Creative Ways To Upcycle Old Books Around Your Kitchen

Picture a haunted house in which all your décor is old books that have been torn or cut up to become new items. Wait, that doesn't sound bad or scary at all, actually. If you find ripping up or altering books upsetting — or worse, bibliophile sacrilege — it's okay to skip this one. But if you're a reader who also loves literature-inspired décor around their house, this might be the place to stick around and learn how a few crafty DIYS can repurpose your old books into more than just decorative clocks: They can become kitchen storage that actually serves a purpose! 

Almost everyone has a few old books laying around. For those who reread their favorites, put these aside, but pull out those novels, biographies, memoirs, or even cookbooks you never actually cooked from, and use them for the most satisfying décor in your cooking space. From planters to organization nooks, there are a variety of ways to repurpose books that you probably aren't reading anymore to elevate your home's aesthetic. After all, books can transform your world and your mind, so why can't they be transformed, too? While making side tables out of old books by stacking them used to be the epitome of their storage offering, they can really do so much more! 

If you have a collection of hardback books that have done nothing but gather dust, this clever hidden storage DIY is the perfect way to utilize their aesthetic covers without taking up space in your home. By turning them into a keepsake or organization box, you'll have room to store more items around your kitchen. You will need a very sharp knife or a table saw, a wooden open top crate, glue, and paint (if you want to add some color to the box before adding the books). If your books are a little tattered, you can paint them, too, for a more aesthetic look. 

Measure what will become the "front" of your box and align the correct number of books to completely cover it, as these will become your "disguise." Once you have your books chosen, saw or cut off around three quarters of the books, leaving behind the "spine" and a little of the pages (around an inch or so). Make sure these are even, then simply glue them to your wooden box or crate. Allow these to dry, and add them to any shelves or countertop to make it look like you're well-read when really you're super organized.

Do you love keeping plants in and around your kitchen? Well, you can turn your old books into a planter that adds dimension and a literary theme to your space. You want to grab one to three books (these can be hardback or paperback). If you prefer to use a really thick book instead of several, make sure to measure the pot you plan to use against the height of the book from cover to cover. 

Using a hole saw, cut out a circle through the middle of the book. This is where your plant pot will reside, which is why measuring ahead of time helps. Once you can fit the pot inside, clean away dust and the raw edges of the pages, then add in your plant. For taller fauna, multiple books can help, while succulents can also fit in your paperbacks: just avoid spilling water on them when tending your leafy friends. Don't want to use real plants? Cut out space in the cover and down through the pages, add in floral foam, moss, and greenery, and then glue in faux plants like succulents to create a fake planter.

If you're not a big crafter or DIY person, that's okay: You can still get clever hidden storage without using a saw (scary) or glue (sticky). Think of those books that boasted hidden compartments inside the cover. Bottles, notes, keys — you can keep anything in these little nooks, stash the book on a bookshelf, and no one is the wiser that those items are there. Well, why not incorporate this trick into your kitchen? 

All you have to do is cut out the interior of a book with an Xacto knife or similarly sharp tool. Use a ruler to measure an inch or so along each side of the book's interior. You can leave a few pages before inserting the hole, or cut just under the cover. Add glue or Mod Podge around all the edges to produce a more solid finish that doesn't feel flimsy. Once you've hollowed out the book, use this for spices, coins, pens, or items that don't have a home but are usually kept in your kitchen. You can either prop up your hidden storage with candles, bookends, or knickknacks, or lay it flat on the counter for easy décor.

By adding hooks around your kitchen, you can double storage and make everything flow a little more easily. If you're short on counter and surface space, one of the easiest ways to make more room is by hanging anything you can — from pots and pans to baskets filled with spices and ingredients. And while this hack is definitely easy, sometimes it lacks that extra aesthetic that can elevate your kitchen. 

What if you could add hooks, but use books or book covers as a base to really add style to your space? For this DIY, you'll need some books, a piece of plywood, a drill, machine screws and bolts, and either metal or wood pegs or hooks. You can use a strong glue to adhere the hooks to your book covers, while the plywood will serve as an anchor or base that can then be added to your wall. Drill holes into the book covers, then attach them to the plywood with the bolts. If you plan to hang heavier items, use larger, stronger nails or screws. 

Straight from the pages of your favorite thrillers, picture this: your books neatly aligned on the counter with butcher knives sticking out from the top. Don't worry, this isn't gore — it's décor! You can even repurpose your old books as butcher blocks to hold and display your knives. Either use books you have at home, or head to a nearby thrift store and pick up some antique volumes that feature your favorite colors on the covers. Sometimes the older a book, the more stylish (just avoid super tattered copies). 

You want three or four volumes which you can either glue together, or use ribbon, twine, or rope to secure them tightly to one another. These should be kept upright on your counter. Choose jackets or covers that match the aesthetic of your kitchen. Then, you can simply stick your larger knives into the pages. Pro tip: Use your cookbooks to double up on their purpose.