Moving is usually an emotional time and chances are you won’t be in the mood (or even have the energy) to make big decisions about anything. The truth, however, is that in the rush of packing boxes and getting ready to leave, you’ll probably end up taking things that you don’t want, need or even remember owning.

If you can plan your move in advance, a good way to make things easier on you (and save you money in the process) is to go through your belongings and get rid of everything you don’t consider essential. If you haven’t used it in a while, it’s broken or has no sentimental value, there’s no reason to cart it along to your next destination.

The process of discarding things should be quick. If you dwell too long on your decision, you’ll have a harder time letting go. Give yourself five seconds to decide whether you want to keep an item or not. If you hesitate, chances are you don’t really want it.

Have a few cardboard moving boxes set up and mark them with the words Trash, Recycle, Donate, Keep. As you go through your closet, kitchen cupboards or storage bags in the garage, quickly put items in specific moving boxes and then keep moving on to the next item. Once a box is full, resist the temptation of looking inside and instead just close it and put it away.

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Get quality moving boxes that can be reused again and again for storage and moving.

So you have just finished unpacking but your new home still seems cluttered from all those packing boxes. From grade school we’ve had those three words engrained into our brains; reduce, reuse, recycle. Naturally you feel a bit guilty about the thought of putting your moving boxes in the dumpster. But relax, here’s a list of some easy and creative ways to salvage those cardboard boxes:

Right away the first thing I think of is how kid friendly moving boxes can be. Actually they might become pretty antsy while they wait for their toys to be unpacked, so this is something you might want to give them to do in the yard to keep them busy while you are unpacking. Give them some markers or paint and they will create a rocket ship or playhouse that will amuse them for days. You can glue a picture to a section of cardboard and using a sharp utility knife, cut it into shapes to make a cool puzzle. If you have an hour, spend it with your children making crafts, it will get them to use their imagination and can be educational. Some cool ones can be found at enchantedlearning.com/crafts/box, and mycraftbook.com/list.asp?subcategoryid=50. Your used bubble wrap can also be used to make 3D collages but should be used with adult supervision.

-Cardboard boxes can be used as temporary trash bins while getting organized in your new home. Although, it can be made into your permanent recycling bin if you want to be even more resourceful.

- In my home, cardboard boxes are used as storage bins, and to hold household items such as magazines or toys.

- If you own a fireplace it can be used for fire kindling.

-Use cardboard in your compost. It is decomposable and is beneficial to garden soil.

-Old bubble wrap can be placed at the bottom of your produce drawers. It is easy to clean, and will be helpful in keeping your fruits and vegetables from bruising.

Of course moving boxes can always be stored and reused for its original purpose. Save them for when you need to mail packages. Post an ad on Craigslist.org in the “free stuff” section, I’m sure they will be promptly taken away. If you live on a college campus, you can always find a student or classroom in need.

According to the American Forest and Paper Association, 90% of all products are shipped in corrugated boxes in the United States. As a result cardboard boxes make up almost 14% of the nations municipal solid waste. It’s easy to think of different ways to reuse boxes instead of throwing them out. Be sure and help boxes reach their full potential.

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