Holding onto old magazines always feels like a good decision at the time. Whether there's a recipe, hotel recommendation, or a household advice tip (wink!) you want to save, or you just think they make stylish coffee table decor. I can totally understand why you’d hold onto them. But the truth is, it’s way too easy to let the stack grow and grow.
Of course, I’m not referring to the pristine glossy and gorgeous issues of Good Housekeeping—those are always worth holding onto—but for the ones you’ve allowed to stack up and collect dust around the house, it’s time to put them to use.
I’ve discovered some truly handy hacks to reuse old magazines, turning them into something creative and genuinely useful. And the best part is, all of them take no time at all to do!
Wrapping paper
Little did you know you had a lifetime supply of free wrapping paper sitting on your coffee table. Magazines make for really creative, colorful—and surprisingly resourceful—wrapping paper for your next gifts.
Tape together full pages that you like the look of, I like any travel pieces or anything with lots of colors and beautiful scenery. This trick also works well with newspapers of course, but personally I think magazines are more fun and bright. Tape the chosen pages together to create your own homemade sheet of wrapping paper and wrap your chosen item as you normally would. Chic, crafty, and a great trick to remember if you’re ever in a pinch.
Drawer liners
Crafts really don't get easier than this. Instead of forking out for expensive (unnecessary) drawer liners, pick up your favorite forgotten magazine. Their glossy paper is often durable, wipeable, and provides a colorful, customized look to dresser drawers, kitchen cupboards, or desk organizers.
The thicker the magazine, the better, as this helps make them more durable. And be careful with what you use to stick the paper down—the last thing you want is your chic editorial liners to leave a sticky paper mess behind when swapped out. Double sided-tape is a good option for even and strong adhesion, but personally, I’d opt for a few Command strips to avoid any possible damage to the draw or shelf.
Boot shapers
When I discovered this trick, I couldn't believe I hadn’t tried it sooner. Stop your gorgeous boots from going all floppy and sad with a magazine. Simply roll up the copy and slot it into the shaft of the boot to help it hold its shape.
It’s a great way for you to keep hold of sentimental copies, or issues you want to go back to in the future, without cutting them up or having them sit idle and clutter up your space.
Side table
When I saw this trick, I was immediately obsessed and have since been rounding up my magazine collection so that I can try it myself. Instead of having magazines clutter your coffee table, turn them into one!
Sounds complicated, but it's shockingly not. Gather a large stack of magazines and align them evenly, this works and looks best if all the magazines are from the place. Then place a firm base and top (such as wooden boards) on either side for stability. You then need to tightly strap the stack together using a belt or similar fastenings threaded around or through the structure. This helps to compress the magazines and hold everything firmly in place.
Once secured, you can add finishing touches like a cushion if you want to turn it into a stool or a paint/overcoat for the wood on top if you'd rather a super chic side table. The great thing about this DIY trick is that it’s also reversible, so it’s a great way to turn any magazines you may have been collecting into an actually useful item without sacrificing a page.
Party confetti
Is it really a party if there’s no confetti? A very quick way to get through your old magazines but still put them to good, celebratory use in fact, is by making your own confetti. If it’s for a wedding reception, birthday party, or any other kind of party, magazines make for glossy colorful confetti that requires no purchases.
There are three ways to do this, layer several pages on top of one another and use scissors, cutting a grid like motion to make lots of uniform little squares. The far quicker method would be to use a paper shredder to create thin, ribbon-like pieces, then snip them down further if needed. You can also use a whole punch for truly uniform pieces. However, I warn this will take some time if you’re hoping for a large quantity. Just make sure you’re not throwing this confetti outdoors, as most magazines are not biodegradable and could be damaging to local nature if not recycled properly.
Bookmark craft
If you’re looking for a short but sweet craft to get those creative juices flowing, you can use pages from old magazines to make your own personalized bookmarks. Despite e-readers remaining all the rage, I am a hard-and-fast, real-life book fan, so I take pride in the art of a cute bookmark.
For a super easy way to do it, treat it like miniature old-school collage. Cut out pictures or phrases from the magazine that you love and stick them to a strip of card or cardboard. In my opinion, they can look super chic, and can be a great activity to do with little ones or give as customized keepsakes to friends.
For a bit more of a challenge, try the origami corner holder version. Cut out your chosen page into a square and fold over one corner until you can line up the edges into a triangle. Adjust so that the long folded side of the triangle is at the bottom of your table or desk, then fold the lower right corner up to meet the top point of the triangle and repeat on the other side to create creases before folding back down. Fold down one of the top sheets so the tip points to the bottom of the triangle, then take that right-hand point you just made and tuck it behind the tip. Repeat on the other side and you should have the perfect page holder. If it sounds complicated, I promise it’s not. Once you start going, you should be able to pick it up. I managed it, so you definitely can too.
Handmade envelopes
Whether it’s birthday cards, Christmas cards, or 'just because cards', making your own personalized envelopes is a really cool touch—and old magazines are the perfect way to do it. You can find pages with imagery or words that you associate with the intended recipient or with the cause for celebration, and it’s really easy.
I will say, this does work better for the magazine covers themselves, as these are usually thicker and reinforced making the envelope more durable. Start by cutting out your intended cover, keeping the edges as neat as you can.
Fold about two-fifths of the distance from the bottom and then again at around one-fifth from the top to create creases, then cut the corners off the top flap to create that familiar envelope flap shape. Fold up the bottom panel towards the top, and then using either super glue, a sewing machine, or tape, seal the sides, creating the pouch where your card or letter will sit. Label and address, seal the back up with tape or a cute sticker, and you’re all done. Now, you’ll never need to buy envelopes again.
As the Household Advice Writer, Ella covers all things home – from clever cleaning tips to the organisation tricks that really do make life easier. Before joining Good Housekeeping, she was a full-time freelance writer and production journalist at The Independent’s IndyBest reviews section, where she covered reviews, roundups, and product-related news articles, focusing on areas such as homeware and lifestyle products. With a keen eye for what actually works, she’s passionate about sharing practical, well-tested advice you can rely on. You can reach her at her email address: [email protected]
