So, you’ve wrapped mountains of presents and your little ones have torn through what appears to be forests of paper... what should you do with it all now? Well, you could carry it to the recycling bin in armfuls, but it might be fun to try some arts and crafts first. Here are a handful of clever ways of using leftover wrapping paper - many of which are fun activities for little ones to try… perfect for long, grey days this winter.
Create homemade confetti
If you own a paper shredder, consider turning your leftover wrapping paper into festive confetti for new year's celebrations. Just take your leftover paper, fold it over a few times until it’s the appropriate thickness for your shredder, then feed it through. Of course, it will be a little messy to clean up on New Year’s Day... but that’s what a dustpan and brush is for!
Protect precious items
But if you don’t want to throw paper confetti everywhere? Use shredded paper as packing material, perfect for stashing your fragile Christmas decorations away: you can nestle glass ornaments or nativity pieces into generous piles of it to keep your treasured decorations safe and sound until next year.
Makeover your cupboards
If you have wrapping paper that’s simply too pretty to throw away, why not use it to jazz up your furniture? You can carefully apply it to the inside of cabinets for a bright pop of pattern and colour, doing the same for your chests of drawers (lining the base of each drawer with paper), or applying it to the backs of bookcases - perfect for children’s bedrooms.
Frame it
If you have a part of a roll leftover and it’s in good condition, carefully lay it out and fit it into a frame. It’s an inexpensive way to create artwork for your home, and it will doubtless stand out from the crowd as you’ll own something that’s one of a kind.
Use it to wrap books
If your children are stuck indoors over the school holidays, try this craft idea to keep them entertained without the TV on. Leftover paper will make a notebook feel that little bit more special with its very own wrapping-paper sleeve.
Try your hand at origami
You don’t need special paper to perfect your origami skills, and who knows - perhaps you’ll find you’re pretty good after some practice… especially if you’ve had enough of the Christmas TV schedule. It’s a great craft for little fingers to try too: the folding, rotating and pinching helps to refine children’s fine motor skills.
Make bookmarks
Cut a rectangle from a cereal box and wrap it neatly in your leftover wrapping paper. It will make a stylish bookmark (that no-one else will own) for your favourite novels - a great idea if one of your new year’s resolution is to read more books.
Jazz up your homemade pen pots
Finally, why not try using your leftover wrapping paper for a new office accessory? You can make pen pots from empty tin cans, ensuring they’re as pretty as can be by carefully wrapping them with paper. It’s a great way to add a pop of colour and pattern to your office, and it’s the perfect start to the new year if you’d like to be more organised. So, will you and your children be trying any of these craft ideas? We’d love to see what you do with your leftover wrapping paper, so tag us on social media using #SophieAllport so we can admire your crafty creations.