Any great ideas on how to upcycle plastic three ring binders?

**shortstack** · 12-30-2009, 09:10 PM

I have about 10 plastic three ring binders that I bought for back to school 2 years ago. My kids never used them. Does anybody have any great ideas on ways to upcycle them?

TIA
Andrea

**Contrary Housewife** · 12-30-2009, 09:39 PM

You can buy all kinds of inserts for stamps, coins and currency. The kids can use them to start a collection.

You can also get sheet protectors and turn them into scrapbooks.

**goldeneyez** · 12-31-2009, 12:37 AM

I am currently upcycling a couple of my kids old ones into coupon holders. I saw the idea on a blog (which I can't remember

brain isn't what it's used to)

I'm using the baseball card plastic sleeves for most of coupons and had some of the 8x11 plastic sheets pockets from some of the kids reports for school and they hold the bigger ones. I used the dividers that were left over from teh kids as well to make divisions of different coupon, household, bathroom, food, etc

Not sure if this makes sense, but once it gets done, I can put pictures online if you want.

Stacy

**frugalwarrior2** · 12-31-2009, 12:41 AM

Upcycle?? Reuse as something else?

**Luckybustert** · 12-31-2009, 01:29 AM

I put the plastic page protectors in them and slide household manuals/appliance instructions into them.

**joyofsix** · 12-31-2009, 06:36 AM

My kids keep card collections and 'secret diaries' in some. I've covered the fronts and used them for picture albums and scrapbook stuff. I also use some to keep examples of the best art/school work/writing of the kids. I just label it with the year. It makes a good conversation piece when they're older. They sort of like to see the way they thought 5, 7 or 10 years ago.

**Kitchen Mama** · 12-31-2009, 09:04 AM

I use them with sheet protectors for my recipes. Seems I'm always collecting recipes!

**mama2James** · 12-31-2009, 09:10 AM

Not sure exactly what you mean by upcycling, but if you'd be willing to donate them I'm sure your local middle school or high school guidance office will know of kids who can use them. Many teachers are making them an absolute requirement and a with 6-8 subjects it can get pricey for parents who are really struggling.

**craftypam** · 12-31-2009, 09:32 AM

I'm going through old magazines and am going to use one for crafts, one for good ideas and one for recipes

**Lori63** · 12-31-2009, 09:35 AM

Originally Posted by mama2James

Not sure exactly what you mean by upcycling, but if you'd be willing to donate them I'm sure your local middle school or high school guidance office will know of kids who can use them. Many teachers are making them an absolute requirement and a with 6-8 subjects it can get pricey for parents who are really struggling.

I was going to suggest this. I work in an elementary school with mostly low-income families. We take donations of pretty much anything from school supplies to shoes to keep for kids who don't have any.

**ilovechocolate** · 12-31-2009, 10:52 AM

Please consider donating them to a public school. At my school we have a school supply closet that we struggle to keep stocked. Binders would be very welcomed.

**shoiji** · 12-31-2009, 11:36 AM

I use them to keep recipes. Am waiting for them to go on sale in the beginning of the year. Then will use them with sheet protectors for knitting projects and craft projects.

I have also cut the front and back off and used them to mount watercolor paper on. Worked well and was a cheap and light to carry around.

**MaryinFL** · 01-01-2010, 11:13 AM

I use them for my financial affairs. I three hole punch bank statements, insurance policies, etc that I don't want to loose. I also have one for knitting projects and house decorating ideas.

Larger binders I use for my knitting magazines. I buy the wire that you insert in the middle of the magazine that makes it three hole compatable.

Ive decorated the outside with fabric, prepasted wallpaper, and even knitted a cover for the one that holds my knitting patterns.

**duallypilot** · 01-01-2010, 01:08 PM

Another way of passing on is find your local chapter of Big Brothers and Big Sisters or a local community center that could pass them on to families in need. We've passed things on to a local center here in KC called The Heart of America Indian Center, so they can distribute to families who don't have the means.

**mombottoo** · 01-01-2010, 03:53 PM

If you are crafty at all you can recover them for use as cookbooks, picture albums, memory books, etc. My dd's mil is really handy at this sort of thing and that's what she does with 3 ring binders.