The Spruce / Valerie de León

Bubble wrap and packing peanuts aren't cheap. You can use towels, sheets, and clothing to protect your breakables, but unless the things you're boxing are squeaky clean, you will have a lot of laundry to do after you unpack.

If you own a paper shredder, shred your paper clutter. Instead of dumping the shredded paper into the recycling bin, use it to cushion blows. To avoid a big confetti-like mess, stuff the paper shreds into plastic grocery bags before using them to pad boxes and fragile items. Remember to tie a knot at the top of each bag to prevent spilling.

Another packing hack: Save your rinsed-out plastic bottles for packing. Plastic bottles in various sizes can be used to stop odd-shaped items from shifting around the confines of boxes.