What to do with shredded material?

Paper shredders are a great way to ensure that no one will able to steal your private information. But what do you do with the paper once it’s been run through the machine? This article will list what you can do, ranging from the practical (recycling) to the whimsical (Easter basket filling). Keep reading to discover what you can do with your shredded paper.

1.) Recycle! Obviously, the first thing you can do with your shreds is recycle them. This not only gets the waste out of your house, it ensures that you’re doing your part to save the environment. Just be sure to check with your local recycling facility to see if your paper bits can be mixed with other items, such as shredded CD’s, credit cards, and floppy disks.

2.) Packing materialThis is a great way to re-use your shredded documents, especially if you’ve been cleaning out your office before a big move. After all, commercial moving supplies are expensive, especially when you consider that they’ll probably just be tossed after you’re settled in. If you use your shreds, you won’t pay anything for packing material, your old documents will be no more, and your fragile items should arrive at their destination without breaking. It’s a win-win situation all around.

3.) Pet bedding and kitty litterIf you have pets, they can certainly reap the benefits of your having a shredder. Shreds can be used to line pet cages, especially those belonging to birds, mice, gerbils, hamsters, and other small critters. Rodents love to burrow and they’ll love having fresh material in which to do so. You can even use your shreds to line your cat’s litter box. (Just be aware that your kitty might not take to the new litter right away. Cats tend to be picky when it comes to their litter boxes especially if the type of litter is suddenly changed.) A word of advice: you should make sure the paper you use is free of shredder oil and toxic ink, especially since rodents love to chew on their bedding. (And cats have been known to lick weird things.) The goal here is to make your furry friends happy, not make them sick.

4.) Gift bagsWhen it comes time to give that perfect gift, it’s always nice to present it in the best way possible. If you’re using a gift bag, you can fill up the empty space with bits from your shredder. This would look especially nice if the paper was colorful. You can even use the shreds to pad the box your gift is in. This will not only make your gift look great, it will help you save money since you won’t be blowing cash on overpriced products from the greeting card store.

5.) Easter basket fillingIf you have kids and they still believe in the Easter bunny, why not run some colorful paper through your shredder and use it to line Easter baskets? It’s a great way to both please the little ones and recycle stuff that would other wise go in the garbage.

6.) ConfettiConfetti is another one of those items that comes in very handy at certain times (i.e. weddings), but it’s probably also something you don’t want to spend a fortune on. If you have a cross-/confetti-cut shredder, it’s incredibly easy to make your own confetti. You can even make sure it’s the right color and not have to rely on what’s available at the store.

These are just a few of the things you can do with shredded paper. If you use your imagination, you’re bound to come up with some more ideas. Good luck and happy shredding!

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