SarahW Posted June 26, 2013 Share Posted June 26, 2013 I guess when I ordered from RR I clicked on the box to receive a catalog. My box arrived with one 2012-2013 catalog. I laughed at the size, flipped through it a few times, and then tossed it in the corner. But yesterday I open my front door and find a stack of phone books on my porch. No, not phone books, 2013-2014 RR catalogs. Plural. For some reason I got THREE of them. As Fred would helpfully point out, that means I now have four catalogs. What should I do? I could, of course, toss them all in the recycle bin. But Mr. Q just taught us that that's the last step one should do. First is reduce, which I clearly failed when I clicked the "receive catalog" box. Then there is reuse, but I don't know how to reuse these. We don't have a fireplace for heat. We don't have a compost bin, or a shredder. And I don't know who to give them away to. Would public school teachers like one? I know a few of those. But they're so big, I'm afraid that the mere action of handing it to them would appear aggressive. I'm pretty sure my DH will notice them soon, so I need help fast. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ecclecticmum Posted June 26, 2013 Share Posted June 26, 2013 I used mine to clean windows when I ran out of newspaper, lol. Doesn't work *as* perfect as newspapers, but does the job just fine, and was there when I needed it (I'm a vinegar & newspaper girl for mirrors & windows, works really well, and lessens the chemicals and dust). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmyontheFarm Posted June 26, 2013 Share Posted June 26, 2013 If you could collect a few more, you could stack them all up with boards and make a book shelf. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmyontheFarm Posted June 26, 2013 Share Posted June 26, 2013 Have you ever researched book carving? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SarahW Posted June 26, 2013 Author Share Posted June 26, 2013 Have you ever researched book carving? No way! And here I was afraid of the mere mention of paper mache! :lol: Great ideas everyone! I'm thinking, thinking, thinking... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PinkyandtheBrains. Posted June 26, 2013 Share Posted June 26, 2013 I give them away to homeschooling friends, or friends considering homeschooling to browse through. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ladydusk Posted June 26, 2013 Share Posted June 26, 2013 Booster seats? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duckens Posted June 26, 2013 Share Posted June 26, 2013 Donate one to the local homeschool coop. I'm sure they are always looking for an extra one. Offer one to a schoolteacher friend. Most teachers are looking for new resources all the time. Hang on to them until you meet someone who is curious about homeschooling, or new to homeschooling. It is great to be able to give them such a comprehensive resource (because of the variety of choice, descriptions, and fabulous prices), and say, "I don't need this back." I've given away several this way. ETA: Offer one to the public library. Our library has a very nice Homeschooling Consultant....but she is young and has never homeschooled. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beaners Posted June 26, 2013 Share Posted June 26, 2013 Our library also has a free box for magazines. I might put one in there for someone else to discover. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilverMoon Posted June 26, 2013 Share Posted June 26, 2013 The local homeschool group surely has people who haven't yet been amazed by the monstrosity of that catalog. I've given my old ones to my little ones for painting or other craft projects. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebel Yell Posted June 26, 2013 Share Posted June 26, 2013 Overnight it to me? I think I'm the only person on the planet who hasn't gotten theirs yet! :crying: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandst Posted June 26, 2013 Share Posted June 26, 2013 They will not send us RR catalogue to South Africa. I wonder how much it would cost to have it shipped. I would so love to get my hands on one. Well the joys of living on the other side of the world... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kuovonne Posted June 26, 2013 Share Posted June 26, 2013 I use ours as "glue books." When we want to glue something we open to a random page in the book and place the item to be glued on the pages. When we spread the glue, the excess gets on the glue book. Then we turn the page to get a fresh page for the next item to glue. This way we avoid getting glue on the front of the next item. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teeniebeenie6 Posted June 26, 2013 Share Posted June 26, 2013 I don't remember clicking the box to receive a catalog when I made an order a few months back but the monstrosity was in our mailbox this morning. Wow, I have never seen such a large catalog before. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
No More Perfect Posted June 26, 2013 Share Posted June 26, 2013 Overnight it to me? I think I'm the only person on the planet who hasn't gotten theirs yet! :crying: No worries, Rebel Yell. I haven't received the newest one yet, either. :-( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stellalarella Posted June 26, 2013 Share Posted June 26, 2013 Wrap with contact paper or duct tape. Presto! Chango! A step stool! A booster seat! Building Blocks! :) :) Or you could take two of them and alternate putting one page from one book over a page from the second book. Now attach big metal hooks to each spine, attach hooks to chains, attach chains to tractors and try to pull the books apart ala Myth Busters. http://dsc.discovery.com/tv-shows/mythbusters/videos/phone-book-friction.htm :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nmoira Posted June 26, 2013 Share Posted June 26, 2013 Doorstops... though I like the carving idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melbotoast Posted June 26, 2013 Share Posted June 26, 2013 You might be an experienced homeschool mom if.... you can come up with seven creative ways to use the RR catalog. :lol: (We got our new catalog Monday.) :hurray: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G5052 Posted June 26, 2013 Share Posted June 26, 2013 I give them away to homeschooling friends, or friends considering homeschooling to browse through. This is what I did. I'm in the end game, and am pretty much reusing curriculum at this point. And the website is fine for searching on particular items. So I have a place in my mud room for spare catalogs, and I give them away when I meet a new homeschooler. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TraceyS/FL Posted June 26, 2013 Share Posted June 26, 2013 I got mine yesterday in FL!! I like some of the uses - when I have had extras I have given them to people considering homeschooling. Well, as long as I know it won't scare them off!!! :lol: (My youngest did not believe it was a catalog - then she found the "toy" (games) section! :D ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momto10blessings Posted June 26, 2013 Share Posted June 26, 2013 Definitely share them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mamabear2three Posted June 26, 2013 Share Posted June 26, 2013 I think that RR didn't like the fact that I never moved anything from my wish list to my cart - I found most of what I needed at the curriculum fair so buying the last item or two from Amazon was cheaper... I was shocked to find that monstrosity on my doorstep one day!I want to see someone carve something amazing out of theirs! Oh another idea - cut out a box of space inside and hide something in it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seasider Posted June 26, 2013 Share Posted June 26, 2013 Donate them to your local zoo. Orangutans love them. I wonder why RR still produces such a high volume of these large catalogues. I know everyone would miss them - they're like the smell of fresh sharpened pencils, kwim, so traditional - but it seems unnecessary since their catalogue is online. I ordered once from their web store last July and did not request a catalogue, but nearly tripped over the new one outside my door yesterday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ILiveInFlipFlops Posted June 26, 2013 Share Posted June 26, 2013 I give them away to homeschooling friends, or friends considering homeschooling to browse through. I only have one, and this is my plan! I was so sad when I saw that thing in the mail pile. So much wasted paper!I don't remember signing up for one, but I did order from them recently, so maybe I just got automatically put on the list? Anyway, hopefully someone will want it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Critterfixer Posted June 26, 2013 Share Posted June 26, 2013 I use them for fire starters. Sometimes we don't have enough old phone-books. The paper is just right for starting my bee-smoker....hmmmm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stellalarella Posted June 26, 2013 Share Posted June 26, 2013 I wonder if they are clean enough to drain bacon on. LOL My Grandma Helen always took cookies out of the oven and set them on a sheet of newspaper. I still have a clear mental picture of those round grease spots from gumdrop cookies. :) I think bacon would also do fine. The nitrates in the bacon counteract the ink dyes, right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeninok Posted June 26, 2013 Share Posted June 26, 2013 I tore mine up and put the extras into the compost pile! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twoxcell Posted June 27, 2013 Share Posted June 27, 2013 I sure hope I don't get one this year. Those catalogs are scary. :huh: I love RR but I just order from their website. I have no idea what I'm supposed to do with a giant book like that. lol :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ecclecticmum Posted June 27, 2013 Share Posted June 27, 2013 I sure hope I don't get one this year. Those catalogs are scary. :huh: I love RR but I just order from their website. I have no idea what I'm supposed to do with a giant book like that. lol :lol: I actually read through the entire thing a couple of months ago....took me a few days. I circled whatever I was interested in and placed a post-it bookmark on the top of that page. I plan to do the same thing again soon, in prep for buying for next year, lol. The Rainbow Resource *site* scares me. Its totally disorganized, several things I didn't think they had I found via searching (because a lot of stuff is in their clearance, new & unorganized sections, plus when you go into a topic, then a subtopic? Well sometimes items are in that topic, but not with any of the subtopics, meaning to "browse" their items you would have to wade through 110 pages of that topic to see items for some reason don't have a sub-topic. Several times I have had to do multi-orders, because of the disorganization of their site, and not realizing they had something (not everything can be properly searched by title, so somethings I browse for). I much prefer their catalog. Their website could take me months to wade through, instead of the days of the catalogue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hunter Posted June 27, 2013 Share Posted June 27, 2013 This thread is hysterical! I love looking through the large catalog. My only internet is on my cell phone, tapping off friend's wifi signals, and free hotspots. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tammyw Posted June 27, 2013 Share Posted June 27, 2013 I sure hope I don't get one this year. Those catalogs are scary. :huh: I love RR but I just order from their website. I have no idea what I'm supposed to do with a giant book like that. lol :lol: Me too. I have gotten them in the past and I don't even look at them. Not my type of reading (I prefer small, color catalogs). I have to admit, I find it really unacceptable that they are sending someone four catalogs. It's so incredibly irresponsible. I vote for calling them up and telling them of their mistake, and hopefully they can review what went wrong and how to fix it so others aren't having the same issue. I hate phone books also. And those local "newspapers" that just show up on our driveway every week, even though we don't want them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
a27mom Posted June 27, 2013 Share Posted June 27, 2013 I work part time as a homecare physical therapist. I was just thinking it will be great to duct tape together to make a practice step to use with my patients. It is thicker than 2 of our local phone books. You could use it for exercise :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebel Yell Posted June 27, 2013 Share Posted June 27, 2013 Does anyone else remember when the RR (used to be Rainbow Re-source) catalog was 4 mimeographed pages of used curr? Ah, the good old days... SERIOUSLY? :svengo: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hunter Posted June 27, 2013 Share Posted June 27, 2013 They have talked about doing away with the catalogs, but receive a lot of begging not to. Most people here are not reflective of all the homeschoolers without access to realiable wifi. RR does NOT want the expense of mailing out multiple catalogs! Mistakes happen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twoxcell Posted June 27, 2013 Share Posted June 27, 2013 I received two one year, but I think I took myself off the catalog mailing list last year. It felt like such a waste for me to receive them and not even use them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myeightkiddies Posted June 27, 2013 Share Posted June 27, 2013 I'm saving mine for paper mache or other crafts. If there was ever a toilet paper shortage, we'd be set - for awhile. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrookValley. Posted June 27, 2013 Share Posted June 27, 2013 What, no one has suggested using them as BB gun targets so you can catch and recycle your BBs? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruby Rose Posted June 27, 2013 Share Posted June 27, 2013 I thought about complaining to RR when I received the copy that I did not request. It is atrocious and not a fun read. I order online for a reason. I think they are incredibly wasteful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SarahW Posted June 27, 2013 Author Share Posted June 27, 2013 I have to admit, I find it really unacceptable that they are sending someone four catalogs. It's so incredibly irresponsible. I vote for calling them up and telling them of their mistake, and hopefully they can review what went wrong and how to fix it so others aren't having the same issue. I think it may be because there used to be a small Montessori School at my address. I get Montessori catalogs and newspapers sometimes. I enjoy browsing through them, so I don't complain. That could have set off the "school address" trip wire in their address book. Or maybe my mailman made a mistake. But, wow, some of you have gotten really creative with the Reuse concept! lol. It's great! I think I'll put the old one in the bathroom, for cleaning. I'll take one to church on Sunday and try to gently hand one over to a schoolteacher. I'll hang onto one for a little while. And the last one - maybe another schoolteacher will take it. The closest HS co-op to me is an Unschoolers one, I think the catalog may be under-appreciated there. How does one un-sign-up for a catalog? (this is where I need that spammers "please" emoticon). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TraceyS/FL Posted June 27, 2013 Share Posted June 27, 2013 How does one un-sign-up for a catalog? (this is where I need that spammers "please" emoticon). They are uber nice on the phone - i would just call them up! (especially since you got 4 - do they all have your name/address on the label?) I wasn't going to request one this year because I have been using the web mainly, I will keep it and use it though.... i'm sure that will cost me some $$ at some point! LOL!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shelly in VA Posted June 27, 2013 Share Posted June 27, 2013 You could use them for leaf/flower pressing.Another idea is recycled book art (search etsy or pinterest for images - here is one link: http://www.diyinspired.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Recycled-Book-Page-Art-1.jpg). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JanetC Posted June 27, 2013 Share Posted June 27, 2013 Responding to the how to get off a list question -- If you have a smart phone, there is an app called Paper Karma. You take pictures of all your unwanted catalogs and junk mail and they auto-magically send requests to get your name off of mailing lists. Amazing! After 6 months of religious use, my junk pile has diminished enormously. --Janet Edit: somehow quoted wrong post. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hunter Posted June 27, 2013 Share Posted June 27, 2013 My PO box is about 1 1/2 miles from my apartment. I was glad to have the heads up that there might be a catalog waiting for me. I brought an extra bag with me. And yes, I needed it. Thanks ladies! I've already been looking through it, and then going onto Amazon and looking for Kindle book versions. I don't feel guilty buying some things elsewhere, as I buy enough from RR to more than justify the expense of my catalog. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathie in VA Posted June 27, 2013 Share Posted June 27, 2013 The ideas here are soo funny! Hey, how about donating one to the pediatrician's office ... it would be interesting to see it with all the other magazines. It might make a great place to dry flowers! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mathnerd Posted June 28, 2013 Share Posted June 28, 2013 Though I put mine in the recycle bin last year, I decided to look through mine this year. And I got a big surprise because their search engine does not bring up all their stuff - I found some interesting books that I never knew they had & never knew how to find on their website. I am going to email them to suggest that they put up the catalog as a downloadable PDF on their website since their search is not their best feature. A PDF catalog is something I might enjoy reading! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twoxcell Posted June 28, 2013 Share Posted June 28, 2013 It looks like I didn't take myself off their mailing list. I got my door stop today. :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmyontheFarm Posted June 28, 2013 Share Posted June 28, 2013 I just hope they don't send me one. In the past, I have had things shipped to Detroit and I had to cross the border into the States to pick up my package which I pay $5 for, plus toll fees. I"ll be really ticked if I get an email to pick up a package and find out I just paid $5 for the RR catalog. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kerileanne99 Posted June 28, 2013 Share Posted June 28, 2013 A challenge! Give one to each child/member of the family/ etc., and challenge THEM to come up with the most creative use for their own. Make it a competition of sorts, with bonus points for earth-friendly ideas and general creativity. Show them some of the ideas mentioned in this thread and inspire them to come up with their own ideas. Then share:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom0012 Posted June 28, 2013 Share Posted June 28, 2013 Donate them to your local zoo. Orangutans love them. I wonder why RR still produces such a high volume of these large catalogues. I know everyone would miss them - they're like the smell of fresh sharpened pencils, kwim, so traditional - but it seems unnecessary since their catalogue is online. I ordered once from their web store last July and did not request a catalogue, but nearly tripped over the new one outside my door yesterday. I'm really surprised they are still mailing those things out too. When I went to a homeschool convention his year, they were no longer handing out the huge catalogs, but cd-rooms with the catalogs on hem. I thought it was the end of an era, but apparently not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mamabear2three Posted June 28, 2013 Share Posted June 28, 2013 I went through about 6 months of getting off of mailing lists... my junk mail reduced dramatically only to start receiving homeschooling catalogs this spring.. I never requested any of them either! guess it's time to start requesting off again... I've talked to a lot of interesting people on the phone getting off of mailing lists - one comcast guy argued with me about the definition of the word "junk mail" :huh: (and I finally gave up on comcast, they took my name off the mailings and told me they can't stop mailings to random addresses without a name on the label...) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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