How to Recycle Old Magazines Creatively: Our Top Ideas

Everybody happens to find themselves with the classic pile of old newspapers or magazines whose existence had been forgotten. Of course, paper can be sorted, but it is also useful to know how to recycle old magazines creatively or reuse them for some housework.

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1 How to recycle old magazines: practical ideas
2 More on this topic

How to recycle old magazines: practical ideas

Here are our affordable creative recycling ideas should you find yourself with old magazines you don’t know what to do with:

To keep shoes and boots in shape

The first trick that comes to mind concerns boots and shoes: how to protect their shape from the inevitable creases and folds that result in that unsightly ‘fall’ effect of the boot increasing, among other things, the clutter in the closets once stored?

A simple, effective and decidedly inexpensive solution is offered precisely by the old magazines, preferably the fashion ones, made of coated paper, which are stronger and thicker: rolled on themselves, so that they fit snugly into the footwear, they will restore its shape effectively and durably!

The newspaper paper will adhere perfectly to the shape of the boot, keeping it rigid over time, preventing the leather or fabric from losing its original ‘tension’ by giving us back an old and démodé shoe. Here, then, is a quick and completely free system that will allow us to make room on our shelves by using old magazines in a smart way and save time and pennies in the search for expensive shoe templates or forges perhaps made of the hated plastic…

To transport fragile items

Another super-simple thing: We reuse old magazines for transporting fragile items (perhaps in a move or on a trip) that we don’t want to break. Coated magazine paper provides excellent protection at no cost.

Even as packaging when transporting items inside boxes and crates, old magazine paper serves its function well.

To create new objects

For lovers of bricolage or those who want children to try their hand at some hands-on crafts, the idea that springs to mind is to recycle old magazines to forge new creations. These can be simple collage or even more complex creations, such as coasters.

how to recycle old magazines — The only limit is imagination…

For more ideas, check out our practical guide on how to make things out of old newspapers, magazines and cardboard.

To create bijoux

Use the colorful pages of magazines to create original necklaces as well as earrings and bracelets. There are many ideas on the Internet of the kind of work you can do to the coated paper of magazines, a sturdy kind of paper that can be creased without tearing easily.

How to Recycle Old Magazines in a Creative Way — A bijoux that will not be easy to forget!

For example, along a waxed cuocio cord you can thread strips of paper rolled up on themselves with the help of a large needle. The strips can be made from coated paper already folded into 3 parts and po you can stop them with beads, on the sides and in the middle, applying a clasp to hold them in place.
You can alternate the spirals with other types of decoration, playing with colors and patterns to create an interesting design. Add beads, pendants, and other elements to decorate the bijoux.When finished creating, tie the ends of the string together or use a jewelry clasp.

To create baskets

You can also fold the pages over on themselves lengthwise to make strips that when braided will create colorful baskets in which to store small items such as keys, pencils or jewelry.

To make wall decorations

Cutting out images that appear printed on magazine pages to create interesting compositions or a collage on the wall, if attached with wallpaper glue, are also a different solution from the usual.

You can cut out just the letters and compose a striking inscription or make a collage using the images as well. A practical and personal way to give personality to an environment.

To make greeting cards

You can also apply the images to a card or use different cut-out shapes to create personalized greeting cards for both birthdays and other occasions and anniversaries.

To make envelopes

You can also do some DIY to fold pages and make colorful envelopes from them, perfect for sending letters or postcards and inserting your greeting cards.

To make confetti

It may seem obvious, but cutting colored magazine paper into tiny pieces makes it possible to have home made confetti for parties or events.

For housework

Need to whiten your house or even a wall? Much better than newspaper paper because of its texture and water resistance! Old magazine paper will offer airtight protection to our floors from unwanted splashes of color.

For pets

Have you got pets? Here’s another idea on how to recycle old magazines. Again, to protect our household surfaces, reusing their paper is more practical and economical than other solutions, such as disposable mats.

To make Christmas decorations

Fold the thick magazine paper and fold it to form an original Christmas tree. To do this, take a whole magazine and fold the bottom right corner of the first page upward so that it meets the right edge of the page.

This will create a perfect triangle. Cut off the excess part of the page at the top of the triangle so that the page is at the same height as the base of the triangle. Repeat the with all the pages to get a nice effect–better a tall magazine, with lots of pages! triangles for the Christmas tree. Roll the magazine on itself, the length of the rib, and glue the first and last pages together. Level the rib, cutting off the excess. You can lay the tree like this on its base or tuck a cardboard roll like the ones in kitchen paper inside.