If you’re like this aging boomer, I still get my news from the morning papers.  There’s something special about beginning the day by relaxing on the front porch with the paper and my coffee. 

But what to do with the papers once read? Recycle, of course — but recycling doesn’t always mean tossing it into a bin so it can be reincarnated.

Before you send the funny pages — and every other section — to that big paper pile in the sky, consider using it for something else around the house.

1. Cleaning Windows

This seems totally counterintuitive, but using newspaper to clean windows works better than a cloth in preventing streaks. Weird, right? Wouldn’t all that newsprint transfer to the glass? It certainly does on my hands. It seems, however, that the newspaper-window-washing Internet population agrees with my friend. For even better results, use a vinegar-and-water solution instead of a chemical cleaner like Windex.

2. Gift Wrap

In a pinch, newspaper works well for wrapping gifts. Most folks generally choose the comics because of the color and humor, but if the gift recipient is in, say, finance, why not use the business or money sections instead? The wrap will seem more thoughtful that way. If I have a friend whose photo appears in the paper, I just add it to my wrapping paper stash and use it when their birthdays roll around.)

3. Packing Supplies

Bubble wrap and other paper packing supplies are expensive. Honestly, I don’t know why people purchase these things when there are probably plenty of materials lying around their own homes that will suffice in sending the package safely. Newspaper is lighter than bubble wrap too, which will reduce the shipping fees. To pack a box with loose or fragile contents, first wrap the items individually (if they’re breakable, then stuff the open space with crumpled up paper. Just make sure that everything is tight so there’s no opportunity for movement during transit.

4. Weed Blocker

Another tip from a friend that I had never heard of — if you have a garden and weeds are a problem, cover the bed with newspaper and water it to the saturation point. Once that’s done, cover the paper with organic matter, like compost or mulch. Eventually, the newspaper will smother the problematic weeds, and the organic matter will help your garden flourish.

 

5. We know what paper mache is, but do your kids? It seems like this craft activity, which uses newspaper, glue, flour, and water, is becoming a dying art. That’s a shame, because it’s so easy and fun! The sky really is the limit with paper mache, too; whatever you can think of, you can make. Like these paper-mache masks. Great for Halloween!

6. Current Event Collages

I made one of these many years ago, and the final product still hangs on the wall in my home. It couldn’t have been simpler. I saved the front pages of my favorite sections of USA Today over the course of a few weeks (you can use whatever newspaper you’d like; I just preferred the colors of USA Today), bought a 4-foot-by-2-foot canvas, arranged and lightly glued the sections on the canvas, then brushed on several coats of Modge Podge. Easy as that. The newsprint didn’t budge — and now I have a perfectly preserved time capsule/art piece to admire for years to come.

7. Picture Frames

Picture frames with pictures make excellent gifts — even more so if the picture frame is a handmade. To create a picture frame out of newspaper, all you’ll need to two sheets of paper (or the front and back pages of the newspaper), scissors, a ruler, tape, clear plastic from packaging, your favorite photo, and these 10-step frame instructions.

8. Fire Starter

By no means is this intended for you to start fires wherever you’d like. That’s called arson — and it’s illegal. If you’re going camping or starting a fire in a fireplace, however, it’s always good to have some newspaper on hand to give the fire an extra boost in case you can’t find kindling or the wood is a little damp.

9. Shape Keeper

Ensure that your shoes and bags keep their shape by stuffing them with crumpled newspaper after each use.

10. Pantry Liner

Place newspaper under pantry items like potatoes and onions to keep the moisture — and bugs — away. Newspaper can be used to line other shelves in your pantry as well; if you spill something, just remove the paper and toss it out or recycle it.

11. Gift Basket Stuffing

Newspaper shreds are an excellent alternative to the very non-eco-friendly “grass” with which we line our Easter baskets. The shreds can be used as filling for other baskets as well. For example, if you’re gifting a food-themed basket, fill the bottom with strips from the circulars or cooking section.

12. Ripen Fruits: If you want to speed the ripening process, simply wrap individual pieces in newspaper so you can eat them sooner.

Source:  TipHero.com