Tips for Reusing Old Magazines
Photo by Jason Deines
Mife wife and I love magazines, and even the occasional clothing catalog. Magazines offer a wide range of content with visually appealing layouts. Depending on your interests they can be entertaining, informational, inspirational, and connect like-minded groups of people. Magazines offer a break from screen time and can be a great way to relax.
When it comes to being eco-friendly, magazines probably aren’t the best medium for articles and information. Fortunately, many publishers are taking the lead and publishing magazines using recycled paper and implementing sustainable distribution methods.
Many people recycle their magazines or donate them to libraries, schools, or other organizations to reduce waste. But have you considered DIY paper crafts?
Wrapping paper: Use colorful pages from magazines as wrapping paper for small gifts, especially for those who appreciate unique wrapping.
Art projects: Use pages from magazines as a background or for texture in your artwork.
Donate them to schools or libraries: Many schools and libraries would appreciate receiving magazines for their students or patrons to read.
Make bookmarks: Cut out interesting or inspiring images and laminate them to make durable bookmarks. Amazon has many great choices for laminating pouches and tassels to bring your bookmark to life without breaking the bank.
Decoupage: Decoupage is a crafting technique that involves gluing paper onto objects to decorate them. Use cut-out images from magazines to decoupage furniture, boxes, or other items. Mod Podge has a great decoupage starter kit.
Collage cards: Cut out images from magazines and glue them onto blank cardstock to make personalized cards for different occasions.
Cover textbooks: Use magazine pages to cover and protect textbooks, notebooks, or other books.
Make paper beads: Cut magazine pages into thin strips, then roll them up tightly and glue them to make colorful paper beads for jewelry or decorations.
Cut out interesting images, words, and designs from old magazines and use them to make collages, scrapbooks, or other paper crafts.
Recycle: Recycling magazines is a great way to reduce waste and minimize the environmental impact of these publications. It's important to follow local recycling guidelines and to be mindful of any special requirements for recycling glossy or coated paper.
