When we presented some ways to reuse newspapers last week, a reader challenged us to suggest ways to reuse the rubber bands that come around the newspapers.
With the help of Pinterest, we found a few simple uses for rubber bands that don’t include a rubber band ball.
Rubber bands can be used as erasers in a pinch. Wrap the band around the end of a pencil until it is tight and use it to erase that error. This is really only good as a temporary fix since the more you erase, that more likely you are to break through the rubber band and give your fingers an unpleasant snap.
Loop a rubber band to the middle of a paper clip to make a cord tie. Then wrap the band around a cord and loop the end over the paper clip to hold it.
Loop a rubber band onto a paper clip to make a cord tie. Wrap the rubber band around the cord and around the paper clip to secure. This even works if you are bundling a cord that is plugged in because you don’t have to go over the end of the cord.
Use a rubber band to tie two pencils together for a different way to draw two lines the same distance apart.
Use a rubber band to tie two pencils or pens together so you can draw two lines the same distance apart all across the page and draw figures where the lines overlap when you change direction.
With Command Hooks glued to your notebook, you can keep it closed by hooking a rubber band onto the hooks.
If you have a blank diary book without that convenient elastic to keep it closed, glue small hooks to the front and back — we used very small command hooks — and hook a rubber band on both to keep the book closed in your backpack, purse or briefcase.
Wrap rubber bands around the cardboard from a picture frame to make an earring display.
Wrap rubber bands around the cardboard in a picture frame and put it back in the frame without the glass. You can hang earrings on the rubber bands to display them. Cover the cardboard with black construction paper to make the earrings show up better.
Rubber bands make good bookmarks if they aren’t so tight they crinkle the pages. You can also wrap larger rubber bands around paint cans vertically so you can scrape the brush against the band and allow the excess paint to drip back into the can.
There are some things you shouldn’t do with rubber bands. Shooting your siblings is one of them. Set up a target instead and have a contest.
There are undoubtedly hundreds of ideas for using rubber bands, but if you don’t intend to reuse the one wrapped around your paper, please put it in the trash. They are too small for the recycling center and don’t belong on the ground.
UPDATE: So many readers suggested this tip that we simply must include it. Collect the rubber bands from your paper and put them in a plastic bag ─ one reader uses one of the bags the paper comes in on rainy days ─ and leave them for the carrier when you have enough. You'll save your carriers a little money.
If you leave them out without contacting the carrier ahead of time, make sure they are obvious. Don't just drop the bag on the driveway and hope the carriers notices it.
