DIY a scrap paper notepad – a journey to zero waste upcycling project

Finished notepad with yellow highlighter edges

I am a list maker.  If there is something that needs to be done I write it down on a list so I can cross it off once I finish it.  There is so much satisfaction in crossing something off a list, sometimes even if something doesn’t make it onto a list, I will add it to the list after I have finished it just so I can cross it off.  And I have learned over the years that if things don’t make it onto my lists, they often don’t get done.  To help support my list habit, I made these easy-peasy DIY scrap paper notepads.

There are several benefits to making my own notepads.  I can make them any size I want to meet my list making needs.  And, it keeps paper that would otherwise end up in the garbage or recycling bin in service for just a little longer.

You could just chop up paper and keep a pile of note-sized scraps ready to use for your lists, however, by creating notepads, things stay a little more organized.  When using loose lists, I often misplace them under a pile of reference books, my daily planner, my work planner, mail that needs to be dealt with, and more.  By creating scrap paper notepads, my list remains on top of a chunky pad which is much easier to keep track of than a loose sheet of paper!  And when you are finished with the list, just rip it right off and toss it in the recycling bin.

Gather your materials

• Scrap paper (only requirement is it needs to be blank on at least one side)
• White school glue
• Two binder clips large enough to hold the number of sheets you want in your notepad
• Paper cutter (optional but makes this project much easier – the link takes you to a newer version of the one I have)
• Scissors (if you don’t have a paper cutter)

This is really an easy project and with the exception of the paper cutter, you probably have all of the supplies on hand already.  If you don’t have a paper cutter, you can cut your notepaper to size using scissors.

The paper I am using is heavy drawing paper left over from a project creating handmade journals.  It is great quality paper but in a really weird size (the scraps I have are approximately 18” x 4¼”).  I have not been able to bring myself to throw it away, but I have also just been moving these long skinny scraps of paper around the country with me, waiting for a way to use them.

If you are looking for paper for this project, consider the backside of printed documents, cutting down envelopes you get junk mail in, or the last 10-20 pages left in all of your spiral bound notebooks from school that you don’t want to throw out because they are still good paper, but too few pages to actually do anything with.  (Are you starting to get the picture that I struggle to throw away things I know “could” be useful?)

Directions

Scrap paper notepads clipped together ready to be glued with the top edge leveled.

Using the paper cutter or scissors, cut your scrap paper down to the size you want your finished notepad to be.  Since my paper was really long, I was able to make one notepad 9” long by 4¼” wide, and two 4½” long by 4¼” wide.  Before you start cutting your paper, figure out how to maximize what you have.  For instance, if I had wanted my notepads to all be square at 4¼”, I would have been left with a 1” piece at the end to throw away.  You want to avoid having any waste (this is a zero waste upcycling project after all).

Once you have all of your paper cut, stack it and make the end which will be your top (glued) edge as even as possible.  Even with a paper cutter, it is unlikely you will have exactly uniform sheets of paper (I don’t), as long as your top edge is even, that won’t be a problem.  Use your binder clips on each side up near the top edge to secure your scrap paper notepad stack.

Glue bead on left, glue bead smoothed out on right.

Spread a thin bead of white school glue over the top edge and smooth with your finger.  You don’t want to press too hard, the goal is to keep the glue on the surface of your top edge, not work it down in between the sheets of paper.  Prop your notepad up so it is standing vertically to keep the glue from running down the side.  Once it is dry, check to see how thick it is, you may want/need to add a second coat following the same process.

After the glue has dried, these will feel just like the top of a commercially made scrap paper notepad.  Take off the binder clips and start using your notepad!

Glued scrap paper notepad sitting upright to dry without the glue running.

Extras

Because this is such a simple project, there is plenty of room for creativity to make your scrap paper notepads your own!

If you are using the backside of copy paper, you could print a checklist template on your sheets before cutting.  Either design something yourself in a word processing program, or try printing graph, dot or lined paper on the sheet (no affiliation, but lots of free options here)

Did you end up using the last pages in a notebook?  You can cut the cardboard in the back of the notebook to the same size as your notepads and put at the bottom of your stack.  Glue it with the rest of your paper and you will have a cardboard backing on your notepad to provide extra stability.  This is especially useful if you are using thinner paper and/or when you get down to the last few sheets in the notepad.

For a fun notepad, feel free to insert sheets of colored paper.  When I order multiple documents from a copy/print shop, they often come separated by colored paper, this is a great way to use that up.  Or maybe you have a lot of construction paper projects going on in your house, cut a few squares of construction paper to the size of your notepad and insert them randomly for a surprising pop of color.

You could also brighten up your notepad by coloring around the outside edges of the notepad with a highlighter – the bright neon will help it stand out on your desk or workspace.  Just keep in mind that given the uneven edges, this will most likely chew up your highlighter, so you might want to designate one just for this purpose.

Share with me

I would love to see your scrap paper notepads!  Please take a photo and share with me on Instagram, tagging @nourishnestbreathe.  Or share how this project went for you in the comments below!

Hoping your lists start finding their home on paper rescued from the recycling!