4 Ways to Repurpose & Recycle Old School Supplies

Author: Leah Dietle, East Area Communications Assistant.

Updated: August 14, 2025.

Both teachers and students may find themselves with leftover school supplies and materials throughout the school year.

This prompts the question: what can be done with these unwanted items?

Rather than simply disposing of them, consider repurposing them!

Here are some ideas for utilizing old school materials in new ways.

1. Arts & Crafts

Are you or is someone in your family crafty?

Old school supplies are great for at-home art projects and other DIY activities.

Make Personalized Gifts or Unique House Décor

• Melt crayons by ironing them on wax and craft paper to make fun-shaped suncatchers—cut out your desired shape and hang them in the window.
• Glue used colored pencils on a canvas or thick paper to shape a unique mural.
• Make DIY flower pens--wrap colored florist tape around old markers and pens and glue artificial flowers on top.
• Fold sticky notes into interesting origami shapes, mosaics and other 3D shapes.
• Turn old erasers into DIY eraser stamps.
• Help your kids set up their own school or play business in your house, with folders, books, notebooks and more.

2. Recycle Old School Supplies

If some supplies are no longer usable, recycle them when possible.

Recycling saves energy, resources and space at the landfills. (Consider scheduling a classroom presentation on recycling!) Be sure to check with your local recycling service for a list of acceptable items.

Recyclable School Materials to Consider

• Notebook paper—for spiral-bound notebooks, throw away the metal spiral and recycle the paper.
• Paper folders or envelopes.
• Drawing or construction paper.
• Boxes from crayons or colored pencils.
• Index cards or sticky notes.
• Old homework papers.

Other Supplies

Other supplies like scissors and plastic tools—i.e. rulers and calculators—typically aren’t recyclable, especially in Rumpke’s recycling program. 

For Rumpke customers, here’s our acceptable item list.

Be Careful with Batteries!

You should never throw batteries in your trash or recycling. Batteries can ignite in the trash and recycling and cause fires!

Instead, you should take used batteries, such as from calculators, to special battery drop-off locations or retailers near you.

Learn more about responsible battery disposal, below.

Battery Disposal

3. Donate Gently Used School Supplies

If you aren’t crafty and the supplies are still in good condition, donate them to organizations or schools directly instead.

Charitable Options

• Donating used books to a local bookstore or school library.
• Looking for organizations that accept school supplies and distribute them to nearby schools.
• Giving gently used folders, binders and notebooks directly to teachers as a resource for students in their classrooms.
• Checking with your school for programs or campaigns where they collect gently used items for in-need students in the community.

4. Low-Waste Lunch Tips for the School Year

Students with disposable lunches throw away a lot of trash in just nine months.

Using more sustainable pre-packed lunches helps reduce the waste and cost of plastic bags and utensils.

Consider These Ideas

• Use glass or plastic food containers or compartment container lunch boxes to pack lunches.
• Pack a reusable drink bottle for drinks.
• Include washable utensils and cloth napkins.
• Encourage your student(s) to bring home leftovers if possible.