Creative Ways to Repurpose Old Planner Supplies

Raise your hand if you’ve got a drawer (or three) filled with half-used sticker sheets, washi tape scraps, and inserts you swore you’d use someday. 🙋‍♀️

You’re not alone—and you’re definitely not stuck with that stash. With a little creativity and zero pressure, you can turn those forgotten planner supplies into something fresh, fun, and functional. Bonus: It saves money, reduces waste, and clears space for the new goodies you really want.

Let’s dig in!

Turn Old Sticker Sheets into Functional Layouts

Don’t underestimate the power of a “bits and pieces” spread! Use leftover stickers to:

• Create a "use your stash" themed weekly layout (even if the colors clash—it’s still cute)

• Use icon, bullet, or label stickers for habit tracking or to-do lists (I like to use bullet list stickers horizontally for progress trackers)

• Decorate a memory page or gratitude log collage-style

  
  

One of my favorite challenges is seeing how many days I can decorate using only what’s left on a sheet. Spoiler: It’s more than you’d think!

Use Leftover Washi for Borders and Tabs

Washi scraps? Perfect for:

• Lining page edges or dividers

• Creating flags for bookmarks or tabs

• Separating planner sections

• Attaching notes (I do this with receipts in my budget planner)

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Tiny strips work great as mini headers or page highlights. Mix different patterns for an eclectic look that feels playful and personal.

Upcycle Unused Inserts

Got extra pages you never filled out? No problem:

• Turn them into journal pages, lists, or doodle spaces

• Cut them down into notepads or dashboard inserts

• Staple or disc-bound old pages into a mini notebook or travel journal (I do this with all of my outdated planners. They make the best junk journal for scribbling down thoughts and plans)

  
  

Even outdated calendar pages can make fun memory-keeping spreads—just cover the dates with washi, stickers, or even scraps of white sticker paper (you know, the leftover borders after printing and cutting your own stickers).

DIY Sticker Kits with Leftovers

Build your own functional kit using partial sticker sheets:

• Group stickers by theme, color, or layout style

• Assemble your “kit” into a weekly planner spread

• Take a pic and tag me @planning_with_sally—I’d love to see what you create!

  
  

You might even surprise yourself with how cohesive your leftovers can look.

Create a “Use It Up” Challenge

Pick three to five random supplies from your stash and challenge yourself to use them in one layout. It’s like Chopped, but with washi and stickers.

Invite your planner friends to join! Use the hashtag #PlannerUseItUp and show off your spread.

Turn Extras into Happy Mail or Gifts

Share the love! Bundle extra supplies into:

• Mini sticker packs for planner buddies

• Handmade Valentine’s or thank-you cards

• Decorated envelopes or flat mail art

• The possibilities are endless here... I've even seen others use them to make holiday ornaments

  
  

Planner scraps make the best surprise extras in snail mail. And they’re way more fun than letting them sit in a drawer.

Watch Me Repurpose My Stash

Need inspo? I filmed a “DIY Productivity Board” on YouTube where I:

• Dug into my sticker stash

• Created DIY magnets with happy planner stickers and basic craft materials

• Showed how I turned basic everyday items into something new

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Check it out and get ideas for your own stash refresh!

Share Your Favorite Repurposing Hacks

I love seeing how creative this community is! Tag @planning_with_sally and use #PlannerUseItUp to:

• Share your favorite reuse tips

• Feature before/after photos of repurposed spreads

• Inspire others to use what they’ve got

  
  

Let’s build a planner space that’s beautiful and sustainable.

Use What You Have & Make It Fun

Your planner supplies aren’t meant to live in storage or be hoarded on a shelf for eternity—they’re meant to bring joy to your pages. Give yourself permission to be imperfect, mismatched, and creative.

Use it up, have fun, and then treat yourself to something new, guilt-free.

Next week’s post: “How to Boost Productivity (Without Burning Out)”