A couple of weeks ago I talked about some ways to keep up with your to do lists and other notes. I had promised some tips on making use of those leftover scraps of paper for my Tuesday tip last week, but I forgot. 
First and foremost if you have recycling available please recycle any and all papers that you can. Paper can be recycled at home by making something new from it or by reusing it. You can save papers printed on one side to print coupons on or for the kids to color on. Here are my brainstorms for those smaller pieces of paper:
A. Let (or help) the kids make envelopes to play with.
B. Put together small notebooks with scraps of decorative paper and a strip of ribbon stapled on the side.
C. Make sweet little girl notepads by putting a small bow made from scrap ribbon at the top.
D. Let the kids practice their cutting skills. They can cut down the lines on the paper or make confetti 
E. Shred scraps of paper (and newspapers/magazines) for packing material or small animal bedding. If you are mailing the package keep in mind that it may increase the weight by a few ounces. For animal bedding you might want to mix the paper with store bought bedding for odor control.
F. Store scraps of paper in empty tissue boxes to help with clutter control. Your family will always know where to go to find something to jot down a phone number on.
G. Keep scraps of paper with a pen in a small basket by the phone or by your location for dropping keys/purses etc. off.
My parents have a few scraps of paper to use over and over with the same messages: “Dinner in the fridge in ___ container”, “Gone for a walk, left at ____”, “Out shopping, left at_____”.
They simply change the info in the blank and reuse the same scrap until it’s too full. The scraps stay on the end of the counter where my Dad drops off his keys/phone to be placed on the floor mat between the kitchen and living room when needed. Saves a bit of time too.
I’m sure there are many other ways to make use of paper scraps. Do you have some other uses?
Speak Your Mind