7 New Uses for an Old CD or Jewel Case

Clever ways to repurpose everyday items.

1. Candle Holder

Place a CD under a pillar candle to keep wax from dripping on the table. Bonus: The reflective surface picks up the candlelight for extra ambience.
 
 

2. Cookbook Dividers

Cover CDs with pretty contact paper, label the outer edges (SLOW COOKER, DESSERTS), and use them to section off cookbooks for quick reference.
 
 

3. Ice Scraper

Too cold to hunt down the real deal? Use a jewel case to clear the frost from your windshield.
 
 

4. Invitation

Jot party details on the shiny side of a CD and mail it out in a cushioned envelope. (Expect to pay about a dollar in postage.)
 
 

5. Frame

Pop a photo in an open jewel case for an instant desk display.
 
 

6. Reader Tip: Coaster

Stick felt to either side of a CD. For an instant conversation-starter (“Wang Chung? Really?”), leave them label-side up.
 Tina Harris
Cincinnati, Ohio
 
 

7. Reader Tip: Craft Aid

Line the inside of a case with double-sided tape, then use it to keep wayward beads in place.
 Lizz Summers
Boston, Massachusetts