How to use your extra Amazon boxes to give back this holiday season

A cardboard box may seem unimportant once it's emptied of exciting purchases, but now you can use those boxes to make a difference in the world.

Amazon and Goodwill have teamed up to remind shoppers of "Give Back Box" — a no-cost program that allows people to donate to Goodwill via mail by reusing their extra cardboard boxes.

The purpose of the program, started by Monika Wiela, is to "provide an effortless and convenient method of donating," while also giving cardboard boxes a second life, as written on the Give Back Box website.

Rather than tossing boxes in the recycling bin, simply fill them with clothes, shoes or household items you're no longer using, and donate them for free.

The program has serious environmental, social and economic benefits and shipping is as easy as printing out a label from GiveBackBox.com and dropping off your box at a UPS store or post office.

You can even request a UPS pick up at your house when downloading the label.

Though there are several restrictions, such as not being able to donate electronics through the program, the boxes have no weight limit and, thanks to the "No Box Left Behind" philosophy, you can use any box to ship, not just ones from partners of the program.

Donations will be sent to the closest Goodwill participating in the program.