During the hectic holiday season, it’s common to become inundated with junk mail and packaging materials from placing gift orders online. The inevitable shopping spree that takes place makes consumers vulnerable to receiving seasonal catalogs and mailers from brand name stores. Although you might refrain from adding your name to mailing lists and choose to view deals from Web-based catalogs, you still may get caught in the marketing crossfire. Fortunately, there are some ways to reuse and recycle mailers and catalogs.

Reuse tips for holiday junk mail

Instead of getting bummed out when you see more holiday catalogs and mailers arrive in the mail, you can take the opportunity to practice reuse and recycling. If you want to rid yourself of these items before they accumulate on your desk, recycle catalogs, magazines and mixed papers (e.g., direct mail, envelopes, home and office mail, etc.). Most paper products are recyclable, but it’s a good rule of thumb to check with your local recycling service. For more creative minds, try reusing these materials. You can shred catalog pages and other junk mail and create packaging material, which can come in handy when shipping holiday gifts to loved ones. Storing extra for use throughout the year can also save you money so you don’t have to buy bubble wrap or tissue paper.

Old journals, notebooks and folders can be renovated to look new by designing the torn front and back cover with clippings from the holiday cards, catalogs and advertisements. Also, remember that handmade gifts are from the heart, and you can arrange family photographs along with cutouts from the mailers. Another neat idea is to fold the paper into an origami garland to add to your home décor. Some other easy ways to reuse junk mail include making gift tags for presents by cutting out various letter sizes and shapes, wrapping presents or storage boxes in the brightly colored paper and customizing bookmarks for friends and family. As long as you have scissors, glue and know some basic origami folding techniques, you can turn junk mail into a variety of impressive items. Use your imagination to surprise loved ones with eco-friendly gifts and homemade decorations.