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| Got old books? Here's how to re-use them! |
So you've got a pile of books you and your kids haven't read in a long time. You've donated some to the local library, hospital or nursing home. Now what? Never fear! Here are 15 uses for those old tomes:
- If they're textbooks, sell them on Amazon, Ebay, or at Cash4Books.
- Make a Book Safe – Cut out the center of old books to hide
valuables (you can find instructions here.
A word of caution: I made this as a present for my son and
although it was time-intensive, Junior is now able to hide some of
his valuables from his little sister by merely placing the safe
among the books in his bookshelf.
- Use Modge Podge to decoupage a table top, lamp shade, etc.
The illustrations in many children's books are especially good for
this.
- Stack them to add height to a lamp (see photo). We
needed more light in this area, so we stacked books underneath. The result: more light and a great look!
Use books to increase a lamp's range.
- Use them as trivets. I'm always bringing warm pans to the
table, but don't want to harm the surface. Old books work great to
protect tabletops from too-hot plates, pots and pans.
- Make a picture frame from an old board book (you can find
instructions here).
What a great, unique gift!
- Make shelves to hold small knickknacks or other books. This
is a wonderful craft (the how-to is here,
especially since you can match the shelf to your room's décor.
- Re-use the pages as kindling, mulch, packing material, or as
wrapping paper.
- Make a unique night-light. These instructions from
craftster.org list this project as a “lamp,” but I think the
amount of light given is really more suitable for a night-light or
accent light.
- Make coasters. Take inexpensive ceramic tiles (the kind you
find at Home Depot), a few book pages, decoupage using Modge Podge,
and varnish. You could even add a photo or two.
- Decorate a notebook. I'm always using salt-and-pepper
notebooks I pilfer from the kids. They take on a more adult-look
when covered with pages from a book.
- Make a clock. Take a beloved book, glue the pages shut, cut
out room for a clock mechanism and numbers (available at local craft
stores) and you've got a clock which subtly reminds us to “Take
Time For Reading.”
- Decorate a portable calendar. I buy the inexpensive
appointment calendars from the Dollar Store. Decoupage book
illustrations or passages from an old book for a “classier” look
to your calendar.
- Turn an old book into a purse (find instructions here).
- Make a planter for succulents (click here for the how-to).
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| Yes, your old book can be a planter! |
Do you have any other uses for books? Please comment below! I'd love to hear from you! And, as always,
Thank you for visiting!
