The Lowly Envelope
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I’m reading Doris Longacre’s Living More with Less, and while I disagree with some parts, I agree with many others.
On page 23, she talks about the value of re-using envelopes to write on the blank insides. While I don’t really agree with her reasons why, this is something we’ve done. There are several ways to reuse envelopes, and I have my own reasons for thinking this is a good idea. First I’ll share some of the reasons I think it’s a good thing to do, and then I’ll share a few creative ways to reuse old envelopes.
Most of them can be found here, but I’ll summarize a bit.
By re-using your envelopes, you do reduce your trash a bit. You also set an example both for thrift and creativity that I think is good to set for your children. It is a small act, true, but it is a small act that demonstrates competence (you don’t have to go to the store, you can use what you have, you can come up with ways to ‘repurpose’ something other people think is trash) and a certain admirable nonconformity to our throw away society. If you combine cutting open the envelopes with time spent with your children, that’s another plus- children benefit from working along side other family members, and they talk more easily while working with you as well.
H ere are some basic ways to reuse the envelopes:
As your junk mail (or other mail) comes in, put used envelopes or any papers with a blank side in a basket. When the basket is full, you and your children can slit open the envelopes to make larger pieces of blank paper for coloring on, writing shopping lists, taking notes, and other things.
Some of those other things are:
Paper airplanes
origami (you’ll need to cut out perfect squares, a task that develops patience, accuracy in measuring, and accuracy in cutting)
bookmarks (cut them into strips and decorate)
Paperdolls, or paper chains
If you don’t cut open the envelopes, small children can cut corners to make a different kind of bookmark.
Mrs. Happy Housewife shares a pdf file for making sweet little corner bookmarks with nice quotes about books and reading already printed on them.
Another way to make corner bookmarks is just to cut the corners of used envelopes. Slip the envelope corner over the corner of the page you want to mark. Sometimes I use junk mail. Since I always lose my bookmarks anyway, I prefer the junkmail corners. Sometimes I use the corner with the cool stamp from good friends.
Like So.
If you open up your envelopes from the narrow end, small children can also cut them into strips (which become circles as they are closed at each end, color them, and slip the strips over their arms as bracelets. It’s good for children to begin learning to use what’s in their hands.
2 Responses to “The Lowly Envelope”
June 21st, 2008 at 10:23 am
Thanks for the link.
June 23rd, 2008 at 10:33 am
Great ideas! I re-use envelopes to hold my coupons when I go grocery shopping. Just a small thing but every bit counts, right?
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