Here are a few ways that you can think outside the box.

When I first started this blog, I talked about how I was going to use it as a way to push myself out of my box. I started by quitting my job and moving back in with my parents. I ended by jumping out of an airplane and traveling solo throughout the U.S. and Europe. Well over the past year and a half, I have learned that life is much more fun when you push yourself out of your box.

But it isn’t always easy to define the box you have put yourself in…Sometimes you need a visual representation to get the juices flowing.

Here are three easy ways that you can think outside of the box:

1. Repurpose: Nightstand When I moved to Oregon, I had one goal for my apartment: don’t purchase or collect anything more than the basics. Although I allowed myself a bed and desk, a nightstand was off the list. Instead of purchasing one, I used a box from my roommate Jessie’s Threshold mattress topper! It is extremely durable and its grey and white exterior perfectly matches my sheets. In addition to saving money, when I move out in June, I can just recycle it instead of lugging it around to where ever I get a summer internship. Real talk though: you might get weird looks for using a box as a nightstand. But you know what I say to that? “They just need to think out of the box.”
2. Upcycle: Jewelry Box 
   

   

   During my most recent purge, I decided that I did not need to keep the box to my MacBook Air. When I was emptying it out though, I noticed that the top was really nicely made and was lined with foam. I realized that I could repurpose it as a jewelry box of sorts. I laid my necklaces out and love that they won’t shuffle around or get tangled (especially when my cat starts exploring the cupboards).

3. Reuse: Cat Play House Speaking of cats, ever notice how they usually play with the box the toy comes in? Extend the life of the package your purchases come in by giving it a second use before it goes in the recycling. When ever I get a package, Clea goes crazy with the box. In fact, I have stopped buying cat toys all together. Clea is perfectly happy with boxes, plastic bags, tissue paper, and twisty ties. The best toys are always the free ones.

Whether you are trying to be a good steward to the environment, living in a more minimalist lifestyle, or respecting a budget, there are plenty of easy and fun ways to think outside the box.

-TM

How do you think outside of the box? Let us know below.