Even if you don’t subscribe to a daily newspaper, old newsprint — whether from flyers or someone else’s discarded subscription — newspapers can be found pretty much anywhere.
It’s actually a super versatile, cheap (free!) material, so why not put it to use in some unexpected ways with this list of creative hacks.
1. Decorate an old can.
Renee Hanlon of Rustic Crafts DIY’d this fun, vintage-inspired pencil holder out of an old can. Newspapers provide plenty of visual interest, along with an ideal material for applying to materials like this one.
2. For the beaders out there…
If you’re into beads (hi, mom-in-law!), you’ll want to give this one a try. Red Ted Art shared a video tutorial for making these colorful beads on YouTube out of old magazines and newspapers.
3. Make flowers from newsprint.
If you enjoy origami, or any kind of folding-and-cutting craft, you’ll want to try this one out. Back to Calley shared instructions for making these fun roses. All you’ll need is newspaper, scissors, glue, pen, and a deft hand.
4. Build a full-on fort.
Newspaper is a surprisingly durable material. Utilize this strength in building a fun fort for your kids, as suggested by The Krazy Coupon Lady . All it really takes is rolled tubes of newspaper.
5. Keep the weeds at bay.
Newspapers are compostable, making them perfect for gardening. One such use, submitted by Skillrunner Home Services , is using the papers as a weed blocker in your garden. Layer them around your plants, cover with soil, and keep the weeds away.
6. Clean your windows.
Many people use paper towels with Windex to clean windows, but jagged fibers in the towels can leave little scratches in the glass. If you don’t have a legit squeegee, try using some newspaper. As Nick’s Window Cleaning demonstrates, it’s a better option than paper towels.
7. Because no one likes garbage juice…
Even the most durable kitchen garbage bags are bound to leak now and then, which makes your garbage can super gross. Help keep the mess at bay by simply putting some old newspaper at the bottom of the bin.
8. An old standby: wrap presents.
Everyone knows this one, but it’s still worth mentioning: newspapers have a large surface area, which makes them perfect for wrapping. As A Brit Greek demonstrates, strategic splashes of color can really make the whole thing pop.
9. Dry out those wet runners.
Newsprint is pretty absorbent, which makes it perfect for everything from wiping up messes to papier-mâché. Another use, suggested by Elle from According to Elle , is drying off wet shoes. Just take out the insoles, put in some crumpled-up newspaper, and leave for a couple of hours.
10. Clean wax spills without a trace.
If you’ve ever spilled candle wax on the floor, you know that it seems impossible to thoroughly clean up. However, Redditor P0tterhead394 shows us that covering the area in newspaper, then applying an iron set to low, will effectively transfer the waxy mess to the newspaper.
11. Make transplanting easy with newspaper.
If you have a green thumb, try this one out the next time you need to move your plants around. YouTuber Mark Miller shows us that making a simple pot out of old newspaper, then transplanting into the dirst is the simplest way of moving plants.
12. Give yourself one-of-a-kind nails.
There are tons of ways to make your nails stand out, but true bibliophiles will want to try this one out. Follow the YouTube instructions from Natasha Lee and you’ll find out how to transfer text from newsprint to nails.
13. Give your seeds a head start.
Chris from 365 Days of DIY shared this recipe for nutrient-rich seed starters that will get your plants growing right away. It’s as simple as blending up newspaper shreds, adding water and then forming the molds using a muffin tin.