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Calling all book lovers!
Is your house overrun with too many books?
Or have you had an unfortunate mishap that has damaged some of your old books?
This post is all about what you can do with your old books including:
- places to donate them to be read again
- ways to sell your unwanted books
- craft projects for those to damaged to save; and
- ways to help you hang on to your old books by decorating them!
Here is how we are going to organise these ideas. Scroll down or click for the section you are interested in!
Part 1: Donating and Selling Books
Part 2: Crafting & Decorating with Old Books
Where to Donate & Sell Books
If your books are in a good condition and you are really just looking to move them on to a new home to free up space in yours then this list of places that might want your old books should help.
Local Libraries
Your local library is always a great place to start, especially if you aren’t that interested in selling your books and you just want them to end up somewhere where they will be enjoyed.
Now your library may not be interested in all your books because space will be at a premium and their is an admin cost to sorting through lots of old books – BUT – if you read popular fiction or have lots of children’s books to donate they might be super grateful!
Community Center
Is there a local community centre or seniors center in your area that has (or would like to have) a book lending or book swap area? It’s worth dropping in and asking if they would like to take some or all of your unwanted books.
Book Drives & Book Drop Boxes
Some non-profit organizations and charities do book drives where they will publicise that they are looking for donated books. There will usually be a drop off point and a set deadline. Look out for these or mark them on your calendar if they are annual events – they can be a great reminder to do a clear out!
Here where I live in the UK there are also charities and non-profits that have a drop box for books that can be donated to all year round. Where I am these are located next to the big recycling bins in supermarket car parks.
Thrift Shop
Local thrift stores or charity shops (what we call them here in the UK), are often great places to donate boxes of books. Especially fiction and paperback books which sell well in these kinds of shops.
Larger thrift stores and charitable organisations sometimes also can arrange free pickup!
Other places that might accept Book Donations
These are some other places you can check to see if they would take a donation of a pile of books or even just a couple well chosen favourites.
- Local Hospitals
- Literacy Programs
- Local School
- Local Church
- Local Coffee Shop
- Book Clubs
- Mom & Baby Cafe’s (children’s books)
- Family Member (but I’m guessing you started there!)
Selling Books – especially Old Textbooks
Obviously if you know of a college student who could use your unwanted textbooks it would be super nice of you to just gift them to them, but if you don’t there is a very strong market for used textbooks so these are usually some of the easier types of books to sell (assuming they aren’t 50 years out of date!).
Here are some places to try:
NOTE: these suggestions work for all types of books but textbooks, and other how to style hardcover books generally go for a more reasonable price then do paperback fiction books:
- Ebay
- Amazon (you would need to open a vendor account which would only be worth it if you have a lot of books to sell on a regular basis)
- Book Selling Apps – there are people who base their whole business on buying and re-selling books and textbooks, they tend to buy books cheaply from folk like you or I and they will adjust the price they will pay you based on how much they can mark them up to resell elsewhere. Just search ‘sell books’ in the app store on your phone and you will find lots of options (but the money you get will be on the lower end just so you know!)
Garage Sale
If all else fails there is always the tried and true garage sale. Just set up your books (and other unwanted items) on your lawn, set up an eye catching sign and get selling!
Upcycling Old Books
35 Fun Things to do with Old Books
If you have exhausted your routes for donating old books or you've had something unfortunate happen to your books, like a spilled cup of coffee or a tear happy toddler you might like the ideas below for crafting and decorating with your books.
Obviously the upcycling and crafting ideas are best for books that have some damage or are just so unpopular that you can't find anyone who would actually want to take it off your hands to read them (I'm not in favour of tearing up perfectly good books just to be clear!).
But there are also loads of great decorating ideas that keep your books in tact and readable!
Scroll further down if you want fun ideas for using books to decorate for the holidays!
How to make a bookmark from a vintage book
I love, love, love this idea. What a fab way to salvage the most memorable part of the book if the pages themselves have been damaged.
And we know I love upcycled bookmarks in general so I was bound to love these!.
DIY Hollowed Out Book Tutorial
This is a lovely idea for making your home look less cluttered with electronics. Hollow out an old book and use it to hide your phone as it charges!
Also a great way to help yourself implement some 'no screens' time - out of sight, out of mind!
Smarty Cat Food Bowl Made From An Old Book
So cute! What a cultured cat!
How to Decoupage Fabric onto Books
This is a beautiful way to decorate books with loud or garishly coloured covers. You can keep them on display and still have the colour scheme of your dreams!
Hardcover Book Clock DIY
I love this cute project to use a hardcover book for a clock. You'll find more upcycled clock ideas in our Father's Day Gifts post too!
DIY Knife Holder Made From Upcycled Books
This one is great idea for an eclectic decorator. Also a great way to keep books you love on show even if their insides have seen better days. We featured another example of books as knife holders in our Kitchen Makeover post too.
Book Succulent Planter
We know I love a funky upcycled succulent planter! This one rocks!
Chalk Painted Books for Easy DIY Decor
Did yo know you could paint book covers? Well you can and stencil them too!
Another of the many great ideas in this list for just making your books more attractive without getting rid of them or tearing them up!
DIY Comic Book Coasters
This is a super cute gift idea and a great way of salvaging bits of a damaged comic book if there has been an unfortunate attic flood or the like.
Hymnal Bouquet Tutorial
This paper flower bouquet tutorial is a lovely idea for a wedding as it can be saved as a keepsake afterwards.
We featured some lovely Etsy sellers who make these types of paper flower bouquets to order in our Valentine's Day Gifts post a few years back too.
Birch Bark Painted Decorative Books
This is such a fun idea to help your books be part of the theme of the room. I bet you could paint other kinds of trees too!
DIY Little Golden Book Banner
This is a fab decor idea if your little one has torn a book to the point that sellotape won't help.
Salvage a triangle shape per page and make a cute book banner to decorate a nursery or kid's room.
Spring Flower & Book Page Banner
A spring themed book banner project.
Insanely easy DIY book cover tutorial-adds color in minutes!
Want a definite pop of colour on your bookshelves? Or want to make a rainbow room?
Check out this fab book covering idea to add whatever colour your heart desires!
DIY Book Safe to Hide Your Coolest Valuables
Let your books help keep your valuables safe in the event of a burglary. Hide your lovelies away in a book and place it back on your bookshelf.
Just don't forget which book you put it in or you'll have trouble finding it when you actually want to wear them!
Thirty Minute Bookshelf Decor
This book decorating idea is a serious wow! So fab!
Paper Embroidery and How To Make Dictionary Art
This is a pretty little idea from Claire at Pillar Box Blue. Perfect for a torn or damaged dictionary. Salvage a page and try your hand at book embroidery to make some unique wall art.
Spring Book Page Art - What Meegan Makes
Another way to make lovely book art - this time with a spring theme!
Book repurposed into a Jewellery Box
Another lovely decorating idea. Pick a book with a cover you love and see it every day when you are getting ready!
DIY Stacked Book Decor
Stacking and stamping books for a cute decor statement seems to be all the rage as many of my blogger friends sent me their versions when I put the call out for crafts & decor ideas using old books. I've included this one and a few more below!
How to Make a Hand Stamped Books Bundle
This is a decorating idea for those of you who love motivational words and phrases in your life.
Stamped Books DIY [Tutorial using Chalk Paint]
Here is another take on the stamped books look.
How to Cover a Book for Practicality and Style! Easy tutorial
More stamped book covers!
How to make stamped book stacks [so easy]
And another! Get stamping guys - it's clearly a trend!
How To Make Book Bundles For Decorating
Did you know everyone is making book stacks these days? A great way of bringing some order to your clutter.
Easy DIY Book Wreath with a Custom Sign
Make some wall art with the pages of a damaged book. So sweet!
Decorated Book Wreaths
This is an idea for starting with a basic book vase and decorating it for different seasons. How cute!
Vintage Book Page Wreath Tutorial
Another pretty book page wreath idea to try.
Upcycled Book Ideas for the Holidays
From Christmas to Halloween and Valentine's - if you like getting in the holiday spirit here are some fun ways to use your books in the process!
How To Make An Advent Calendar With An Old Dictionary
A fun christmas craft idea to do with the kids. Make an advent calender out of some torn book pages!
Make a Book Page Valentine's Pennant Banner
Another book page banner idea - this time for Valentine's Day.
How to Upcycle Plastic Easter Eggs with Vintage Book Pages
Fun decoupage idea for Easter. Pretty up those plastic easter eggs with some upcycled book pages!
Decoupage Book Page Pumpkin (Dollar Store Craft)
Halloween is prime crafting time isn't it? Here's a fun idea to decoupage your pumpkin!
Bonus points if you use a ghost story to do it!
Hunger Games Book Page Charms
A cute idea for series book super fans. These ones were done with pages from the hunger games but of course any fan favourite book could get the same treatment.
Harry Potter Ministry Of Magic Guest Book
Another halloween idea - perfect for a kid's halloween party.
Make Your Own Book Tree
A cute Christmas idea to make your books look holiday ready!
If you are an avid reader I hope you have found a good idea or two in this list of creative ideas to help you decorate and hang on to more of your books or how to give new life to your old and damaged books.
But for the love of books! – Please don’t tear up good books for these craft projects!
Instead have a hunt around family and friends, flea markets and even the recycling bin if you are looking to find books that are worse for wear that are in need of upcycling.
I’d love to hear what you’ve done with your old books – did you decorate them? donate them? or turn them into gifts and wall art? Leave me a comment or find me on social (links above and in the footer) to let me know!