Five Ways to Reuse Old Magazines

Somehow, I seem to be subscribed to several magazines that end up doing nothing more than take up space in my home. Many of them were the product of a survey I took a couple years ago. Others are real subscriptions to some of my favorite titles. But once a magazine is read, what do you do with it then? Sure you can trash it, but why not get a few more miles out of something that you've probably paid for somewhere along the line?

With a little creativity, you can stretch those subscription pages far beyond the turn of the last page. Here are five ideas on how you can re-use those old magazines around your house.

1. Donate - If you've ever sat in a doctor's or dentist's office with nothing to do but watch the clock tick, you'll know how nice it would have been to have something to read. Check around with your family practitioners and see if they'd want some magazines for their waiting room tables. If they're not interested, ask friends and co-workers for leads on offices that might benefit from some extra reading material for their patients.

2. Decorate - Not many people think of old magazines as a source of décor. However, if you take a moment to look, you'll find a wealth of art for your home. Pretty or unusual images clipped from a magazine and placed in an inexpensive frame can make for a classy piece of wall art. A mural of decoupaged pictures on an old end table or storage box will make a unique piece of furniture. Magazines that focus on the arts or travel make for great coffee and end table books.

3. Keep the kids busy - Young children aren't necessarily interested in reading old magazines, but they can still find entertainment value in them. Assist young ones in cutting and pasting to make their own collages or other works of art. Help them learn something by giving them "challenges," like finding as many things as they can that begin with the letter A. Fashion magazines are great for finding models and clothes. Cut these out, laminate them, and give your child their own paper doll set.