Nobody likes waking up to a mailbox full of trash. But hey, when life gives you limes, make margaritas, right? With that in mind, here are five practical ways to reuse your junk mail:
1. Shred your junk mail and use it as packing material: What could possibly be more evil than junk mail? Styrofoam packing peanuts! They never break down, and even the slightest breeze sends them flying everywhere. Shredded junk mail is a much less messy, more eco-friendly solution.
2. Bedding for small animals: Gerbils, hamsters and other rodents love nothing more than to shred pieces of paper into a nice, cozy bed. Toss them your junk mail, and you’ll make their day. Remember to remove the plastic windows from envelopes before you toss them in the cage. Also, don’t give them junk mail printed on glossy colored paper, as the ink may be toxic.
3. Make your own cat litter: These instructions are for newspaper waste, but if you are feeling particularly industrious and have a backlog of junk mail to get rid of, you could try making your own eco-friendly kitty litter. Most cat litter is made from strip-mined clay, so making your own from junk mail is a far greener choice. Plus, you definitely won’t have to worry about identity thieves stealing your personal information from your junk mail after your cat gets through with it!
4. Mulch your garden: A good, thick layer of mulch keeps weeds down and conserves water in your garden. Shredded junk mail makes excellent mulch. It attracts beneficial earthworms, and over time, it breaks down and enriches the soil. For the sake of aesthetics, you’ll probably want to put a layer of regular mulch on top, but using junk mail for the bottom layers cuts down on the number of bags you’ll have to buy from the garden center.
5. Make Wrapping Paper or Gift Bags: No money to burn on wrapping paper or gift bags this year? Get creative with your junk mail instead! You’ll need white glue, scissors, some colorful, seasonally appropriate junk mail and plain brown paper sacks. Wrap or bag your gift, then decorate the packaging as you see fit.
These ideas are all practical ways to reuse your junk mail. They’re good for the environment, and they might even save you a little bit of money. But you know what’s even better than reusing your junk mail? Not getting any junk mail at all! That’s why Unjunk Mail made it easy to apply to the three most effective Do-Not-Mail lists, all at the same time. To unjunk your mailbox, just click on the link to the right!
About the Author
Author Alison Kroulek is a freelance writer living in Chattanooga, TN. She likes hiking, backpacking, gardening and doing what she can to save the planet.
Can’t say I’ll be buying a hamster to deal with my junk mail. But I love the wrapping paper idea! thanks