What Can You Do with Old VHS Tapes?

Mikayla Richards | July 7th, 2017

Long gone are the days of waiting for the tape to rewind before returning it to Blockbuster or accidentally taping over a home video with a favorite soap opera.

DVD, Blue-ray and streaming have made the VHS obsolete and now people are left with many unusable VHS tapes. If you are anything like me and have every Disney movie on VHS, you probably have quite a few stored in boxes somewhere. Or, if you have already transferred them to DVD or bought a new copy then you are probably ready to get rid of them. Don’t throw them out just yet, here are some ways to reuse old VHS tapes.

VHS Foosball Table

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This option is going to take a lot of time and VHS tapes, but this unique foosball table would be pretty cool to add to a game room or a college dorm!

Bookends

This upcycling project is pretty simple since the main materials are VHS tapes, CDs and some glue. Not only does it help you use your VHS tapes, it helps you get rid of any unwanted CDs, too! For the outside of the tape you can keep the original cardboard sleeve for a vintage vibe or paint over the cardboard sleeve for a new look. They will blend in perfectly and keep your books in place.

Storage Case

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VHS tapes can also be used as a pencil case or storage container. All you have to do is hollow them out and add some hinges. Why not keep them to show off your good taste in movies by giving them a fresh coat of paint or other design to add a personal touch?

Purses

There are two different types of purses that can be made with VHS tapes. These purses are a good way to add to your handbag collection while helping the earth and saving some money.

The first option is to use the tape from the VHS to crochet a purse. This is a good option if you have extra buttons and yarn around the house.

The second option uses the entire VHS and you get to show off your excellent taste in movies. Hollow out the tape, add a couple of hinges, crochet a strap from the VHS tape and there you go! Your own personal VHS clutch!

Yarn Dispenser

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Knitters and crocheters rejoice! This DIY project will prevent your yarn from ever being tangled again. Open up your VHS and use the spools inside to wrap the yarn around. Put the spools back in with the end of the yarn sticking through the VHS and close it back up. Enjoy knitting without the ball of yarn rolling around!

Rope

If you hollowed out the VHS tapes for the previous DIY projects above, don’t get rid of the magnetic tape. The tape from inside the VHS can be braided together to make a rope.

Picture Frame with Storage

This upcycling project uses the cases of the VHS tapes. This project allows you to display your family photos and create more areas for storage. All you need is the VHS case, a couple of screws and your favorite picture.

Plant Pot

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Use your VHS tapes to create a pot for your plants to grow! The only materials needed are the tapes and glue. Glue together the tapes to make a box with no top. Once the glue is dry, add some soil and plants. Depending on the size you would like your planter to be determines the number of tapes needed

All of these different upcycling projects allow you to use every part of the VHS so nothing becomes waste. All that is needed is a little time and creativity to complete any one of these projects. These projects and your commitment will prevent a lot of VHS tapes from becoming waste.