Donate Books Or Reuse – Home Projects

Donate books or reuse? Today we have some crafty ideas for you to try instead of giving those dog eared novels away!

I was talking with a friend recently about books and the fact that a great leather-bound read is basically a thing of the past that doesn’t seem to hold as much value in today’s world. Are you old enough to remember having to actually look things up in a dictionary or encyclopedia pre-Google?

donate books creative book page projects

Maybe you can chime in because I don’t know very many school-age children and wondering if everything has gone tablet yet? What about on college campuses? Do books still hold value in your life? Do you donate books or keep a big pile after being read? Do you love to hold them in your hand, as I do? Books have so many ways to recycle once you are finished reading them. If you aren’t a crafter then skip this and pass that novel that you are reading along to a friend or donate books to the local library or thrift shop.

I just love to make things when time permits and shared this DIY on HOW TO AGE A NEW BOOK

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Another no-fail fun project that I shared shows you  HOW TO MAKE A UNIQUE BOOK RUNNERso if you have some spare old paperbacks on hand check it out!

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And I shared this super CUTE wall that I spotted when I work with the Design Bloggers Tour at High Point Market from Joanna Gaines’ showroom Magnolia Homes. This would be a fun temporary installment in your kiddo’s playroom!
magnolia-homes-showroom-highpoint
Today I’ve gathered up 20 of the BEST WAYS TO RECYCLE OLD BOOKS for you from some talented bloggers. Check them out and let me know if you plan on creating anything in this list!
donate books or creative book page projects

Donate Books Or Reuse – Home Projects

DIY GIFT BOX FROM A VINTAGE BOOK – MAKE AND DO CREW

We all have that one person we love who is book-lover and I can’t think of a better gift for that special person in our lives than this fabulous and creative gift box made with a vintage book! 

RECYCLED CRAFT: PORTABLE ART CASE – CONSUMER CRAFTS

Any DIY project that caters to organize clutter (important clutter in this case!) has my full and devoted attention! The wonderful team behind Crafts Unleashed created this practical art case you can carry around with your art supplies out of a hardback book with sturdy binding. 

HOMEMADE BOOK CLUTCH – THE SURZNICK COMMON ROOM

Have you ever loved a cook cover so much you either stare at it or proudly showed it off on the best part of your bookshelves? Well, now you can take it outside for a ride and use it as your purse. X shows you this super easy tutorial on how to transform a book into a book-clutch. 

DIY PAPER BOOK PUMPKINS – MOUNTAIN MODERN LIFE

Katie came up with a wonderful way to both decorate her house with cute little pumpkins and give good use to some very damaged books that were about to throw out. These adorable paper pumpkins are perfect for Halloween season or just as a simple and beautiful craft to decorate your home. 

BOOK CLOCK – DOMESTICALLY BLISSFUL 

Giustina from Domestically Blissful showed how she turned an old book with a stunning cover into an even more stunning clock! It takes only a few simple supplies and a bit of time but in the end, you’ll have a gorgeous new clock!

DIY VINTAGE BOOK PAGES COASTERS – CLEVER PINK PIRATE

If you found some a book with images or illustration you just love but they might be too small to frame and display on your art wall, this coaster by Sara checks all the boxes! Check her detailed instructions and start making yours.

DIY PROJECTS: THE BOOK VASE – KATE’S CREATIVE SPACE

No books were injured here, promise! Well, you just need to be careful when you remove the body from the book’s cover and you can start making this stunning and creative vase that will truly add personality and charm to your decor. 

RECYCLED BOOK PAGE BUTTERFLY WREATH – DIY INSPIRED

Inspired by the ever-inspiring Pinterest dashboard, Dinah did her own version of this stunning butterfly wreath using old pages from an old and damaged book. It’s truly a lovely piece that looks design-made and it costs almost nothing to make.

DIY MINI BOOK PAGE WREATH – THE HONEYCOMB HOME

Now, if the idea of a book page wreath thrills you but you want something smaller Roxanne, the creative behind The Honeycomb Home, has you covered! She has a fantastic tutorial on how to make this stunning wreaths, the perfect size to display around your house to spice up your decor.

WALL SHELF FROM FAUX VINTAGE BOOKS – A PIECE OF RAINBOW

Repurposing is might have become more trendy lately but it has been part of the craft world for decades and for a very good reason! It offers you a way to transform one beautiful but maybe old thing like a book into a brand new object but keeping some of the same styles. Just have a look at this DIY project Ananda where she makes a wall shelf with old books… amazing (And practical!)

DIY PHONE BOOK COASTERS – GINA MICHELE

Get your old phone book and recycle it instead of throwing away by making some charming little coasters. Gina shows you how to do it on her site Gina Michele.

DIY KNIFE HOLDER MADE FROM UPCYCLED BOOKS – REUSE GROW ENJOY

OMG! This such a creative and unexpected DIY project, I love it! It’s so pretty and an awesome way to take and show your love for books into the kitchen. To know how to make this knife holder with your olds books on Reuse Grow Enjoy. 

DIY BOOK PAGE FRAME COLLAGE – HYDRANGEA HIPPO

Jennifer, the founder of Hydrangea Hippo has a pretty and easy DIY project on her blog, a lovely framed collage made from book pages. It’s a beautiful and tasteful way to pay homage to those pages and books you just love too much to keep them just in your bookshelves. 

HOW TO MAKE A BOOK LAMP – THE SHABBY CREEK COTTAGE

Let’s blend functionality with creativity, shall we? I loved this adorable DIY project Gina created on her blog, it has such a cute retro-vibe that would work amazingly for those homes with more eclectic home decor. Have a look at her tips and advice when you set up everything to make yours!

VINTAGE BOOK TABLE CASE – STAMPED IN HIS IMAGE

Technology and analogic times meet in this adorable and useful table cover make with old bookcases. A lovely gift idea, isn’t? I already know a book-lover who’ll be getting this as a gift next Christmas!

DIY BOOK FLOWER – SOME OF THIS AND THAT

As part of her front entry table makeover, x came up with a lovely flower design to decorate it… made with an old (or new!) book. She has a few issues the first time around she made it so she has all the tips and hacks to get it right and avoid mistakes on her post. 

EASY GEM BOOK SCULPTURE – MUSLIN AND MERLOT

With a regular book, Heidi Kay created a one-of-a-kind sculpture! Using a very simple and basic technique, she teaches us how to do it. Check out her instructions on her Muslin And Merlot.

Donate Books Or Reuse – Home Projects

  1. DIY Gift Box From A Vintage Book from makeanddocrew.com
  2. Custom Portable Art Case from blog.consumercrafts.com
  3. Homemade Book Clutch from thesurznickcommonroom.com
  4. DIY Paper Book Pumpkins from mountainmodernlife.com
  5. Book Clock from domesticallyblissful.com
  6. DIY Vintage Book Page Coasters from cleverpinkpirate.com
  7. DIY Projects The Book Vase from katescreativespace.com
  8. Recycled Book Page Butterfly Wreath from diyinspired.com
  9. DIY Mini Book Page Wreath from thehoneycombhome.com
  10. Wall Shelf From Faux Vintage Books from apieceofrainbow.com
  11. DIY Phone Book Coasters from gina-michele.com
  12. DIY Knife Holder Made From Upcycled Books from reusegrowenjoy.com
  13. DIY Book Page Frame Collage from hydrangeahippo.com
  14. How To Make A Book Lamp from theshabbycreekcottage.com
  15. Vintage Book Tablet Case from stampedinhisimage.blogspot.com
  16. DIY Book Flower from someofthisandthat.com
  17. Easy Gem Book Sculpture from muslinandmerlot.blogspot.com

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3 Comments

  1. Laura Harrie says:

    I like the 20 different ways to recycle books list. Lots of ideas to try. I have always wanted to make a secret hiding spot inside a book. Thanks for sharing the list.

    1. Glad that you found an idea that you can use Laura!

  2. Laurie Nelson says:

    I love old books and have quite a few I’ve inherited. I’ve typically used them to elevate a small lamp, but there are some super creative ways to use them on this collection of blog posts! Thanks, Janet!