8 New Things You Can Do with Old Board Games

Doesn't it seem like there's always at least one board game in your house that's no longer playable? Maybe there are pieces missing, or you've given up on the game because your sister throws a fit every time she's outmatched. Rather than let the lonely game languish on the shelf, explore the imaginative ways you can bring Clue or Monopoly or Scrabble to play in your home decor.

By Bob Vila Staff | Updated Aug 11, 2023 04:56 AM

Leave a Note

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Scrabble Tile Crafts

In a house that frequently plays host to guests, a sign marking the guest bathroom can be a fun and friendly touch. With the 100 letter tiles of a Scrabble set—yes, most likely minus a few—you can create many meaningful groupings of letters to suit any number of tongue-in-cheek purposes.

brit.co

Hanging Out and About

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DIY Shelf

In a home office or kid's room, vintage game surfaces can make for charming, offbeat shelves. Whereas storage pieces very rarely pack personality, these are as entertaining as they are genuinely useful, thanks to the sturdy brackets undergirding the cardboard.


Related: 10 Insanely Creative Shelves You Can DIY

thriftcore.com

Elevate to Art Status

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Easy Wall Art

Looking past the original purpose of a well-made wooden Chinese checkers board, Apartment Therapy celebs Greg and Deirdre chose to mount a particularly attractive one on a wall in their kitchen. With its sculptural form and geometric precision, it is, in its own distinctive way, a work of art.

apartmenttherapy.com

Just Coasting Along

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DIY Coasters

If you've got a short stack of stylish old Bingo cards, follow the lead of Cheltenham Road and decoupage your way to a set of nostalgic coasters. A coat of clear sealer protects sweaty drinks from ruining the paper, while painted, cut-to-size scrap wood forms the half-inch-high base.  

etsy.com

You've Got This Covered

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DIY Notebook Cover

In a stroke of repurposing genius, Etsy seller beckydesigns turned a vintage Clue board into a one-of-a-kind notebook. You could do the same with any game surface, theoretically, as they're all square or rectangular with a seam along the midpoint of equal halves.

etsy.com

A Spot for Everything

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How to Organize Your Desk

The pits of a Mancala board not only fit the game's pebbles, they're also amply sized to accommodate home office supplies, jewelry, and bedroom miscellany. The board is sort of like an ice cube tray, but sleeker. Alternatively, you can follow the lead of Etsy seller FlotsamJetsamCrafts by turning a Mancala board into an artsy installation on the wall. 

etsy.com

Pocket Some Extra Cash

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DIY Wallet

Satisfy your inner child by finally putting your old Monopoly money to use. No, it won't sub in at the cash register, but you can still admire the colorful bills when they hold your real forms of payment in a sewn-together vinyl wallet like this one from Etsy seller SadDucky.

etsy.com

A Roll of the Dice

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DIY Keychain

Take no more chances on where you thought you last left your USB flash drive. Now you can keep it with you at all times in this entertaining (and handy) keychain. An Instructables step-by-step details how to convert a pair of dice into the keeper of your most important files.

instructables.com

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