On a shelf in our bedroom, I have a little collection of jewellery boxes.

My jewellery tends to be on the cheap (and/or home-made) kind but every now and then, I get something in a box – either a proper padded ring or earring box, or just a fancy cardboard one.

Given the cheapness of the items (and my laziness), I rarely use the boxes after I’ve got them (as I’ve got a proper jewellery box and a tray to fling cheap bracelets into) but as always, I’m reluctant to throw the little boxes away.

Any suggestions for reuses that would take advantage of the padding? Or do any charities collect them for reuse?

(Photo by nsoup)

John and I are breakfast cereal-fanatics at the moment and are munching our way through box after box of pre-sweetened, chocolate-flavour flavoured puffed nonsense (me) and dull, wholewheat goodness (him).

Most of our favourite cereals come in plastic bags within glossy-printed cardboard boxes so we’re left with a lot of rubbish at the end of each pack.

When I was small, cereal boxes were regularly harvested for their card but I don’t do as much cutting and sticking for fun now – and when I do need some non-corrugated card, cat food boxes tend to be sturdier (if slightly smelling of fish and ash).

As with most paper products, they will compost down but some people worry about the full colour printed designs – some inks are toxic and will leech chemicals into the compost.

Any reusing or recycling for the card sides or the boxes as a whole?

(Photo by simbncn)