• Tips on cardboard use are practical.Stack of boxes image by Allen Stoner from Fotolia.com
  
  Cardboard is so much a part of life that many do not think about it much. It is fairly normal to dispose of it or recycle it when possible. However, you may not like to waste anything. If you are interested in tips on how to reuse cardboard, many ideas are available.
  
  

Storage

• An old, but sturdy box of any size or shape is transformable into a pretty storage container. Pick an interesting fabric or use an old printed tablecloth or sheet. Glue fabric to every side of the box. If it has a lid, cover it, too. Decorate the covered box with bits of lace, old buttons or any embellishment item. Now you can store your treasures and give an old box a new and useful life.
  
  

Shipping

• An old cardboard box works well as a shipping carton. Also, you can wrap the items that you send in cardboard from old cereal, granola, cat food or many other consumer products. Extra cardboard wrapped around the things that you are sending adds protection. Spare cardboard, tucked around empty spaces, prevents movement during shipping as well.
  
  

Patterns

• Cardboard is perfect for making patterns for templates. Trace and cut the pattern out of cardboard to make patterns for other craft projects such as woodworking or quilting. The patterns, when labeled and placed in envelopes, are easily stored in the boxes that you already made for storage purposes.
  
  

Household

• Some simple uses for cardboard are very practical. Use old shoe boxes in drawers to store socks, underwear and scarves. Cardboard puzzles are easy to make as well. Glue a picture to cardboard and cut it up into puzzle pieces. You can also make mulch for garden areas. Lay cardboard down, soak it with water and cover it with weeds, leaves and grass clippings.