Practical Ways to Reuse Newspaper

What do you do with a hefty stack of newspaper? You recycle or reuse them; that's what. It's been said that for every ton of paper recycled, 17 trees are saved. Do you recycle or reuse newspaper? If you are interested in practical ways to recycle or reuse stacks of newspaper--and save a tree in the process--read on.

A Google search for ways to recycle or reuse newspapers produces a plethora of sites and hundreds of suggestions. Maybe a tenth of the suggestions are practical enough to use on a regular basis or to encourage newspaper storage in the home. But out of the hundreds, there are several very practical uses for newspaper, despite the strange or unique ones mixed in. Here are several practical ways you might recycle or reuse newspaper any time soon.

Reuse Newspaper for Garden Mulch

Newspaper as garden mulch or weed block makes a lot of sense. It's cheap, biodegradable, uses nontoxic soy-based inks, and makes a nice edible bedding for worms. Layered wet under grass clippings or soil to keep newspaper from blowing away, newspaper mulch deters weed growth, helps retain bed moisture, and insulates plant roots from extreme temperatures. Newspaper layers need to be about 5-6 sheets thick, or if used as worm bedding or composting, newspaper needs to be shredded.

Reuse Newspaper for Packing Material

In place of polystyrene peanuts, you can use crumpled newspaper for packing material. Individual pieces of newsprint are great to wrap china or dishes and protect your breakables in boxes when you move. In addition, boxes packed for mailing are well-padded using crumbled newspaper as stuffing.

Reuse Newspaper for Tabletop Pads

On certain tables, a hot plate or serving bowl would leave a heat ring, if not for using a hot pad or place mat underneath it. But placing newspaper padding on the tabletop itself, insulates the table from the heat of food on plates. To do this, simply layer the newspaper totally flat in individual sheets to disguise its presence. With a nice tablecloth on top, no one would ever guess that the table pad is recycled newspaper.

Reuse Newspaper for Fire Starters

If you tightly roll a newspaper and stuff it through a paper towel tube or toilet paper tube, the compact roll makes great kindling. Or you can stuff shredded newspaper into tubes and drip hot paraffin or candle wax down through the tube to create a fire starter. The tube can be sliced into rings and the disks used for smaller individual fire-starters. These fire-starters also make great gifts for campers or families who heat with wood.

Reuse Newspaper as Kitty Litter

If you take a road trip or travel with your kitty for hours in the car, kitty will need a litter box. But who wants cat litter in the car? Instead, fill the litter box full with shredded newspaper. It works and you have no litter mess. This idea also comes in handy if you need to change the litter box at home, but you're pinching pennies or can't get out to the store. It's a back up plan that buys you a day or two.

Reuse Newspaper to Contain Kitchen Waste

Put a few sheets of newspaper on your counter before you peel the carrots or potatoes and before you seed the cucumber or squash. Then when you're done with the messy task, fold up the newspaper around the food mess and compost it or discard the mess in one easy swoop. This works great for peels or seeds that are too cumbersome for a garbage disposal, and it makes clean up a breeze.

Reuse Newspaper When Painting

Remember when you used to tape newspaper or plastic to the window to keep it splatter-free while painting near it? Here is a much better method. Next time you paint a room, wet the newspaper and stick it to the window. It keeps paint drips off the glass, and it comes off effortlessly when you're done painting.

Recycle or Donate Newspaper

You can always add newspaper to your curb-side recycling bin, and it will get recycled. Or you can donate newspaper to classrooms for student art projects or to an animal shelter for their necessary uses. But now that you know some practical uses for newspaper, you have reason to store a stack in your pantry or garage. The next time you find yourself needing newspaper, you'll have some handy.