17 Creative Ways To Re-Use Your Phone Book
I haven't used a phone book in years. Years! I can hardly even remember life before Google. A while back I tried to opt out of my phone book delivery service, but still that enormous heavy tome of wasted paper kept arriving on my doorstep. So I recycled it, like a good green steward, but plopping
Posted — UpdatedI haven't used a phone book in years. Years! I can hardly even remember life before Google. A while back I tried to opt out of my phone book delivery service, but still that enormous heavy tome of wasted paper kept arriving on my doorstep. So I recycled it, like a good green steward, but plopping that massive stack of totally-untouched paper into the bin . . . it still felt wasteful.
So I resubmitted my opt-out, and then got to work thinking of what I could do with the phone books I'd accidentally gotten. Here's what I came up with:
1. Use the pages to wash your windows and mirrors. Just like newspaper, this is the best method for achieving a streak-free finish.
2. Turn the pages into envelopes. You can find a ton of cool tutorials for folding your own envelopes, and they add such a charming touch of DIY flair to a little gift or hand drawn card.
6. There are tons of paper crafts that are ideal for that thinner, newsprint-y type of paper. For example papier mache, or origami, or paper beads. Each of these can be skewed "beginner" or "master" depending on your skill level. Just google around for tutorials.
7. Paper is paper, and any balled-up paper makes an excellent fire-starter. Keep your phone book near your hearth this winter.
8. If you're planning a move, keep your phone book to use for wrapping your breakable items. Balled-up paper makes great packing material. This can come in handy for mailing holiday gifts, as well.
10. Lots of home composters end up with disproportionate ratios of "greens" to "browns". Phone book pages will work great for the oft-sought after "browns" (don't worry about the ink, soy is the standard these days). You can also add the pages, shredded, to your worm bin.
14. This summer I got really into pressing flowers, and I plan to start again next season. A phone book makes a pretty excellent flower press. You can also press leaves (like the incredible colored ones that are abundant these days) in there.
15. A phone book is the right height and size to give your toddler the little boost that he may need to join the family at the table. Cover the book in cotton batting and fabric, or save a step and use a cool vintage quilt. Instant booster seat.
16. If you're an exerciser, you can use a phone book to augment your workout. They make great aerobics "steps" or yoga blocks.