7 Ways to Upcycle Old Magazines

Photo by Sunguk Kim
from Unsplash

Old magazines. Have you ever thought about the multiplicity of upcycled projects you can do with them?

Why Upcycle Old Magazines?

Magazines have glossy, colorful pages.

If you've ever bought a pack of glossy art paper for your kids' school project, think about the glossy element of these art materials; but with magazines, you also get text in different fonts and font sizes, photos, and varying sizes of paper. 

Magazines can be some of the cheapest craft materials.

You may already have piles of glossy magazines lying around at home. If you do, you already have a goldmine of craft materials. 

Upcycling magazines can help reduce clutter.

Imagine clearing away at least a stash or 2, or even a box or any container, of glossy magazines. 

As craft materials, old magazines are versatile. 

You can combine sheets of old magazines with scrapbook, origami, tissue, crepe, kraft, felt, art, and construction paper. 

There's also a lot you can do by incorporating embellishments, die cuts, corrugated board, and foam sheets. 

You can end up with a lot of "brand new" items by upcycling old magazines.

You'll be surprised with the number of ways you can upcycle old magazines, and the items with which you'll end up once your projects are done.

(**Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. Once you click on any of those links and make a purchase, I'll collect a commission.) 

Photo from Brit + Co
Click here for complete procedure

(1.) Customized ceramic tiles

Imagine these tiles as coasters adorning your dining table or coffee table. Afternoons spent reading a good book while sipping ice cold lemonade will never be the same again! 

These customized ceramic tiles turned coasters also make the perfect stocking stuffer. 

For more on ideas for stocking stuffers, read -- 

13 DIY Stocking Stuffers for Frugal Givers

(2.) Notebook covers

If your kids are teen-agers, are they going all "ho-hum" over the boring covers of their school notebooks? 

Photo from Autodesk Instructables
Click here for complete tutorial

Well, why not make things more exciting by using old magazine covers to DIY your kids' notebook covers?

Random pre-loved basketball magazines
from 3S Angels Used Goods Shop

For guys, use covers of basketball or other sports magazines, and school days will never be the same again.

(3.) Ornaments 

Like having friends over for a movie or Netflix marathon? How about a game of cards or adult board games? 

Why not amp up the ambience by crafting ornaments from old magazines? 

Just think: no one will notice your threadbare apartment or ratty old furniture. The ornaments might even make a worthwhile conversation starter. 

(4.) Elements for a vision board 

You may have heard of the law of attraction and the effectivity of manifesting dreams and goals through vision boards. 

To illustrate, maybe you've binged on junk food and processed food and had been sedentary for most of the past year, and you'd like to eat healthfully and be more physically active again. 

Take several issues of old fitness magazines, and clip photos of fitness models working out. 

Or, you can also look for pictures of exercise equipment, like a treadmill, a pair of Pilates bands, a jumping rope, or athletic trainers.

Proceed by arranging these photos on your vision board, which could be a poster board, a corkboard, or a large illustration board.

For more about vision boards, read -- 

9 Ways a Vision Board Can Help You Succeed 

(5.) Accessories 

Paper beading is the process where you gather strips of old magazines and turn them into colorful beads. 

Photo from Crafty House
Click here for complete procedure

Out of these colorful beads, you can make accessories like bracelets, necklaces, earrings, and even bag charms, keychains, and phone charms.

Photo from Meegan Makes
Click here for
complete procedure

(6.) Woven placemat 

Ladies, have you ever dreamt of recreating afternoon tea and inviting your friends over for generous servings of finger sandwiches, scones, and delectable pastry?

Well, why not select a few issues of those home and garden magazines and turn them into paper placemats that show what "understated elegance" is? 

You can complement your table setting and fine china with flowers made from tissue paper.

And the best thing about this upcycled magazine project? You can have it modified. For a children's party, you can replace glossy magazines with old comic books.

Back issues of teen magazines
by Cherryish You

(7.) Pop art 

You've probably seen pop art from Andy Warhol's collections, vintage record stores, as well as shops offering a variety of collectibles like posters and art prints.

Photo from Mad in Crafts
Click here for complete procedure

Regardless of your level of understanding about art, pop art is one of the least intimidating to try as a newbie because of its references to pop culture and use of bold colors.

Making pop art with your kids by upcycling old magazines will not only enhance their creativity and stretch their imagination; you can also wean them away from their devices, at least for a while. 

For more tips on reducing your kids' screen time, read -- 

How to Help Your Kids Reduce Screen Time Through Crafts