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What to Do With Jigsaw Puzzles When Finished?

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After hours, or even days of hard work, you’ve finally conquered your jigsaw puzzle. What now? Should you just take it apart and put it back in the box? Surely you can’t just let it sit on your coffee table forever. Puzzles are an almost universally loved pastime activity, but most of us aren’t really sure what to do with them when we’re done. Fear not! Instead of letting your hours of work go to waste, dive into the world of endless possibilities. From framing it to hosting a puzzle swap with friends, there are so many ways you can ensure your puzzle gets the attention it deserves for a long time. Here are some fun and innovative ideas on what to do with jigsaw puzzles when you’re finished solving them. 

Frame It

If you particularly like the image on your finished jigsaw puzzle and think it would make a beautiful addition to your home, you can always frame it. To frame a jigsaw puzzle, you will need puzzle glue (or just regular glue), a piece of wax paper, and a frame. Cover the front side of your puzzle with a thin layer of glue and let it dry. Once dry, flip the puzzle over and glue the wax paper to the back to ensure all the pieces stay in place. After this, you can frame your puzzle as you would a regular photograph or poster.


Put It Under Glass

Whether you’re not into wall art or just want to explore other home decor possibilities, there are more options for turning your finished jigsaw puzzle into a decorative piece. For instance, instead of leaving the puzzle to lie on your coffee table until someone inevitably knocks it over or damages it, you can cover it with a piece of glass. That way, the puzzle stays visible while being protected from potential coffee spillages. On the other hand, you get the surface of your coffee table back without having to get rid of the puzzle. It’s a win-win situation!


Magnetize It

A creative way to make puzzles even more fun and interactive, especially for kids, is to magnetize them and put them on the fridge or a magnetic whiteboard. Simply get some small magnets and glue them to the back of the puzzle pieces.


This idea works great for smaller kids’ puzzles with a couple of dozen pieces, but if you have a 300-piece jigsaw puzzle (or an even bigger one), sticking magnets on individual pieces will be quite a challenge. Instead, glue groups of pieces together (for instance, a square of 16 pieces), stick some backing onto them, and then add a couple of magnets.


Save the Puzzle

Just because you’re done with a puzzle doesn’t mean you have to be done with it forever. You can always take it apart, put it back in its box, and shelf it until you feel like solving it again.


However, if you have a lot of puzzles, keeping them all in their original boxes can take up a lot of room. Luckily, there are several innovative ways to store your puzzles, both in pieces and solved ones, and save up on space at the same time. For instance, you can use a puzzle board or a roll mat. If you don’t want to invest in storage solutions, even a regular Ziploc bag will do.


Gift It to a Friend

There’s something truly magical about sharing things you enjoy and are passionate about with your loved ones. Once you’re done with your jigsaw puzzle, consider giving it to a friend who enjoys puzzles as much as you do. You could also choose a friend who might not be into puzzles just yet – maybe your puzzle is the push they need to start a new hobby. 


Beat Your Record

Are you feeling up for a challenge? The first time you solve a puzzle, time yourself and write down your time. Then, take the puzzle apart and put it away for a while – the longer the better. Once you feel like solving it again, try to beat your previous time. The best thing about this is that you can do it as many times as you like – until you’re a true puzzle-solving pro.


This idea is an excellent way to make solving puzzles even more fun (not that solving puzzles without timing them is not fun enough). In fact, you can even turn it into a family activity and try to beat your best time together.


Puzzle Swap
If you’re not too keen on solving the same puzzle more than once (or if you’ve already solved it one too many times), consider organizing a puzzle swap. Invite all of your puzzle-solving friends over and tell them to bring over their old puzzles that they don’t intend to solve anymore.

There are many ways you can do this. For instance, you can all put your puzzles in one pile and take turns picking the one you like. But if you want to make things even more fun, wrap all the puzzles in solid-coloured paper. You can write some basic information on it, such as the number of pieces, the size of the finished puzzle, or the difficulty (or you can choose not to provide any info, it’s up to you). This way, everyone gets a surprise puzzle!

If you don’t feel like hosting a large group of people, you can also host a puzzle swap online, where every participant sends their puzzle to the address of another random participant.

Create a Puzzle Challenge
Here’s another twist on the solve-it-again solution. Instead of timing yourself the next time you solve the puzzle, come up with a different type of challenge. For instance, you can start from one side and work in rows until you finish the entire puzzle or start from the middle, rather than the edges. Another option is to work by colour or, if you’re feeling extra ambitious, turn all the pieces over and solve the puzzle based only on the shape of the pieces, rather than the image.

If you want to make things more fun, you can always invite more people to join your challenge and see who deserves the title of the ultimate puzzle master.

Donate It
As with most things (such as toys or books) that you’ve used enough times and got bored of, you can always donate the puzzle. Look up charity organizations in your vicinity or hop in the car to the closest Goodwill store. Additionally, libraries, schools, or kindergartens might be willing to take your puzzle. Keep in mind that, if you’re planning to donate the puzzle, you should ensure that none of the pieces have been damaged or lost. 

Conclusion
Now that you’ve got your post-puzzle plan figured out, we hope that our suggestions have sparked your creativity and inspired you to take a dive into yet another puzzle-solving challenge. Check out Mary Maxim’s offer of puzzles featuring an array of themes – holiday cheer, nature’s hidden beauties, picturesque countryside, and so much more. With a range from 300-piece puzzles to 1000-piece puzzles, we’re sure you’ll find one that’s right up your alley. And if you’re not sure where to start, we recommend the Royal Family jigsaw puzzle with 300 pieces, the Dockside Quilts jigsaw puzzle with 500 pieces, or, if you’re feeling ambitious, the Ice Dragon jigsaw puzzle with 1000 pieces. 
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