Despite your best intentions to cut down on waste, chances are scrap paper, old newspapers and magazines from 2014 you promised yourself you’d read one day inevitably end up in your recycling bin. Before sending your paper goods off to recycling heaven, check out the below ideas for upcycling your remnants into cool creations.
Homemade Cards
Skip the card aisle on your next Target run, and use up that pile of scrap paper instead! This easy idea is great for kids or adults, and simply involves cutting creative-shaped pieces of paper and pasting to a folded card. Need some inspo? We love this idea from Glitter on a Dime!
Paper Bunting
Whether you use glue or a sewing machine, its simple to use those scrap paper pieces for DIY bunting. Cut into your desired shape, then string up. We love this heart-shaped idea from One Bunting Away.
Create a Scrapbook
Those beautiful bits of scraps are perfect for a scrapbook! Help your little piece together the bitty bits to make a background or jazz up an otherwise boring page. This is a great on-going activity!
DIY Bookmark
Never lose your place in your favorite read again armed with a handy homemade bookmark. Options for this easy upcycling project is to have your kids decorate or doodle on scrap paper or to cut up an old postcard into bookmark-worthy shapes.
Shining Star Garland
All you need is a bit of paper, imagination and some time to create this shining star garland. Want to really make your garland really shine? Use LED lights like Mer Mag did. Visit Julep for the full instructions.
Notepad
If you have remnant construction paper or one-sided documents you no longer need, turn them into a notepad. All you need is scissors, a stapler and extra paper!
Photo Frame
Show-off those smiling faces with a handmade frame. Opt to use colorful pieces of scrap paper or origami paper to make your frame really pop. For the step-by-step tutorial hop over to Make: for the scoop.
Colorful Crumpled Paper Art
Roll your scrap paper into small crinkled balls and let your kids go wild painting them. The end result is a colorful, frame-worthy piece of art. Get the full instructions from Buggy and Buddy blog.
—Erin Lem & Karly Wood
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