Despite the constant push to make everything digital, most people still experience the irritation of junk mail in their mailboxes every now and then. (Check out our handy post about how to stop the flow of unwanted paper mail).
Recycling all this waste paper is good, but reusing it can be fun and adds a little time onto the life-cycle of the paper. Here are some of our favorite ways to upcycle junk mail.
1. Packing Material: If you’ve got a shredder, it’s easy to turn unwanted fliers and credit card offers into a recycled packing material for delicate objects. (Also check out our list of other things you can do with shredded paper).
2. DIY Book Mark: Do you enjoy a good read? Then you know how disappointing it can be to lose your place when life calls you away. This guide shows you how to turn junk mail envelopes into handy corner toppers!
3. Upcycled Stationary: Email and text messages might be more convenient, but hand written notes and letters still have the power to brighten someone’s day. Check out the Yellow Owl Workshop’s video tutorial on transforming unwanted mail into wonderful stationary!
4. Gift Bags and Wrapping Paper: Have you ever wrapped a present and thought about how silly it was to use perfectly good paper on something that will just get torn open in two seconds? Gift-giving season is a perfect time to reuse junk mail, either as a gift bag or wrapping paper.
5. Seedling Pots: The PotMaker is a cool little gadget that you can use to turn large sheet junk mail into seedling pots. After your plants are ready to go into the garden, the paper will simply decompose. Check it out in the video below!
6. Kitty Litter: Cat lovers know that it’s a constant struggle to find a non-toxic litter that will actually do the trick. Check out the Greenists guide to making your own biodegradable litter from shredded newspaper and junk mail.
YAYYYY! kitty litter is imported from the US here in Venezuela and is expensive, about $1 per pound. i live in an apartment that i share with my family and 2 cats. i have been using shredded newspaper for some time now and hadn’t really thought about the ink issue. the cats use it and don’t seem to mind, altho i can tell they prefer the clay litter. ( i sometimes break down and buy them some) but the idea of regular sand is great! i will try it . also the “homemade” litter. what you have made is basic papier maché! i will share this with my cat-loving neighbors. thanks! as to the composte issue. in Japan, they used “night soil” ( the contents from chamber pots were collected daily) to fertilize their gardens…still way better than pesticides…