Mom shares brilliant gift-wrapping hack for creating stunning gifts on a budget: 'This works great'

TikToker Sonya (@sonya_heath) had a great suggestion for making the most out of a common household item. 

The scoop

"I love to recycle and reuse some of last year's paper, boxes and bags, but sometimes I end up with an odd number of box lids," Sonya wrote in the video caption. "If I need a small box for a small gift, I just repurpose one of those lids to make a smaller box!"

@sonya_heath I love to recycle and reuse some of last year's paper, boxes and bags, but sometimes I end up with an odd number of box lids. If I need a small box for a small gift, I just repurpose one of those lids to make a smaller box! This is super simple to do, and it only requires you to have an old box lid, scissors and tape! Do you re-purpose and reuse any of your old Christmas wrap or boxes? #christmasgifts #giftwrapping #giftgiving ##makeyourownbox##reusechristmasdecor##wrappingtips ♬ Christmas Is Coming - DM Production

Sonya then described how with a few folds, a few cuts, and some double-sided tape, you can turn a box lid into a fully contained box in its own right. Of course, it's about half the size of the original box, but that's often still big enough for gifts such as hats, gloves, and scarves. 

How it's helping

This hack is a great way to manage your holiday wrapping without having to run to the store to get a fresh box for a small gift. It's more than just convenient and a way to save a few bucks on a new box, though. 

Reusing items helps keep them out of landfills just a little while longer. Cardboard in particular can produce pollution when left to rot. Thankfully, cardboard recycling is efficient, but if you can reuse the material a few times first, it puts off using energy in the recycling process. Cardboard manufacturing requires loads of energy and resources, too. Using what's already at hand prevents the need for burning through virgin materials. 

There are a lot of opportunities to minimize the need for new packages or wrapping paper for gifts. One clever TikToker even used scarves, basically wrapping a gift in a gift. Learn more ways to reuse containers with our guide.

What everyone's saying

Commenters loved Sonya's suggestion for how to recycle box lids. 

"Very creative," one said.

"This works great!!!" another chimed in. 

Which of these factors would most effectively motivate you to recycle old clothes and electronics? Giving me money back 💰 Letting me trade for new stuff 👕 Making it as easy as possible ⚡ Keeping my stuff out of landfills 🗑️ Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

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