How many times have you had an epic gift unwrapping session and simply lobbed your wrapping paper straight in the general waste bin? Most people do this and it’s such a shame; if you are willing to take a little time and care, you can do so much more with your leftover paper.
I want to change these habits and show that your leftover customizable wrapping paper and gift wrapping has multiple uses, and can be put to good use even when you have unwrapped it to get to your eagerly awaited gifts inside.
Below, I look at what to do with leftover wrapping paper including recycling, storage, and even turning it into decorations - enjoy!
Reducing Waste and Repurposing Wrapping Paper
The main aim of utilizing leftover wrapping paper is to reduce your waste and make sure that every part of the wrapping paper roll or sheet is used.
You can first accomplish this by reducing waste when wrapping gifts. Try not to mismeasure, and make sure that you are using just the right amount of paper so that there are no scraps or cutoffs.
Failing that, as you will see below, you can repurpose your leftover wrapping paper so that if you do have some spare from a sheet or a roll, it won’t simply be thrown away.
Storage and Organization
When looking at what to do with leftover wrapping paper, storage is usually the issue. People simply don’t know where to put it! Right now, I have a couple of rolls of wrapping paper stuffed behind a shelving unit in my third bedroom for example!
So that you can protect the wrapping paper and use it again, take a moment to create a proper storage solution. You then know where it is, can keep the different rolls organized, and keep them together ready for the next gift-giving occasion!
The simplest storage method is to use a plastic bin or storage container that sits on the ground. You can then stand your rolls of customizable wrapping paper and Christmas wrapping paper up. These bins are easy to access and you can place them next to your craft workstation or office desk.
Alternatively, you could create a gift wrap station as seen in our guide on how to store wrapping paper like a pro!
Make Wrapping Paper Decorations
Aside from storage and recycling, your premium wrapping paper can also make fabulous decorations and crafts including:
- Greeting cards and gift tags.
- Homemade envelopes.
- Decorative book covers.
My mum has used wrapping paper to create gift tags many times and this is something I always look forward to at Christmas. They create perfect gift tags and you can make them whatever shape and size you want. The reverse side of the paper is also easy to write on.
Similarly, if you have a template, you can turn leftover wrapping paper into homemade envelopes! These stand out from the typical blank white envelopes we have and they add a dash of color and style to your cards and letters.
During my school years, I used to use wrapping paper to cover my schoolbooks too, to protect them. Everyone in the class would do this and I remember using soccer wrapping paper. You can do this with your notebooks and book collection to protect them and brighten your study or bookshelf.
Donate to Your Local Community
Perhaps you have a charity shop in your neighborhood that would benefit from wrapping paper? They always appreciate donations regardless of the content and the wrapping paper could be used to make displays, or so that they could offer a gift-wrapping service with purchases.
Similarly, maybe there is a local community center, arts and crafts workshop, or a local church that could use the wrapping paper. Organizations like this often have craft sessions with children and leftover gift wrapping would come in handy!
You could always place messages on local social media groups too, to see if anybody could benefit from the wrapping paper.
Recycling and Eco-Friendly Disposal
If you don’t fancy creating decorative items or donating to local organizations, the least you can do is either dispose of the leftover wrapping paper in an eco-friendly way or recycle it.
Most types of wrapping paper can be placed in recycle bins unless they contain plastic components like glitter. So, instead of placing leftover wrapping paper in your general trash bin, recycle it and make sure that it can be used again!
Wrapping Paper Doesn’t Have to Be Thrown Away!
We have to get out of the habit of simply throwing our gift wrapping away in the general waste bin! As you can see from the above, there are so many other things you can do with leftover wrapping paper!
Even if you aren’t interested in making decorations or organizing your wrapping paper, you can still dispose of it responsibly and make sure it is recycled to minimize your environmental impact!
