13 Ways To Repurpose Old Notepads And Keep Them Out Of The Trash

While we may hate to admit it, many of us have plenty of unused or half-empty notebooks lying around at home. One mistake people make when organizing papers is keeping their loose sheets and notebooks around too long, but while we may come to terms with the fact that some of these notepads will never be used for their intended purpose, it feels wasteful to simply throw them out. And in order to recycle notebooks properly, you often need to go through various steps such as breaking them down into their separate components — including paper, cardboard, and plastic. But, believe it or not, there are actually plenty of clever ways to reuse old notebooks, notepads, and journals around your home that can save them from the trash.

From scrapbooking to keeping in touch with family members and testing out new pens, almost every part of a notepad can be repurposed into something new. And it isn't just the blank pages that are useful, either. Any page, even ones that include doodles, scribbled notes, grocery lists, or love letters, can be used for art, home decor, or even some fun storytelling activities. So, before you take that pile of unwanted notebooks out to the recycling bin, why not stop and consider how you could repurpose them around your own home to give them a new life?

Do the children in your life write so many stories that you often run out of spare paper for them to use? Well, those leftover pages in your old notepads and journals can actually be repurposed into a cute, practical way for them to unleash their imagination. Simply remove the pages from the notebook. Then, glue, staple, or tie them to a sheet of colorful construction paper. Fold the construction paper in half, and voila! They've got their very own bound storybook, perfect for compiling poetry or short stories. And they can even decorate the cover themselves.

If your family is busy, you find yourself constantly leaving notes such as "Please do the dishes" and "Don't forget your soccer uniform!" Well, a great way to keep these messages centralized and easier to find is to reuse an old notebook. In addition to reducing your sticky note usage, this is also a great way to ensure your family members always know where to look for any important reminders. Glue some magnets to the back of a notepad so that you can stick it to your refrigerator, making the notes visible to people passing by.

Scrapbooking is a great way to gather keepsakes, photos, and letters all together in one location. But did you know you can make your pages even more personalized by including pieces of your half-used notebooks? If you've got a scrapbook page for your time at college, for example, you could search through some old notebooks from that era and include fun notes, doodles, or to-do lists that take you back to that time. You could even tear out a page from an old planner to help you remember the fun activities, classes, or meetings that filled your schedule during that time.

Many notepads, particularly ring-bound ones, come with a cardboard backing that is relatively sturdy. This material is great for making a gift for a friend, such as a photo collage. To do this, simply remove the backing from the notepad, take off any binding or tape, and then glue down whatever photos you'd like to share. The cardboard is still relatively light and pliable, too, meaning they can then hang it up with simple thumbtacks or tape to keep the memories displayed wherever they want. Remember to decorate the collage with some fun stickers or notes to make it even more personal.

When scrapbooking, journaling, or creating art, it is important to test out your new pens or calligraphy techniques on a spare sheet of paper before doing it for real on your project. An old, empty, or partially used notebook is perfect for this because you can try out your new tools or approach without worrying about it coming out perfect. This is also helpful because it saves you from wasting fresh printer paper that can be used for other things.

Have you ever been curious about making your own paper? Well, it is actually relatively easy to create your own homemade, customizable sheets of paper using scraps from abandoned notebooks. Start by mashing your wet, shredded notebook paper using a blender or mortar and pestle, though make sure not to use the blender for food in the future. Then, place the pulp in a tub of water and filter it onto a mesh board. Remove excess water, hang the sheets up to dry, and you'll have your own DIY paper in no time.

Origami is a hobby that can be somewhat daunting if you've never tried it before. And it can be even harder to start as a beginner if you're worried about messing up the fancy, specially made kami paper that is available for purchase. Instead, why not give this fun, creative activity a go using pages from your old notebooks? By utilizing scrap paper from unwanted notepads, you can learn origami techniques in a low-pressure environment and put the paper to good use, too.

Some notebooks get less use because of their size. Many are simply too large or heavy to take around with you and are therefore not ideal for traveling or writing ideas down on the go. But did you know you can actually take your existing notepads and transform them into smaller, more travel-friendly versions? Simply remove the cardboard backing, cut it to the size you want, and fold it in half. Then cut the existing pages down as well and slot those inside. Secure the pages using glue, staples, or thread and decorate as you like.

If you have a half-used notebook with a leathery cover, you may be loathe to toss it due to its high quality finish. But you can actually save this material and turn it into a super useful small purse. After separating the cover from the inside pages, the material can be folded into a small box shape perfect for holding small items such as coins, cards, or even a small sewing kit. If you have extra material left over, you could even fashion a small strap to make it easy to carry around.

Vases in the shape of books have become very popular recently, and they range from clear glass to colorful ceramic. But you don't need to purchase one of these vases to get this look for yourself. You can actually create an adorable cottagecore decor piece using an old notebook or journal and a small container. Simply cut out a space to hide your container inside, then fill it with water. You can use this clever vase for growing plants or for displaying fresh flowers in your home.

If you've got a larger notebook with a really nice cover you'd like to keep, why not repurpose it into something practical and stylish? By taking the notebook and adding a pair of brackets, you can craft a handy shelf for storing decor items, books, or even more notepads on top! Make sure to test how load-bearing the shelf is before placing any breakable items on it, though. And if the cover of your notebook is too plain, you could always add some extra decoration using scrapbook paper or paint.

If you have a notepad or notebook that has only been half-used, it can sometimes be hard to know what to fill the rest with. One option is to turn it into a junk journal. This is a relaxing, low-stress activity that involves filling the pages with scraps from your everyday life, such as receipts, stickers, plane tickets, or name tags. If you've already used some of the pages for to-do lists or journaling, you can easily incorporate that writing into the junk journal, too.

Some pages of your notepads or journals are just too pretty to part with, whether they're full of heartfelt love letters, daily doodles, or notes from a memorable day. So placing them in a drawer where you can't see them feels like a waste. Why not frame those inspiring pages to create your own cute and customizable wall art? You can choose to frame the page on its own, or add in additional decorative elements such as washi tape, glitter, or even a swatch of the journal cover to add extra visual interest.