3 ring binders: how to get rid of them

Most offices and even some houses end up with old ring binders that they can no longer use because they are no longer in their prime. The question is what to do with those binders when that time comes?

For many people, the first thought for used 3-ring binders is to throw them away. Instead of doing that, there may be some better solutions:

Re-use

Here are a couple of great uses for used binders:

• Scrapbook or photo storage
• Infant / Toddler Books – Everyone wants to keep examples of homework, artwork, etc. of their children.
• Kids Coloring Book: Take an old binder and let young children draw or color all over the place. Poke holes in the scrap paper, put it in the binder and let them go to town.
• Recipe Books – Save all the recipes you have collected in an old folder.
• Financial data – Old filing cabinets are a great place to store financial data such as tax records, checkbook records, old checks, bank statements, etc.
• Keychain – Remove the metal strip that contains the metal folders. Mount it to a wall and you have one of the safest key holders you will find.

Donate

Before recycling, consider donating your used folders to the following locations:

• Local Schools – Most schools are on a tight budget and most teachers will appreciate some donated 3-ring binders as they can find hundreds of uses for them.
• Charities: Contact local charities and find out if they may need used binders. Some of these groups will even come to pick you up.

Recycling

If you’ve exhausted all of your other resources or just prefer to recycle your binders, here’s how to do it.