15 Ways to Reuse Newspaper

The U.S. publishes over 24 billion newspapers every year, and that’s not the only place that newsprint turns up. People use it to wrap packaging, to print junk mail fliers, and to create coupons. All told, that is tons and tons of paper waste every single year.

Recycling paper is a great way to put a dent in this waste, but paper recycling is far from an ideal solution. It’s inefficient, and each time you recycle paper, you’re really downcycling it into an inferior product.

We don’t get a paper at our house, but we still end up with our fair share of newsprint somehow. Sometimes, a fragile thrift store or yard sale find comes wrapped in newspaper. Other times, we get junk mail printed on newsprint. No matter how newsprint manages to creep into your life, I’m guessing that you cringe at the thought of wasting it, too.

Rather than toss all of that paper in the recycle bin, you can reuse old newspaper around your home and in the garden!

1. Clean windows or glass. Dip crumpled newspaper into water mixed with a splash of white vinegar, and clean those windows up without any streaks or harmful chemicals!

2. Burn it up. Instead of a starter log in the fireplace or at a bonfire, use tightly rolled pieces of newsprint instead.

3. Make a weed barrier. If you’re building a raised bed, lay out pieces of newspaper before you fill it up with dirt. The paper will help keep weeds from invading.

4. Wrap some gifts. It’s fun to go through your papers to find cute and colorful pages to use as gift wrap. When I was a kid, we loved wrapping presents up in the Sunday funnies.

5. Pack it up. Instead of plastic bubble wrap, wrap valuables in newspaper for shipping, and pad your box with more crumpled paper. You can take it a step further and include some ideas in the package for how your recipient can reuse all of that paper, too!

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Image Credit: Creative Commons photo by salimfadhley

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Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

Dale O.

8:10PM PDT on Apr 27, 2012

Will certainly try a newspaper out and see if it shines up my sink, never tried that one before.
I do put it on the bottom of the veggie crisper, always helps if something leaks.
Am not sure if I would want to use it as fuel in the fireplace though as the inks likely have a lot of chemicals in it.
So many different uses can be applied, delightful!

send a green star

Lydia W.

8:29PM PST on Jan 22, 2012

Great tips.

Corey H.

4:46PM PST on Dec 12, 2011

I find that newspapers work great for wet shoes. Just crumple them up and stuff them in a pair of running shoes and the newspaper will absorb excess water, leaving shoes dry in a few hours.

Ellie D.

4:29PM PST on Nov 10, 2011

thanks

Sheri P.

8:33PM PDT on Sep 22, 2011

Awesome ideas! I especially like the suggestion to use in the fridge to line the veggie/fruit drawers, to ripen fruit (I'd heard of the paper bag, but not the newspaper), to polish stainless sink, and to donate to the animal shelter for cage liners.

Cathy N.

9:50PM PDT on Sep 15, 2011

I loved making papier mache projects and have made a few papier mache at home also~~

colleen p.

4:11PM PDT on Sep 14, 2011

i love the notion of using it for shipping, plus, people get a taste of what it is like on your side of the world. I bought a UFO catcher doll off of ebay that came from Alaska. it came wraped up in newspaper. so i got to see what it looked like(the Anchorage times or something)

Joy J.

2:24PM PDT on Sep 6, 2011

haha. cool. thnxs :)

Lon C.

9:54PM PDT on Aug 29, 2011

Paper mache was always a favorite peoject during the summer when we were kids. Water, paper and a blender. What more could a kid want?