10 neat ways to reuse paper at home

Paper is one of the most ubiquitous materials in the world. It’s used for everything from writing to printing, and it’s hard to avoid, but there are environmental considerations that make paper use something to think about. The average home uses a lot of paper, and most people would probably never think of using a used sheet of printer paper or a piece of notebook paper for another purpose.

However, there are many unique ways you can reuse paper at home, and they may make you think twice before recycling or throwing out the paper. Not only does it help you, but it also helps the environment. Here are 10 cool ways to reuse paper at home.

Old Printer Paper

Old sheets of printer paper can easily be used as a second sheet to place under notes or receipts when writing them down, and they’re good for the environment because you’re not wasting new pieces of paper.

Notebook Paper

This idea is similar to using old printer pages as your second sheet of paper. Using the backs of notebook paper can save you from using up a whole sheet of new paper to practice math problems, solve crossword puzzles, or write down song lyrics.

Newspaper

Collecting old newspaper and turning it into other things is a great way to reuse them. You could cut out words and images from an old newspaper and use them as a collage on a handmade card, or you could see if there’s someone at your local craft store who might be willing to take it off of your hands. You can also turn newspaper into gift wrap with just a piece of tape and some mod podge glue.

Folded Up Scraps

At home, there might be the paper you find that has already been used but is still useful. You can fold up these scraps and use them as bookmarks in your favorite books

Paper Notecards

Making handwritten notecards out of old sheets of paper is an easy way to reuse them without feeling bad about wasting the sheet. Even if you don’t have any nice pens or markers on hand, you can just turn regular pencils into calligraphy ones by taping one side down over some masking tape so they’re thicker and more like paintbrushes. Dipping them in ink will make this process even faster too!

Wrapping Paper

Using old newspapers to wrap gifts for friends and family is a unique way to reuse paper at home. Not to mention, it makes for a fun project if you have young kids who want to help out.

Storage Boxes

If there’s a craft you can do with old sheets of paper, this is it. All you need to make these is some tape and a few sheets of printer paper or notebook paper folded more than once so they’re sturdy enough to stand up on their own. With the added bonus of being able to place items into them as well as on top, these boxes are great for storing small things!

Bookmarks

Even if your books don’t have pages you’d like to cut, bookmarks are another item that can be made from any piece of scrap paper, no matter how small. Folded-over pieces of notebook paper can be used to mark your page or folded up pieces of newspaper, white envelopes, cardstock, and even old gift cards can be great for marking your place.

DIY Book Covers

If you don’t like the cover that came with the book you just bought and want something that’s a little more interesting and personal than a plain piece of printer paper, all it takes is an old magazine and some scissors! However, if you have children helping you out, be sure to make sure they don’t cut too close to the paper or their fingers.

Sturdy Paper

Creating storage for important documents is one of the best ways to reuse paper around the house, and it can be pretty easy with chart paper or sturdy printer paper. This will save you from having to buy envelopes for every single thing that needs them, especially if you hate walking into class or walking home to find your notes that have fallen out of your backpack because the envelope ripped open.

Why should you reuse paper?

Think of the trees! Using second sheets of paper is a great way to be more environmentally friendly. Every day, trees are cut down for paper and the pulp they make is put in paper products. What if you used old sheets instead? Not only would it be a great way to not feel bad about wasting paper, but you would also make an impact on the environment.

How does it benefit the earth?

Using old sheets of paper instead of new ones is positive for our planet because trees are being cut down every single day for paper production. One tree can produce around 10,000 sheets of paper.

With that in mind, think about how many used sheets you could reuse! It’s important to recycle as much as possible because recycling one ton of paper saves several trees! If everyone recycled just one kg of paper per year, then there would be millions of more trees available to help clean up pollution!

Conclusion

Using old paper instead of new at home is a simple way to reuse paper and help out the planet! There are so many different things you can do with old sheets of paper, from using them as bookmarks in your favorite books or making notecards and wrapping paper out of them.

Best of all, if you have kids in the house, they’ll love helping too. With just a few minutes and the right materials, you’ll be on your way to living an eco-friendly life that makes a difference for our planet!