by Elaine Knudsen

Created on: April 11, 2007   Last Updated: November 27, 2010

Uses for Unwanted CD's and Books if you can't make money from selling them.

When it comes to books or magazines that I no longer want in my home, I like to donate them to my favorite Senior Living Center. Even if some of the residents of the facility can not see well enough to read themselves, they can still be read to, and gain enjoyment that way. Magazine pages can also be used for art activities. The staff at Senior Living Centers enjoy the publications during their breaks too.

When it comes to CD's that I no longer want, I become very inventive and turn them into presents.

CD's make great and modern looking Drink Coasters. If you glue black felt onto the back of a CD, and decorate the front with stickers, or writing, if your penmanship is artistic, these coasters can be personalized and used as coasters.

CD's make great Christmas Ornaments to hang on the tree, especially since they are so shiny and mirrored. When the Christmas tree lights hit the CD's, they expand on the magnificence of the colors. There are several ways to make a CD ornament. You can use the method above, by gluing felt on the back. One extra step is that you will need to glue a ribbon on the back side for hanging. I usually use about a 6 inch strip, and make it into a loop, then glue the ends of the loop on the back of the CD. You may want to wait until the decorating of the CD is completed so that you can make sure to get the hanging loop centered so that the ornament hangs nicely on the Christmas Tree.

If you have an abundance of CD's, such as some of the promotional CD's sent in the mail to you, you can glue (2) CD's together, back to back, where the mirror reflection is on both sides. This method is beneficial if the CD will be spinning or moving for whatever reason. One of my most favorite CD Christmas Ornaments to make, is to take a child's wallet size photo, glue it on the center of the CD, over the hole in the CD, and out line the photo by gluing ribbon around the edges. Then I write the year on the CD in metallic, permanent marker, and decorate the rest of the CD with snow flake stickers. Whatever stickers or creative art is used, should not take away from the photo, meaning the art should be simple and minimized. Family members love getting these Memory Christmas Ornaments. If you have extra wallet photos of children, it is a good idea to make them their own ornament as well. When they grow up and move out on their own, if you have made an ornament for each year, they will have

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