Upcyclying magazines? any ideas

Good morning! I am new to the site and new to being very active in upcycling as well. My sister got me a subscription to Reader's Digest, to be honest, I am not sure why although I appreciate the gesture. Anyway I am trying to figure out something to do with the magazines other than throw them away. They are glossy color magazines so I can't put them in my compost (which I am also new at lol)

I use non glossy paper and cardboard in my compost and to line garden beds but really don't know what to do with the glossy stuff, any suggestions would be appreciated. I do have a big hole under my deck that I need to start filling in....I don't have an intentions on planting there obviously...would it be ok to use the glossy magazine items there? I mean I don't want to damage the environment anywhere just not exactly clear on if it is just recommended not to use it in compost since that will be used for my vegetable garden

Janet Chapman wrote:Good morning! I am new to the site and new to being very active in upcycling as well. My sister got me a subscription to Reader's Digest, to be honest, I am not sure why although I appreciate the gesture. Anyway I am trying to figure out something to do with the magazines other than throw them away. They are glossy color magazines so I can't put them in my compost (which I am also new at lol)

I use non glossy paper and cardboard in my compost and to line garden beds but really don't know what to do with the glossy stuff, any suggestions would be appreciated. I do have a big hole under my deck that I need to start filling in....I don't have an intentions on planting there obviously...would it be ok to use the glossy magazine items there? I mean I don't want to damage the environment anywhere just not exactly clear on if it is just recommended not to use it in compost since that will be used for my vegetable garden

I usually try to pass magazines on for others to read...thrift store, nursing home, dr's office, friends?  Otherwise they go to our local recycling center and never in the trash.  I don't use them to decompose anywhere because even though most use soy ink now I believe some of the pigments still contain heavy metals and then there's the industrial paper making process itself, etc.....

There is an ongoing difference in opinion here at permies on this subject..you will likely get a lot of ideas to choose from.  Check out the 'similar threads' list at the bottom of your thread here and you might find more ongoing discussion...

welcome to permies!

From back in the 1960's, onwards, we have recycled them by crafting with them. The infamous fold the corners then spraypaint and make into holiday angel decorations (add head and wings with Styrofoam ball and cardboard). Cut the pages into really long skinny triangles, spread with white glue and wrap around those really cheap little paper straws, and make 'beads'. The taper was very slight, the strips were narrow and very long. A lot of them were taken to waiting rooms and left behind (remove ID if a mailing/subscription label is on them). When I owned gerbils, giving them soy based ink with no staples stuff crumpled a bit, they would delight in shredding them for me. Decopage with the white glue/water (you can tint the glue with food coloring) to cover boxes and cans and recycle those. Give a coating of lacquer or other clear waterproof sealant if doing anything with glue....

I believe in giving something another pass before it's done...

Judith Browning wrote:I usually try to pass magazines on for others to read...thrift store, nursing home, dr's office, friends?

I'm going to throw in a plug for veterans hospitals. The local one takes any less than 3 months old.

I keep my magazines to reread over and over.  In the past when I had a doctors appointment I would take a couple with me and leave them with the other magazines.

As a kid, I made jewelry beads out of them.  They were colorful and unique.  Here is a link on how to do it.  Mine were much smaller than their example about less than 1/2 inch and the stripes were longer than their example.  After finishing the beads they were brushed with shellac and when dry strung on string.

https://www.wikihow.com/Make-Paper-Beads

Welcome to permies, Janet!

We use rocket mass heaters here and often use paper to start our fires. Paul tells a story of how Ianto Evans, one of the original creators or writers of RMH's, heated his home one winter using catalogs only - no wood at all.

The downside of burning glossy paper like catalogs or magazines is that the paper has a high clay content, so more ash is left behind than other paper.

All the suggestions for reuse are really far better than burning, IMHO, and made me think of listing them in the free section on Craigslist. I imagine if a teacher or crafter was looking, they'd be checking CL.

Then, wait a minute! Check out how people SELL recyclables on ebay:  https://permies.com/mobile/t/72776/Making-money-Internet-selling-trash. I wonder if you could list them there and at least get reimbursed for your postage!

Deb Rebel wrote:Cut the pages into really long skinny triangles, spread with white glue and wrap around those really cheap little paper straws, and make 'beads'. The taper was very slight, the strips were narrow and very long.

I'm really liking this idea! There are some neat youtube tutorials showing how effective these beads can look especially after a lacquer coat!


I've seen people using paper strips to make bowls and other flat containers like these for example:


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