boxes and supplies? Cat, dog, whatever – there’s at least a lick of joy there for your pet.

Of course, you should make sure that your pet can’t end up hurting itself with its new toy. Get rid of anything it could entangle itself in or bite off and swallow. Tough chewing toys or beds, for instance, are worth your consideration.

Insulate your walls with extra moving materials

Cardboard actually works great as a heat insulator. Seeing that it conducts heat very poorly, it can keep the temperature of a room stable. Not only that, but cardboard is widely available for virtually everyone. And if you’ve just moved, you probably have loads of it at your disposal.

Now, cardboard (or other leftover moving supplies in general) isn’t exactly the most gorgeous looking material in the world, so you may have some qualms about covering your walls with it. While you can decorate it a great deal, you don’t really have to use it in your living room. Why not cover your storage space’s walls with it, for instance? See which room you can afford to not be pleasing in an aesthetic sense.

Keep the stuff for another time

Moving materials have an annoying tendency to be needed when you don’t have them. That fact becomes doubly annoying when you realize that these supplies just annoy you when you don’t use them. Having them around while they’re useless beats not having them when they’re required, though.

By that token, it would be smart to hold on to yours instead of throwing them away. Whenever a good use for your leftover moving supplies arises (moving or whatever), you won’t be caught in a bind.