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The gifts are unwrapped... Are you wondering what to do with all of the wrapping paper laying there before you? Would you like some creative ideas? Here are 15 ways to recycle it, some of these may be brand new to you, others old hat... but my hope is that you'll find at least a few that will help you gain control over your leftover wrapping paper in a jiffy!

15 Ways To Recycle Wrapping Paper

Shred it and use as pretty packing material for future gifts or to pack those eBay sales you plan to make during the new year.
Use it for paper crafts with the kids, children can do wonders with left over paper.
Create book covers for ones that you may want to disguise... I'm not referring to Rudolph-themed papers, but the non-holiday themed papers you may have used like these Indian papers which can look so beautiful around a few select books in your office adding pattern and color.
Cover craft boxes using a thin coat of polyvinyl acetate glue to secure the paper to the box. Paper Source makes a PVA glue that I swear by. While you're at it, cover shoe boxes too!
You can also cover paper magazine holders...
Or a pencil holder!
Create sewing patterns by drawing your design on the white side and cut.
Line the cat's litter box! Really!
Use it for shelf paper in your pantry or closet.
Line your dresser drawers.
Decoupage a chair seat, top of a stool, or the front of a dresser for instance.
Use a craft punch in either a square or round shape and stick the shape to a piece of cardstock in the same shape for firmness, then stick another to the opposite side. Use a hole punch to add a hole towards the top of your shape and put ribbon or string through the hole and tie it onto future gifts or to label foods or craft supplies in your home.
Frame your favorite pieces as works of art.
Decoupage a flower pot.
Lay your favorite pattern beneath a sheet of glass on your desk or coffee table to add color and/or pattern to your room.

If you want to recycle the wrinkled papers left over from presents but feel like all hope is lost -- it's not. Remove all tape and on a flat surface, use your hands to smooth out the paper. Then cut the torn edges off so that you have a rectangular or square piece. You can then set your iron on a very low heat setting and iron the paper on the white side. Of course, please exercise caution -- recycling wrapping paper is the goal, not burning down your home!

What do you do with leftover wrapping paper? Will you use any of these tips above? If so, which ones? Please share your ideas below!

(image: nicoletter who makes lovely wrapping papers)

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