How Do I Recycle Paper Stationery at Home?

One of the key advantages of using a paper product is that it is 100% plant-based, meaning you can recycle it up to 7 times!

But how can we recycle what we have used, rather than throw it away?

What do you do with paper stationery you have used?

You've spent many long hours perfecting your to-do lists, organising your life in your precious notebooks and jotting down your fabulous ideas, but once you've finished with your stationery, whether it's school exercise books, office notebooks, or home notepads, what can you do with them to reduce waste?

We love these 5 ways you can help, from fun DIY projects for the kids to tips to organise your home.

5 easy ways to recycle your paper stationery at home.

1. Use paper for compost

Simply tear your old paper into small pieces and place it around your plants in the soil, as paper is a natural plant-based resource, the ingredients in the paper add nutrients and moisture to the soil.

The scrunch test

• A simple test to see if your paper is suitable for compost if you scrunch it and it doesn't return to its original state then it is suitable for compost.

2. Keep paper for bulk packing

Whether you're selling products online, reselling second-hand items, or moving house, used paper can be kept to bulk out boxes when packing to ensure your items are kept safe and secure.

Wrap delicate items in paper, and scrunch up paper to fill gaps in moving boxes in order to protect your valuables.

Sending a gift to a friend?

• Your used paper stationery can also be used to bulk out their gift boxes and help protect their precious present.

3. Craft with exercise book covers

With Easter coming up in the next month, this is a great way to upcycle your old exercise books, the brightly coloured covers are ideal for use when crafting

In particular, the bright coloured green and yellow cover exercise books are the perfect shades for creating your Easter crafts - and you might want to save your red exercise books for Christmas.

4. Re-purpose used paper stationery for gift wrapping presents

A great way to upcycle paper stationery is to wrap birthday and special occasion presents in it, you can even dress it up with extra ribbons and twine for an extra personalised touch.

Organising a kids' party?

• You can also repurpose used paper stationery to use for pass-the-parcel.
  

5. Practical everyday use

Because of the natural fibres in paper, this means it is a super absorbent material that can help prevent odours and moisturise.

This is a brilliant excuse to start spring by clearing out the inside of your drawers, reorganising and placing old paper stationery sheets inside your drawers around the house, such as cutlery, jewellery, or toiletry drawers.

What if I can't repurpose my paper stationery?

Once you've upcycled your used paper stationery as much as you possibly can, providing it's still in its original form (no embellishments or craft glue), make sure to recycle your paper responsibly, by using your home recycling bin or your local recycling center for larger amounts.

Who knows the paper you recycle, may even end up as part of our 100% Recycled Paper Stationery Range.

What if I have Unused Stationery?

And if you have any unused stationery, perhaps from a house clear-out, and need ideas and advice of what to do with it, read our tips.

From donating unwanted stationery to using services such as TerraCycle, we've got tons of advice.