What To Do With Old Business Cards - 17 Best Repurposed Ideas

Do you have a pile of your old business cards taking up space in your desk drawer, but you can’t just throw them away? 

Well, the good news is you don’t have to. 

Whatever the reasons you’re still holding to your old cards, there are plenty of fun and creative ways to repurpose them.

And we’re about to show you what to do with old business cards: from practical to more decorative ideas, we’re sure you’ll find something you like.

So dust off that stack, and let’s start crafting!

17 Best Repurposed Ideas to Do With Your Old Business Cards

1. Make a Business Card Holder

Why not repurpose old business cards into creative and functional business card holders to store new cards?

You can use an empty tissue box or a cardboard tube, scissors, glue, and old business cards. 

What’s more, you don’t even have to use an old business card as a whole, you can only cut a logo or smaller pieces and turn it into a mosaic.

2. Make a Business Card Keychain

Speaking of practical uses for old business cards, you can easily turn them into keychains.

You can go as simple or elaborate as you wish:

💡 Punch a hole in them and put a keyring,

💡 Use a snap-in keychain, or

💡 Laminate them to make them more durable.

3. Make a Business Card Fridge Magnet

Making a magnet out of old business cards might be the simplest of crafts. The only thing you need is an adhesive magnetic strip. 

Again, you can use the whole card or cut out a specific piece or a logo. 

Furthermore, you can decorate the card, wrap it in decorative paper, etc.

If you don’t have an adhesive magnet, you can use a hot glue gun to attach a small round magnet directly onto the back of the card piece.

4. Make a Business Card Bookmark

This is an excellent idea for bookworms, but it could also be a lovely gift if you dress up your card a bit.

Punch a hole, pull a nice ribbon, and tie the knot. 

On the other hand, if you plan to make a gift out of it, you can add stickers, washi tape, etc.

5. Make Paperweights for Your Office

Paperweights are not only functional but can also serve as decorative pieces on your desk or bookshelf. 

It can get a bit messy and sticky, but still worth trying.

1. Use Resin

One way you can make a paperweight is to use resin. 

Mix the resin according to the instructions, and pour it into a mold such as a silicone baking tray or muffin tin with your old business cards at the bottom. 

Then, let the mixture harden overnight and pop out your new paperweight.

2. Use Decoupage Glue

Cut out small shapes from your old business cards, and arrange them onto a glass or ceramic little box using decoupage glue. 

Once dry, add another layer of glue over the top to seal it in place.

If you use this method, you can also decorate the paperweight with little stones, beads, etc.

6. Make Suncatchers or Wall art

Suncatchers are a creative and colorful way to repurpose old business cards. 

Moreover, they make great decorations for windows or outdoor spaces, and you only need c simple materials like string, beads, and old business cards.

The options are limitless, from the way you’d string your cards, to the beads you’d use.

7. Get the Party Started with Confetti

Yup, you’ve heard us right. It is a great option if you have a lot of old business cards. 

It is time-consuming since you need to punch lots of holes, but the process is relaxing at the same time.

8. Spruce Up Household Objects

Depending on your craftiness and creativity, you can give your household objects a makeover.

For example, you can frame an old mirror with the pieces of your business cards or glue them to the bottom of an old tray to give it a new life.

9. Create Lamps 

This is one of the more complex projects, but if you are handy, patient, and really into crafting, you should give it a go.

10. Cut Out Guitar Picks

Creating guitar picks out of old business cards is only possible if they are printed on high-quality card stock.

The thinner cards would be too flimsy. 

10. Create Coasters

You can either repurpose the older coaster and glue the cards on them, or you can glue more of your cards together and get a simple yet effective coaster.

Naturally, you can paint and decorate your cards prior to gluing them.

However, as with guitar picks, your business card must be sturdier for this craft.

11. Create Unique Pieces of Jewelry 

Being in love with all sorts of jewelry, this has to be my favorite way to repurpose your old business cards.

Without sounding too biased, you can create many different things, such as earrings, necklaces, hairpins, etc.

And the best thing is you don’t need any special tools to do so.

12. Create Headphones Holder

You know the pain of untangling the headphones, right?

Well, with a few tweaks, old business cards can offer a practical solution.

13. Personalize Gift Tags

This little hack might work better with thinner business cards because you can cut them and work with them more easily.

You can cover them in wrapping paper, color them, use stickers, etc.

14. Create Useful Labels

A practical solution if your business card has a blank back side.

You can create labels and add them to your filing cabinets, folders, cans, jars, boxes, etc.

15. Create Cue Cards

Another pragmatic solution for cards with a blank back side since you can create cue cards that come in handy during speeches or presentations. 

16. Turn the Old Cards into a Game

Old cards provide endless possibilities to turn them into unique decks of playing cards and board games, or you can use them to replace missing pieces.

17. Use Old Business Cards for Your Scrapbook

One of the reasons why you might find it hard to part with your old cards is because they remind you of a specific phase in your life or the beginning of your business journey. 

In addition, if you do scrapbooking, using old business cards will remain a reminder of that special time in your life.

We hope our ideas of what to do with old business cards ignited a creative spark in you and showed you new ways of repurposing the cards.

But what comes next?

Well, as the saying goes, Out with the old, in with the new, meaning you’ll need new business cards after you put your old ones into a craft project.

And the good thing? There is a solution that is more environmentally friendly, more affordable, and effective in the long run.

Why Should You Switch to Digital Business Cards?

Did you know that we throw away 88% of cards? Furthermore, making business cards costs us 7.2 million trees per year.

And with digital business cards, that impact can be greatly reduced. 

What’s more, there are digital business card providers, such as our Tapni, that plant one tree for each purchased product.

Furthermore, digital business cards allow you to:

✨ Include more information, links to your special media, photos, etc.

✨ Customize your cards to align with your brand

✨ Update information in real-time without the need to print a new batch of cards every time your info changes.

✨ Share and exchange your contact info in multiple ways, both in person and virtually.

✨ Improve your networking and make it more meaningful. 

And this is just the tip of the iceberg.

Keep Learning: What Is a Digital Business Card and How Does It Work? [Definitive Guide].

In addition, Tapni also equips you with robust features such as analytics tools, team management features, lead automation, etc.

Enticed to try it?

Create your Tapni card today to discover all the benefits of going digital.

FAQ

1. What is an NFC Business Card?

An NFC business card contains an NFC chip, which NFC-enabled devices can read if they are within a 4-inch range. 

Thus, you can easily and quickly exchange or send your digital profile.

Keep Learning: NFC Business Cards: What Is It And How To Make One?

2. Should I Shred My Old Business Cards?

Unless your card stores very sensitive information, there is no need to shred it. Also, from an environmental point of view, shredded cards are more difficult to recycle.

3. Are There Any Alternatives to Business Cards?

The best alternative is going digital since it is more effective and provides more options to upgrade your networking.

However, if you prefer traditional business cards, you can turn them into bottle openers, magnets, etc.

For more creative ideas on how to use your business card, jump to our blog 6 Business Card Alternatives To Consider in 2023.

Keep Learning: 

How To Create a Digital Business Card With a QR Code Easily?

How To Prepare for a Networking Event - 12 Best Tips For 2023

Best Eco-Friendly Business Cards To Consider in 2023