Ways Of Reusing Newspapers

With all that newspapers that piling up for the blue recycling bin, there are other uses for them so might as well use them for that purpose instead of letting them fill up the recycling trash. Not only with the newspapers, this great idea goes to the grocery flyers too that you receive on your mailbox. We always use to collect and fill a plastic bag with all the expired store flyers for the week along with the newspapers, reuse them at home and the rest, goes on the blue recycling bin that the truck collects on our area every Thursday.

Now with the idea on how to reuse old newspapers and all that other papers, here's some along with photos to make it more interesting and lively. I prefer reading something with photos in them, don't you?

We might be using ovens now and stove but back then in the Philippines, I had watched my grandmother cooked meals in a stove using woods in which the stove was either as simply made from three big stones and the woods goes on the center or a stove made from ashes. That was years ago. Well, I don't know if it was pure ashes or mixed with something else before it was formed into a half round with an opening on top where pot sits.

And to start the fire? Crumpled old newspaper or pieces of paper torn form notebooks are used as a fire starter.

Paper boats.

Old newspapers can be made into paper boats for fun and family activity with kids. I had memories of paper boat making when I was a kid during rainy season and I and my playmates would happily play in the rain with our boats, or on a big basin. During Summer, younger brother and I had some time playing in the river too with this boats.

And look, once done reading them newspapers can be saved for gift wrapping purposes. So the next time there's a birthday party and you need to wrap a gift but doesn't have a gift bag (and feeling lazy to go to the store just to buy 1 gift bag,) well here's the perfect idea. Get the old newspapers, scissors, tape and start wrapping!

The thing is, if you don't have anything to wrap. Now that's a different problem as you really have to go out and get something to wrap.

And who said old newspapers can't be made into bags?

One can consider using this bag on a grocery shopping or if going to a picnic, you know, those trips when a luxury handbag isn't really necessary.

Another fun time here, origami. This beautiful origami basket was made from old newspapers. No need to buy pretty, colorful papers here. Just some creativity with a lot of newspapers and you can make something beautiful.

And this pendant lamp made from old phone books would be a perfect example of reusing materials with the finished product turning out to be uniquely beautiful.

Yes, I know I said newspapers on the title but this could go on the list too right?! The phone book is also made from paper. And that is one beautiful pendant lamp.

Philippine Christmas lantern.

I was looking for a finished Christmas lantern made from old newspapers but can hardly find one, but found this. This wasn't done yet but just to give you an idea of how to make the Philippine Christmas lantern. It can be made from different materials such as plastic, barks of woods or bamboo, but mostly from papers. And old newspapers could be of good use into making lanterns. And this would be an exciting activity for kids, I had fun memories of lantern making and we do this every year as school teachers engage their students into making the lantern for school projects once the "ber" months started (September, October and so on.) We could leave the unfinished lantern in the classroom until it was done or we could take it at home and bring it the following day. The finished lantern would be hang in the ceiling and the most beautiful one has a prize on Christmas Party day.

Another use of newspapers at our home or those grocery store flyers is to absorb cooking oil after frying. Then the pan would be ready to be wash on warm water.

And look at this pencil holder? It is just a clever idea of using old phone directories.

We put towels on our back to absorb the perspiration after exercising, but newspapers too can be reuse for that. I had heard from few people that using newspaper instead of towel is much better as the paper absorbs better.

Has anyone tried it? And if you know any other reason why the paper is better, feel free to share it.