What to Do with Old VHS Tapes

If you find yourself wondering what to do with old VHS tapes, you’ve come to the right place! There was a time when VHS tapes were the big thing. You can probably recall having a huge collection of them spanning your shelves.

Ah, nostalgia!

But then DVD players came along and VHS tapes no longer remained the precious things they once used to be. Everyone started ditching the tapes and their attention shifted to DVD players.

But once the digital formats became readily available, most people started asking what to do with old VHS tapes.

If you too were a movie fan and had every favorite movie of yours on VHS, you most likely still have some tapes lying around your home. Many people choose to convert their tapes by using a transfer VHS to DVD service, but that’s not the only approach you can take.

Don’t throw them out just yet there, as there are quite a few ways to recycle old VHS tapes. In the next couple of minutes, you won’t only learn where to recycle old VHS tapes but also get a chance to unleash the creativity within.

Dive in to learn some of the easiest and most interesting ways to reuse or transfer and recycle old VHS tapes.

First Things First: What to Do With Old VHS Tapes

First, figure out preserving the contents that tapes contain before going over ways to reuse or recycle old VHS tapes. After all, even though the tapes may take up a lot of space in your home, they still contain precious memories or movies that you were fond of.

The good news is that even though the analog VHS format is now outdated, there are multiple ways for you to transfer the footage into a hard drive, a DVD disc, or even on cloud storage.

If you like doing things on your own, you can actually buy the necessary equipment and do it from the comfort of your house. To start this, you will need a VHS player and a DVD player or a combo VHS to DVD recorder.

Since these devices are quite outdated, finding them won’t be easy, but by looking through your local listings or visiting a few used electronics stores, you should be able to find a working model.

Once you have it, you can connect the VHS player to the DVD player, insert a blank disc, and start recording. The footage should be transferred to the DVD disc, which you can then insert and copy into your computer or keep as is.

Another approach that you can use is to go into one of the large retail stores like Walmart or Costco. They have an affordable tape digitization service that can help you quickly digitize the contents of your tapes without you having to do any manual work yourself.

If you’re not feeling tech-savvy enough to take on the project on your own, this is a good alternative, as it’s as simple as dropping off the tapes and paying the $26 per two hours of footage.

But beware, even though the service is quite affordable, it has drawbacks as well. If your tapes have deteriorated or suffered damage, the quality probably won’t be great, and this type of service won’t take the time to edit the footage to restore it to a better condition.

Because of that, when figuring out what to do with old VHS tapes, using a professional videotape digitization service is probably your best approach. You won’t have to worry about handling everything yourself and can also expect the best results possible in your situation.

Because professional digital conversion services handle orders of various sizes, having equipment to handle even the biggest challenges might arise.

Professionals can use cutting-edge equipment and software to edit the footage if your tapes have suffered damage. Then give it better colors and contrast, and remove any imperfections that might worsen the watching experience.

Do you have a collection of old VHS tapes collecting dust in your basement or attic? If those tapes contain home video footage of you and your loved ones, the best thing you can do for your family is transfer those VHS tapes to digital. The sooner you act the better the chance of recovering the content off of them. Digitizing VHS tapes can be done at home or by using a videotape transfer service.

If you’ve already digitized your VHS tapes or have tapes of old movies or TV shows that you’ll never watch again, what are you supposed to do with them? Here are a few fun craft ideas you can do at home to upcycle old or broken VHS tapes.

Today, these services are becoming more accessible and can deliver digitized versions of your tapes in a matter of days. Then, your only concern will be to figure out what to do with the left VHS tapes, which we will go over in the next section.

VHS TABLE

Did you transfer your home movies to DVD? Great, it means you must want to get rid of your old VHS tapes now. Well, why not use them for something as creative and usable as a table! Just glue the tapes together and set them up for a cool-looking table.

Disclaimer: you will need many VHS tapes for this DIY project. If you have a large collection, this is the way to go!

VHS LIGHTS

Imagine your VHS tapes sparkling with multi-colored lights. So cool, right? All you have to do is open up the tapes, place LED lights and make way for the power. You may even want to connect multiple tapes together to make a stunning piece to add to your living room.

VHS CLUTCH

This is one of the simplest VHS recycling methods. Simply hollow the tapes, make a couple of hinges, attach a strap from the VHS tape, and you are good to go with your own unique VHS clutch!

VHS STORAGE BOX WITH PICTURE FRAME

Using VHS tapes as a photo frame is an innovative way to add a unique touch to your walls. Not only this, you can even open up a tape, remove all parts from the inside and turn it into a storage space that opens with a flip of the lid. Who would not love to have a picture frame with secret storage space in their room?

VHS YARN DISPENSER

If you love knitting, this DIY project will be the best thing you have ever learned!

Open up your VHS tape and wrap the yarn around the spools. Now place the wrapped spools back in the tape with the end of the yarn sticking through the tape. Close back the tape and enjoy a no-yarn-rolling knitting experience!

Make a VHS Tape Lamp

If you’re looking for something truly unique, turn your VHS tapes into a small lamp. All you need to do is unscrew the VHS tape to open it up. You’ll need a very small screwdriver to remove all the screws. Now, take it apart and carefully lift the spools, remembering to cut the tape in the middle.

Now, unwind all the tape from both spools. Once the tape is removed, take a string of fairy lights and wind it in the spool. Put it back into the case and put all the screws back in. Make sure to leave room for the plug end of your fairy lights. Once it is ready, just plug it in and you are good to go!

Use Them as Book Ends

VHS tapes can make interesting bookends, especially if you’ve got their soft, cardboard covers which denoted the film and had certain visuals. All you need for them is two CDs. These will become the base of the bookends.

Take some hot glue and add a dollop to the CD. Place the VHS tape on the bottom part, sticking it to the CD. Let it stand and allow the glue to dry for 15 to 20 minutes. Once that’s done, your bookends are ready!

Make Luggage Tags

Utilize Soft cardboard cases for making cool luggage tags. You can get as creative as you want and readdress your suitcases on your vacation trips. Not only do they look cute but they’ll also ensure that your luggage always arrives at the correct hotel!

Keep Those Birds Away from Your Garden

If you like gardening and find it difficult to protect your plants from the birds, old VHS tapes may be the answer! Simply string the cassette tapes across tall sticks and place them in your garden. When sunlight reflects on the shiny tape and the winds blow them to make unusual sounds, the birds will ultimately stay away from your garden.

These are a few of the simplest methods but as your skills improve, you can try more complex upcycling projects. Remember to use use a tape to digital service before you try up cycling because the data will be lost irrevocably once you upcycle it.

Is My Collection of VHS Tapes Valuable?

Even with digital formats, most people still consider VHS tapes to be valuable. Many collectors love buying rare or old VHS tapes to add to their collection. What counts as valuable can hinge on this factor. However, online bids have shown that buyers are willing to pay as much as $9,000 for VHS tapes.

Remember that this is based on the rarity, the condition of the tapes, and the content. Either way, if you have well-stored VHS tapes, it can be a good idea to get them appraised to see if you have anything of value. You never know what hidden gems you might have in your collection!