25 Useful Things to Do With Old Books

Author: Diana Kurzeja

Edited by: Katiee McKinstry

If you’re a book lover, you’re no stranger to having a towering stack of books overflowing your shelves. Throwing away old books doesn’t feel right; fortunately, you don’t have to —plenty of ways to upcycle your books and give them a good shelf life.

From fun, crafty projects to making DIY home decor pieces, you’ll have no trouble finding ways to reuse your old books.

Make a Bookmark

Turn your old book into a bookmark to use for your latest reads. It’s simple and works well if you have an old book with a spine in pretty good shape. Remove the spine from your old book and use it as a new bookmark!

You can add tassels to the top of it or even laminate it to keep it looking fresh.

Make a Planter

Did you know you can create a trendy planter from your old books? Take a book and cut a small-sized hole in the middle. Make sure it’s deep enough to put a small plant in. You can stack a few books together to make a deeper hole and then bind them together with super glue.

Line the hole with plastic and place your potted plant into the hole to complete your cute homemade decor piece.

Set up a Free Little Library

Have you ever walked past a house and seen what looks like a giant birdhouse filled with books? This is a free little library where you can take a free book after leaving one of your old books for others who pass by.

It’s a fun DIY project, and you’ll be encouraging your neighborhood to read and share their old books with others.

Turn a Book into a Keepsake Box

Cut out a rectangular hole or a few holes inside the pages of your book to use it as a keepsake or trinket box. Cut the hole to the bottom of the book so that it’s deep enough to add tiny trinkets and items.

This is the perfect DIY project if you want to have a secret spot for your keepsakes or valuables.

Cover Books in Fabric

If you love using books to decorate your home but are stuck with old, ratted books — add some fabric to them! Buy and wrap some of your favorite fabric designs around the old books.

Then, you can stack the books on a table or bookshelf to jazz up your space with your homemade decor.

Create a Stacked Book Lamp

Set up a cozy book nook for yourself with a stacked book lamp. You only need a lamp kit, lampshade, and hardcover books. First, drill a hole into the middle of each book and cut a hole into the bottom book for the electrical cord.

Once you attach the lamp kit rod to the bottom book, carefully thread the books onto the rod. Pop on the lampshade after assembling the lamp kit, and viola — you’ve got your very own book lamp!

Donate Them

If you need help with what to do with your old books and want them to be good, donate them to a thrift store, donation box, or a local shelter. You can trade or sell your books at a thrift store or choose to donate them if you’d like.

Donated books would benefit plenty of good causes, and they’re a much better option than throwing them away.

Bring Them Into a Used Bookstore

Used bookstores are always looking for new reads to add to their collection. Head into your local used bookstore with your old books to see if they’ll accept any of your reads.

The shopowner might also give you the option to get store credit or trade, so you’ll leave with a new book to add to your TBR pile.

Host a Book Swap

You can’t go wrong with hosting a book swap, especially if your friends are fellow book lovers. Plan a fun night of snacks, drinks, and books with friends or your book club. Trading books is the perfect way to give your old books a new home and get some new reads yourself.

Give more books away than you bring home to get a few books off your hands.

Make Wall Art

Show off your love of reading by creating unique and beautiful wall art. You’ll need to cut out a few pages from your old books, and then you can draw or print art onto them. After adding the art, frame the page and hang it in your home.

This is such an easy DIY project that will add a unique touch to your space.

Paint Your Home Decor Piece

Another way to spruce up your old books and home is by painting their spines. Grab a few old books and paint the spines. You can paint the spines one solid color, like white, and then paint or stencil a picture onto the spines while the books stand side by side.

You can also paint them with designs and colors for a vibrant, funky style.

Make Coasters

This DIY idea is one for the books; all your guests will ask about it. Use pages from your old comic, picture, or regular books to create book coasters. Cut out your favorite pages from the books into squares slightly smaller than the original coaster. Then, round the corners of the cutout and use a paintbrush to apply mod pudge over the surface.

Let the coasters dry for the night, and then apply the triple-thick clear glaze. Once they dry, your DIY coasters are ready for use!

Create a Decorative Banner

Many versatile ways to use your old books to create a decorative banner exist. Whether they are picture books, comic books, or chapter books, you can cut out their pages into large triangle shapes and make a DIY banner.

The best part about this craft is that it can fit any theme, depending on the books.

Make a Jewelry Box

Another way to upcycle your old books is to make a jewelry box. Cut out a rectangular box from the book’s pages to the bottom. You can decorate the inside of the box by painting it or adding designs for a more aesthetic look.

This is the perfect spot to store and keep your treasured jewelry pieces safe.

Create Stacked Book Decor

Stacked table books have become all the rage in home decor. For books that are in good shape, stack them together on a table to spruce up your space. If you have books that aren’t in the best condition, paint over them and stack them to create a trendy and stylish decor piece.

Place them on a table, bookshelf, or entryway shelf to maximize the piece’s effect.

Sell Your Books Online

If you’re lucky, you could earn a few dollars by selling your old books online. Add a listing to Facebook Marketplace or another website where you can put up free classified ads. For this to work, it’s best to sell books in good condition for a reasonably low price.

You can even offer a discounted rate on a bundle of books or trade your books for something else.

Turn an Old Book into a Pet Food Bowl

This DIY hack is for all pet lovers. Treat your pet to a new food bowl with this fun craft idea. Grab an old hardcover book and cut out a large circle to hold the bowl. Add a layer of paint to the inside of the hole to keep the pages in place.

Put the bowl into the hole; if necessary, glue or secure it to the inside. Your pet will love using this bowl, which will also make a stylish home decor piece.

Make a Wreath

Make a paper wreath from your old book pages to add a charming element to your home. All you need are pages from an old book and a plain wreath to stick onto once you’ve formed them into a shape you like. Use pages from a chapter book to create a neutral wreath with a vintage feel, or opt for pictures or comic books for a colorful and lively wreath.

We recommend hanging the wreath inside your home to protect it from outdoor elements.

Create Hidden Storage

If you have valuables or items, you want to store in a hidden place; this is one brilliant DIY storage hack you’ll want to try. Attach a few spines from old books to the outside of a plywood box you can open and close like a shelf.

No one will suspect your book display as a secret storage compartment, making it the perfect spot to hide your possessions.

Make a Pencil Holder

Need somewhere convenient to store all of your pencils and pens? Use an old book as a pencil holder for your desk. With this simple hack, all you need to do is cut out two large holes through the pages of a book to the bottom.

Place a small plastic rim or holder into the hole, and you’ve got a handy pencil holder. This also works for other desk and stationery essentials you need a place for.

Use Books as a Knife Block

This knife board is genius and will quickly become your favorite kitchen staple. Gather a few books in complementary colors, stand them up side by side, and tie them together with string.

The knives will slide smoothly into the books, giving you a practical space to store your cutlery.

Create Jewelry

Fewer pieces are as unique as sentimental jewelry, especially handmade ones. If you have any passages in old books you love, cut them out and put them in a locket or pendant.

You’ll be able to carry around your favorite stories and quotes with you and rock a beautiful pendant.

Make Ornaments

You can’t go wrong with DIY Christmas ornaments — they’re fun to make and hold many memories. Use pages of your old books to create sentimental handmade ornaments to hang on your tree during the holidays.

Use picture books or comics instead of chapter books for ornaments that stand out with a pop of color.

Re-Gift Your Books

Finding the perfect gifts for friends and loved ones doesn’t have to be challenging. If you have any old books that are still in decent condition, you can gift them to family and friends.

They’ll love how thoughtful your gift is and will appreciate the sentiment, especially if they’re avid readers.

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This post was previously published on Wealth of Geeks.

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