It’s essential that we protect our information. Shredder machines are great at providing us with a quick and easy way to destroy documents we no longer need. From there, there are many ways that shredded paper can be used to help with other areas of our lives. Exploring alternate ways to using our paper shreddings can save money and be safer for the air and our environment. Here are some surprising uses for paper shreddings that you can apply to your daily tasks.
Fire Starting
Shredded paper is an excellent way to build a flame to start a fire. It offers you an option of using something more natural than accelerants such as lighter fluid, and it has the benefit of disintegrating to ash for an easy clean up. You may want to place shreddings in a cardboard egg carton or paper envelope in order to contain them as you build your fire.
Homemade Paper
Looking for a new and fun craft you can do that gives back to the environment? Consider recycling your shreddings to make your own paper. This is a fun activity that can be done outside when the weather permits. With a tutorial video and the right supplies, you can make your own paper in no time.
Craftwork
Papier-mâché may be something you associate with school projects. But it can be fun after school, too. With papier-mâché, you can make household items such as baskets, bowls, or lamps. For best results, let each layer dry as you add to it. After projects dry, they can be sealed and used! This is a unique way to use your shreddings.
Composting
Recycled and shredded paper is incredibly useful for composting. Mix grass clippings and paper shreddings into a compost bin or garden where there are other carbon materials. As the shredded paper is thoroughly mixed and saturated, it will harden and help suppress oxygen.
Hamster Bedding
Pets in general can get expensive, especially the ones who don’t go to the bathroom outside. A hamster or gerbil cage can stink in a hurry. The use of paper shreddings for bedding inside cages not only can save you loads of money on pet supplies but also offer comfort for the pet. Additionally, it’ll allow you to change out the shreddings more regularly.
Basket Filler
Gift-giving seems like an endless purchasing of tissue paper, doesn’t it? Paper shreddings are a great “filler” for baskets and bags. This way, the negative space is taken up and the gift items are showcased. No one’s going to notice that the basket filler is actually your old documents as long as you use a micro-cut or cross-cut shredder. Strips may be too obvious.
These are simply a few surprising uses for paper shreddings. When purging old paperwork, it’s worth exploring the many ways to repurpose shredded paper. This is a material that’s definitely not worth filling a landfill with since it can benefit us and the Earth in many ways.
