Mom shares brilliant way to transform old Christmas box lids: 'It works so well'

TikToker dani_sadler (@dani_sadler) demonstrated a post-holiday hack you can use any time of year: Turn those empty gift box lids into a full box.

The scoop

This hack is simple and only requires a used gift box and a pair of scissors. All you have to do is fold the box lid in two directions and make a couple of cuts in the middle. The final result is one foldable container similar to a pizza box.

@dani_sadler This is the best gift wrapping life hack I've ever come across and now I do it all the time! Turn a lid into a full box! #lifehacks #christmas #christmasgiftwrapping #boxlidhack #quicktips #fyp #giftwrappinghacks ♬ Ultimate life hacks - Kelly | The Life Bath

"I do it every year! Makes those clunky clothing boxes so much more useful," the TikToker wrote in the comments. "It works so well!"

How it's helping

The holidays usually mean spending time and exchanging gifts with family and friends. However, once people open those gifts, it usually means a lot of waste is left behind. According to the EPA, the amount of waste an American household produces between Thanksgiving and New Year's Day increases by 25%. 

However, you can reduce the amount of packaging going to landfills after the holidays by getting smarter about your recycling options. Cardboard and paper products are highly recyclable if they're not lined with plastic. Take those lined with plastic and re-purpose them for another gift box container as shown to extend its life as long as possible. 

Create foldable boxes for birthdays, showers, or Christmas gift packing for the upcoming year, and avoid spending money on new ones. Get even more creative and use them as material to create holiday decorations you can keep forever.

Shred and use plain paper or cardboard Christmas gift boxes for the garden compost or as part of the lasagna mulching technique to add extra nutrients to the soil. Some local charities and thrift stores like Goodwill will also take them if they're still in good condition.

As of 2019, only as much as 56% of the over 121 million tons of cardboard and paper waste went into landfills, according to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. Decorations, foldable boxes, mulching, or calling your local recycling pickup are several ways to avoid adding to this statistic. You also protect the oceans from pollution — while cardboard dissolves faster than plastic in these waters, it still contributes to debris and poses a choking risk to animals.

The holidays may leave you with so many gifts you don't know what to do with. If regifting isn't an option or you decide to do an end-of-the-year cleanout, recycling through various green organizations can help. Trashie and ThredUp will help you do post-holiday decluttering and give you money or store rebates for your donations, ranging from clothing to home goods. After unwrapping some new shoes from under the tree, trade in old sneakers through GotSneakers for cash.

When you think about a product's packaging, which of these factors is more important to you? The way it looks The information it provides The waste it produces I don't think about packaging at all Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

What everyone's saying

Commenters seemed to be impressed with this post-holiday hack.​​ People posted thumbs-ups and smiling skull emojis, and one person said, "I need this in Mary Kay!!"

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