7 Uses For Newspapers Around Your Home
Here is a list of 7 uses for newspapers around your home, with ways you can repurpose and reuse these items when decluttering or otherwise getting rid of old papers.
Newspapers have a limited life-span, in the sense that what was once news isn't that new very long.
You can throw your papers into the recycling bin when you're done reading them, but in addition you may want to keep a stack or two around.
The reason is that there are actually quite a few uses for newspaper around your home, so be sure to keep these in mind to get the most out of each newspaper you receive and read.
Here's some of these uses:
Packing Supplies & Material
Newspapers work well as packing supplies when moving, or storing items.
You can wrap up glassware and dishes in these papers so these items don't jostle or clink together in the box, to cushion them to prevent breakage.
In addition, you can use shredded newspaper in place of packing peanuts or similar packing materials when mailing a package. It works well, is cheap, and is actually easier to clean up normally than some of those other packaging materials.
Clean Windows
After you clean your windows (you can use one of these homemade mirror and glass cleaner recipes here) they've got to be wiped down and dried. If you use a paper towel for this purpose you may notice some linting left behind, which is why I suggest a non-linting cloth to wipe them down and dry them with.
However, another way to avoid the linting issue is to use newspaper. In addition, newspaper also helps prevent streaks on the glass, giving your windows a nice clear view just like you want.
Deodorize Luggage & Containers
If you've got a piece of luggage or a bag that has begun to smell stale, or held onto odors, you can stuff it with crumpled up newspapers and let it sit for 3-4 days, closed up, to absorb the odors.
This also works with smaller containers, such as lunch boxes and thermoses, if your kids have accidentally left them with something inside for too long, and there is a stink to them even after washing.
Dry Wet Shoes
When you step in a puddle or walk through the rain your shoes can get wet. To prevent shoe odor you want to dry your shoes relatively quickly when this occurs.
One way to do this is to stuff crumpled up newspaper into your shoes. The newspaper will work to absorb the moisture, to help them dry more quickly. Depending on how wet the shoes got you may need to change the newspapers out a few times.
Prevent Weeds In Garden Bed
A chemical-free way to prevent weeds from germinating in your garden beds is to lay down layers of wet newspaper strips on the ground. Lay the newspapers where you don't want anything to grow, such as surrounding shrubs or bushes.
Let the layers of "newspaper lasagna" dry for about 24 hours, and then you can cover them with a thin layer of dirt or mulch.
The newspapers will slowly deteriorate over the course of the season, meaning there is nothing permanent that you'll need to remove from your soil. However, during the growing season the newspaper will block light from the area preventing the weeds from sprouting, and reducing your need to weed such areas significantly.
Protect Furniture When Doing Craft Projects
I love to do craft projects with my kids, or for myself for fun, but often these fun activities are also messy. That's where lots of old newspapers come in handy.
Lay several layers of the papers on the surface you plan to work on and then let yourself and/or the kids craft with peace of mind that you can quickly clean up the mess at the end by gathering up the old papers to leave a clean surface underneath.
Wrap A Present
Finally, you can use newspaper in a pinch when you need to wrap a present. In fact, I actually enjoy receiving presents wrapped in the colorful Sunday comics, for example, since it is fun to see what the comics said along with enjoying the gift itself.
Those are my both fun and practical ways to use newspapers in your home. How do you use them in your own home? I'd love to hear, so tell me below in the comments.
In addition, here's my article on the site related to decluttering and recycling old newspapers, that you can check out:
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