Handling Packaging - Re-Use & DIY

At Loop, we believe that nothing should be wasted. With a little creativity, everything can be used in a multitude of ways. Packaging is no different! 

Loop loads often contain a lot of packaging, and there are so many uses for it! Here are some ideas of things you can do at home to reuse what you receive in Loop. Use your creativity and come up with ideas that will be helpful for you and your farm!

Plastics

Clamshells (berry containers)

The plastic containers that berries and other produce come in make great seed-starting containers in the spring. Since they already have drainage holes in the bottom they require very little prep work. And by closing the lids you create individual mini greenhouses to keep your plants moist and warm!

You can also use berry containers for cookies! Whip up a batch of your Grandma’s famous chocolate chip cookies, package them up in your clam shells, and deliver them to your friends and family! This can also be a great activity to do with kids. Have them decorate the clam shells, now you have a beautiful (and delicious) handmade gift! 

If you have other plastic containers without holes they work great to freeze small amounts of cookies.

For the crafty Loopers; use larger containers as yarn dispensers! Throw your ball of yarn in one, pull the tail through a hole, and close the lid! The perfect solution to stop your ball of yarn from trying to roll away.

Using small plastic containers to keep your drawers organized is a great way to make use of them as well. Cut the lids off, and use them as dividers in shallow drawers, or leave the lids on and stack the containers in deeper drawers. Quickly jot a note on the lids so you know exactly what is in each container!

Milk Jugs & Soda Bottles

These are very versatile, and a great, eco-friendly way to reuse them is to create bird feeders. By making some holes and adding dowel or wooden spoons you can create a perfect bird feeder like the one depicted below;

Use old milk jugs in coolers! Fill with water, freeze, and place it in a cooler with your food or drinks. It will last longer than loose ice, and keep things cold all day!

You can also use soda bottles to keep snacks fresh longer. Chop off the top third of the bottle, bring the open end of a bag of chips through the top, and put the lid back on. Boom! Now your chips will stay fresh longer, and you won’t have to worry about them spilling in the back of the cupboard.

Cardboard

Large Cardboard Boxes

There are so many ways to use these that we created a whole separate blog post on it! Some of the ways are briefly listed below:

• In the bottom of raised beds
• For starting seeds
• To create weed-free walkways 
• Planting trees
• Supporting compost production

If you would like to read more about these ideas, and many more click here to read about "15 Ways to Repurpose or Re-Use Cardboard Boxes"

Cereal Boxes

Use old cereal boxes to store newspapers and other paper products. Whether you are storing them to recycle eventually, to use for firestarter, or for another purpose, this is a great way to keep your home organized. 

With a little creativity, cardboard boxes can be used in many crafts. Have your kids create little houses, cars, or whatever they can dream up. A little hot glue and cardboard can go a long way!

Cardboard can also be used to create drawer dividers. Cut it into strips, and arrange it as needed! Something like the image below might work for you!

Recycle

Being a Looper you will receive quite a lot of packaging, both plastic and cardboard. Although we encourage you to use as much of it as possible on your farm, you may not be able to properly make use of all of it. If this is the case please recycle it! 

Make sure to check which products can and cannot be recycled. And properly dispose of the products that cannot be recycled.

Some cardboard can become contaminated from food leaking onto it, or because it is covered in wax. In this case, you will most likely not be able to recycle and disposal or composting will be your only options and are totally acceptable.

There are endless ways to reuse and repurpose these packaging products, and with a little creativity, you can come up with brilliant ideas!

Let us know on Facebook, tag us on Instagram, or shoot us an email at support@loopresource.ca to show us your great ideas on how you use packaging, and the other random things you receive in Loop on your farm!