Junk mail is a pain, isn’t it? No matter how hard we try, something always finds its way through the letterbox: pizza menus, estate agent flyers, free newspapers - the list goes on. Most of the time, this goes off the floor and straight into the recycling bin. If you have a dog, it might end up somewhere else but the less said about that the better.
In the weeks leading up to your house move, junk mail can actually be your friend. There’s no need to spend good money on packaging materials when a lot of it can be sourced from the letterbox. Here are a few unforeseen uses for junk mail.
One newspaper goes a long way. Pull yours apart and get those double spreads separated. Soon enough, you’ll have enough paper to cover a whole corridor, landing or stairwell. This is very useful for when the removal men come, and all of you are marching in and out of the house. A bit of floor protection will ensure nobody stains the carpet, and that you’re not trudging dirt or water where it isn’t needed.
Gather your flyers, kebab menus and leaflets, grab a pair of scissors and get to work making paper strips. Once you’ve cut up all your pieces, scrunch and mix them together to make DIY packing peanuts. These can be used inside boxes that contain fragile items, and stop things from getting bumped around and damaged.
Junk mail can quieten your noisy bottles, trinkets and crockery. Wherever these are packaged, slip some paper in between items to protect them and prevent that awful clanging sound when you’re moving boxes. Those of you moving bottles of wine will be especially glad of this advice!
Finally - and most shocking of all - use your junk mail! When all is said and done, you’ll be exhausted and in need of a well-deserved takeaway. Treat yourself!
So there you have it - a few incentives to save your junk mail and put it to good use. Not only does it save money, but also paper, and in this day and age who doesn’t want to go green?
