Thrifty Green Thursday: Reusing Newspaper

Despite the proliferation of the internet, it still seems like people love newspapers. I myself subscribe to our local paper for a few days out of the week, and there is something about opening that paper at the kitchen table in the morning while eating breakfast that is comforting. The paper forces me to slow down a bit and linger over articles, that is when my baby isn't demanding my full attention. Plus I don't even mind having a little ink on my fingers. In a way, it's nicely old-fashioned. And who wouldn't like to see this (my photo above) on their doormat in the morning?

So what do you do when you finish reading? Most of my newspapers go to recycling, but sometimes they can be reused around the home.

In the House

• Use in place of paper towels for cleaning windows
• Place underneath your cat's litter box to absorb "misses" (replace often)
• Level a table by folding some up and sticking it underneath the uneven leg (not pretty, but I've done this)
• Wrap packages or Christmas ornaments in them
• Wrap presents with it. I like using the comics for kids gifts. My frugal Grandpa did this every Christmas and saved up weeks of colored comic sections from the Sunday papers
• Roll it tightly to use as kindling for starting a fire in the fireplace
• If you're eating something really messy (or just serving a table full of kids), lay some down instead of a tablecloth
• Make a newspaper dustpan
• Use in your shoes as an odor eliminator. Just crumple a piece and stick it inside and leave overnight
• Put a few folded sheets in the bottom of your trash can to absorb leaks and odors
  

In the Garden

• Fold newspaper flower pots (tutorial Here)
• Shred it and add it to your compost pile
• Use sheets of newspaper on top of your soil but under your mulch to reduce weeds (but leave room for your plants to grow)
• Keep a small pile inside your back door to put your wet dirty gardening shoes on

Arts and Crafts

• Use as dropcloths under a table or on a table underneath your art materials
• Tear it into little pieces and make handmade paper (link here)
• Turn into papier mache strips. Use a mix of white glue and a little water to thin it out and dip the newspaper in it and cover on a form (link here) Family Fun magazine has some great papier-mache ideas here.
• Make some paper hats

This post is part of Thrifty Green Thursdays at Green Baby Guide.

And I'm sure some of you will probably ask where I got my doormat, so I'll share...it's from World Market, which I visited for the first time when I went to the beach this summer. That store is awesome!