Don't Let Your Old Kindle Collect Dust - Use It For This Practical Kitchen Upgrade

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Electronic ink tablets like the Amazon Kindle make a great reading device. It's lightweight, portable, and easy on the eyes. Most importantly, it frees you from the burden of carrying many physical books wherever you go, making it a handy travel companion. But when the time comes and your Kindle is replaced by a newer model, don't leave it in some drawer to collect dust. Instead, give it a second life and spice up a boring fridge by turning the Kindle into a digital message board. Simply attach magnetic strips to the back of the tablet, positioned on opposite sides for balance, then mount it onto your refrigerator door.

Unlike newer, smarter tablets that blaze through their battery life, most Kindles last for weeks on a single charge, even with moderate use. So you can fill your old one with grocery lists, weekly menus, chores to do, reminders, and even sweet little notes, without the hassle of finding fridge magnets and sticky notes to pin onto the fridge door or worrying about it losing power too quickly. This practical upgrade will bring you one step closer to turning your ordinary kitchen into a smart one. It also reduces paper waste and gives a retired device a new, sustainable purpose.

Turning your Kindle into a kitchen message board involves a simple software setup, followed by its easy hardware mounting. Start by disabling your Kindle's screensaver and enabling the setting that keeps your display always on so that your message board remains visible. Next, use Kindle's built-in web browser and access a simple whiteboard site (like Kindleboard) optimized for e-ink screens. If you want real-time collaboration where members of the household can put up reminders from any device at any time, use a collaborative whiteboard platform (like Miro) and send them a shareable link.

Once you turn your Kindle into an unexpected smart home device that could make your home more efficient, you need to attach magnetic strips. Make sure to use heavy-duty adhesive magnetic tape that you can attach to opposing sides, such as the Gauder Magnetic Tape that costs $7.99 on Amazon. Once secured, affix the device to your refrigerator.

If you don't have a magnet-friendly fridge panel, your Kindle message board can be placed on other areas, such as your pantry door or a wall near your kitchen entrance. You can also place it on your countertop, especially if a charging outlet is nearby, so its battery can remain charged. Another area to consider is your entryway, so your daily reminders remain visible as you enter or leave your home.