Do you have a stack of old VHS tapes stowed away in your closet or basement that you don’t know what to do with?
If you’re trying to free up some space in your storage, there are plenty of options for reusing or recycling your VHS tapes rather than throwing them away.
Before you toss out your tapes, check out these suggestions that could preserve your favorite memories and maybe even earn you a bit of money!
1. Digitize Your VHS Tapes
The fun memories of going to a movie rental store, putting a tape in the VCR, and rewinding after the movie is done are things of the past. But digitizing your tapes can still retain some of the amusing features that made VHS unique. Digitizing a VHS tape means the intro previews at the beginning of each tape, and the general “retro” quality are still intact. This can be a fun opportunity to show kids what old VHS videos looked like even though you’re watching the film from a digitized version.
Digitizing VHS tapes is also important if you have old family videos. You wouldn’t want those heartfelt moments to be lost! At Legacybox, we can digitize any of your VHS keepsakes to ensure you have those memories forever.
2. Sell Your VHS Tapes
In recent years, there was a lot of Internet hype about original Disney VHS tapes being sold for thousands of dollars. Unfortunately, most of these eBay listings are just scams. In reality, there are thousands of listings for vintage Disney VHS tapes categorized under the “Black Diamond Collection” from the years 1984 to 1994 currently for sale on eBay. Most of them are sold for under $25, and sometimes they are sold for cheaper than the cost of shipping. But if you’re looking to make a little bit of extra cash (emphasis on the little), it still might be worth selling the tapes online.
3. Make a DIY VHS Tape Craft
Even though VHS tapes are big and bulky, you can actually do a lot of creative things with this piece of analog media! Check out these DIY VHS tape crafts to put your videos to good use. You could make a clutch for an 80s Halloween costume or neon lights for a vintage themed party or movie theater room.
4. Recycle Your VHS Tapes
Recycling VHS tapes is not an easy task, but mother nature will thank you! The tapes are made of plastic which will never degrade overtime in a landfill. Plus, the magnetic strip coating on the film leaves behind toxic residue. E-waste recycling companies usually charge a small fee for turning in VHS tapes, but these recycling centers can turn the tapes into usable downcycled plastics. You can enter your zip code into Earth911 to search for the closest e-waste recycling spots near you.
