I’m a massive fan of repurposing items and my favourite is recycling old Christmas cards and gift tags.
We all get Christmas cards from friends and family, which is a lovely gesture, but what do you do with them afterwards? There is a way to recycle Christmas cards into something else.
Most Christmas cards and gift tags can’t be recycled because they will have glitter (miniature plastic), bows, embossing etc so will be destined for landfill. You can reuse ribbon / string used from gift tags and presents as they can be reused year after year.
How about giving them another lease of life, even if it is just another year.
Recycling Christmas cards is easier than you think.
Cut the front of the Christmas cards and gift tag, punch a hole through a corner and insert the string / ribbon and voila! A gift tag for next year! Admittedly, you won’t be able to do this for ALL gift tags you get but you can reuse the ribbon / string.
Some of the cards may be too big for a gift tag so you can cut them up into smaller tags. Be as creative as you like.
A really good tip is to collect ribbons throughout the year. You could get them on tags, gifts, clothes as these will come in handy for your gift tags and wrapping presents.
Recycling Christmas cards aren’t the things only you can use to repurpose to make gift tags. My daughter had finished with an activity book and before it went into the recycling, I repurposed the cover into gift tags as there wouldn’t be any writing on the back of it.
There are so many ways to repurpose and recycle old Christmas cards using what you already have; it’s good for the environment and your pocket. Recycling Christmas cards means they don’t end up in landfill.
I don’t think I will need to buy gift tags ever again!
I love buying second-hand and I’ve easily saved a lot of money by doing this. Don’t believe me? Have a look below and see for yourself!
One of the main reason people sell or giveaway their stuff is because it no longer serves its purpose, there’s nothing wrong with it, it’s just no longer needed.
In the UK it’s called secondhand shopping and in America, it’s referred to as thrift shopping.
What is second-hand shopping?
This is where people can buy second-hand items from charity shops raising money for good causes like the salvation army. These items are typically donated by people who who no longer need the items anymore – ideally in good condition although, this isn’t always the case. When charity shops accept these donations, they sell them on to new customer giving the item a new lease of life rather than ending up on landfill. As this practice encourages a circular economy and reduces your carbon footprint, this also reduces the impact the fashion industry is having on our environment. Most charity shops sell second-hand clothes but you can get so much more from second-hand shops; some people donate clothes with the original tags so they haven’t been worn, they’re still new clothes, if you’re in the mood to have a proper look, you can find some unique items too; A while back, I saw a vintage monopoly game. I wanted to get it but changed my mind because I didn’t need it. I’ve even seen musical instruments, kitchen appliances, auto parts and so much more. These items can be bought at a fraction of the cost than buying it in a retail store.
The stigma
A few family members I have spoken to would never dream of buying something second-hand. For some reason, there’s a stigma to it. The thought of buying a pair of jeans from a charity shop that has had a previous owner, they’ll immediately screw up their face as if they’re smelling something really bad. I don’t get it myself, the cars we drive are second-hand and the houses we live in!?
Recently, I managed to convert my Mum to second-hand shopping. I genuinely think that was the first time she had been inside a charity shop and her opinion started changing when I picked up a long skirt (that still had it’s original label for £34.99) for sale at £2. What a bargain! When you think about it, that’s not even second-hand; it hasn’t been worn so it’s actually one of a few brand new items she picked up!
Second-hand doesn’t have to just be clothing; books, gifts, furniture, white goods. Many will be at a lower price. I do draw the line at underwear, I will buy that brand new!
My second-hand finds
My daughter had grown out of her toddler bed and I came across this in a charity shop.
It was previously listed at £125 and was reduced to £85. What a bargain!!
This purchase is from a charity shop for £2.50. It still had the original wrapper on it (it is a set of 4, the orange one is in the car).
I’ve seen these around and they’re about £20 brand new.
A £5 purchase from a local Facebook selling group.
IKEA don’t sell them anymore and I’ve seen other people selling theirs for between £5 and £15.
This was listed on eBay for £50.
I have seen something on various websites on sale for £110.
A personal gem for me from eBay for £28 including delivery.
This is a discontinued set and I’ve seen one of these listed for £100 + P&P
(I’m a huuuuuuuuge Lego fan)
I bought this from a charity shop for £2. It still had the original label on it and I think it was £30.
I bought this for £2 from a charity shop.
I needed a set of drawers and these fit perfectly in my wardrobe.
£10 from a local Facebook selling group. Bargain!
Some really great places are
Local charity shops
Facebook Marketplace
Shpock
Ebay
Boot fairs
Yard sales
Thrift shops
flea markets
Online marketplaces
garage sales
Please do share some of your second-hand shop finds, I would love to see them.
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Have you got things around your home that no longer has a purpose? Do you really need to throw them out or can you repurpose it to use them elsewhere in your home?
Since I’ve been more aware of the things I buy and more importantly, the things I throw in the bin. I can’t help but look what what I’m just about to throw away and ask myself “Can I reuse this somehow?”. I’ve recently noticed that it seems to be automatic.
I’ve repurposed these items into things I actually needed around the house rather than hoarding them and I’m all for sharing my ideas.
Repurposing is all about being creative – use your imagination
We’re going to look at the plastic core you’re left over when you’ve finished a roll of clear tape (some are cardboard cores which can be easily recycled, but not all)
Years ago, I bought a bunch of small clear tape refills and I’ve still got quite a few left. Rather than throwing away unused clear tape (which makes no sense at all) I’m using up what I have before I move towards an eco-friendly alternative.
When the sellotape is finished, what do you do with the plastic core?
They’re quite strong, maybe I could give these to a school for their junk modelling?
Well, I have found a fantastic way to reuse these.
In an effort to reduce my waste, I wanted an alternative to using tin foil or baking paper when I put something in the oven. The answer to this wasteful problem? silicone sheets. The only problem was that these sheets were far too flimsy to store. I needed to find a way to stand them up and take up less space.
And voila!!
My silicone sheets are nice and neat and I found a great use for these plastic cores. Another use for these can be napkin rings. Either way, they won’t be going to landfill! Hooray!
Notice I put them in a big Cadbury’s Hot Chocolate tin? These tins are mixed materials so wouldn’t have been easy to recycle.
When you’re about to throw something away, look at it and ask yourself ‘Can I repurpose this?’
If you repurposed anything and saved it from landfill, we would love to see them
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A milestone in my daughter’s life; she moved from a toddler bed to a single bunk bed. Apart from the excitement of sleeping in a new bed, this also meant a whole new set of bedding; duvet, duvet cover, fitted sheets. For the first time, she got to choose what designs she wanted.
I was eventually left with a problem. What do I do with her old duvet?
I recall a notice at the recycling place stating they don’t accept duvets so my problem now was what I was going to do with it. Putting it in the rubbish and throwing it out wasn’t an option. From learning as much as I have about the environment, I know there is no thing as ‘out’. I put the duvet to some side and put my thinking cap on.
I think it must have been in the cupboard for a few days until I had that light bulb moment. My daughter was sitting on her bed leaning against the bars of her bunk bed and she said the bars were hurting her back as she leaned against them while she was looking at books.
I could make a large cushion! I’ve got loads of Mickey Mouse fat quarters, a sewing machine and pins. I had everything I needed.
I will be honest, I had no idea how to make a cushion. I explored a few videos on YouTube but I decided to go for it. I’m not a professional and it’s for my daughter, it’ll be unique.
It was easier to cut out squares and make the cushion cover to resemble a patchwork cover. That was easy enough, I’ve done that before. However, I’d forgotten how slow this bit usually takes.
But it was worth it.
After a few hours, the cover was finished. I folded up the duvet so I could fit it in the case. I have to say, this did take a while trying to get fit but it worked.
And here’s the finished product. I know it’s not perfect and the edges aren’t quite right but my daughter loves it and now she has a cushion to lean on while she’s reading.
Doing this project made me realise there is a lot of things we throw away that we could re-purpose, if we really thought about it. If you’re up for another project, check out how you can make your own draught excluder from things you’ve already got at home.
If you have a look on the internet, there are so many ideas for re purposing items; old pallets made into planters, plastic bottles into vases, even up cycling old furniture with a bit of TLC.
Have you repurposed something? Share your ideas
UK Eco blogger who cares about sustainable living, loves writing about environmental awareness days, Sustainable living ideas, and self-care the eco way – without judgement
