Chances are, you probably have quite a bit of stuff laying around that doesn’t exactly serve a purpose. May it be the item was broken quite some time ago or you just don’t like the way it looks anymore; these items tend to pile up in our storage areas. Often, we even replace them when we find something new and shinier even if we don’t get all of the value out of our older item. This doesn’t have to be the case! In fact, you can take all of those items and give them a little update to fit the needs of your home now. You’ll find you save a lot of money this way because you won’t feel the urge to go out and shop for new items. Not to mention, many of the refurbishing crafts will cost you little to nothing!
1. Furniture
Furniture tends to last in the home a lot longer than most things, which is why it’s easy to get attached to some items. Just because an item is broken doesn’t mean you have to toss it out though, so if you do particularly love a piece upscale it when you have a chance! For instance, chairs are one of the best examples since you can do so much with them! One great idea is to take a chair that has a broken leg and transform it into a swing. This is very kid friendly and you can place it just about anywhere. A broken chair can also be used to create a bench, especially if you have multiple chairs looking for a special upgrade. You may also wanted to pull the backs off of a slatted chair to use it as a hanger. These are perfect for scarves and belts. Tables are also easy to upscale. For instance, you can easily cut down the legs of a beat up table for children to use as a play table. You may also want to cut a long table in half to create smaller corner desks. Of course, you could always sand down damage and refinish it as a new dining table or use it has a ping pong table! Finally, you can remove the springs from a broken mattress and use the core as a display for jewelry, art or notes. Also, old suitcases can be used as tables, filing bins and even a medicine cabinet!
2. Clothes
Sometimes, we just can’t bear to part with the band shirts or jeans that we wore in freshman year. Although they may be ratty, old and long out of fashion they hold our hearts and seeing them in the trash or headed for donation is pretty heartbreaking. There’s an easy solution though. Try taking those old t-shirts (or any fabric) and turning them into a blanket or pillow. Some of the tasks require some skills on the sewing machine, but there’s many DIY blankets that require no sewing at all! The rest of the shirt can be used as a rag or a cute bracelet or headband! You can also take old jeans and cut them up for shorts or to use as razor sharpeners. A few swipes up and down after each use can make your blades last longer, thus bringing you even more savings.
3. Kitchen Supplies
A lot of your old kitchen supplies such as, broken plates, tea cups and silverware to begin with, can be transformed into works of art or something amazing for the garden. For instance, broken plates or bowls can be used as identifiers in the garden which will help you keep your crops straight. Bowls and glasses can also be used as indoor or outdoor planters which will definitely come in handy. Tea cups, saucers and bowls can be strung up and used as quaint bird feeders or a cute art piece. Items that are too broken to use can be salvaged into mosaic art projects which will look great in or out of the home. Finally, you can use silverware to make beautiful wind chimes that will add a soothing touch to your porch. These items can also be transformed into jewelry with the proper tools and tutorials!
4. Jewelry
Although we like to think we’ll always want to wear something when we buy it, it isn’t realistic. If you keep up with fashion trends then you probably have a box filled with items that aren’t exactly the style anymore. Sure, you can give these pieces to donation or try to sell them all, but there’s a lot of other cooler things you can do too! You can easily turn them into other pieces of jewelry. Simply take them apart and place them together for a more fashionable look you can be proud to call your own. You can also use them as hair accessories by gluing pieces to bobby pins, barrettes and headbands. Each of the jewelry pieces can also be used as a work of art that makes the home look amazing. For example, you can create a beaded chandelier or mobile that will instantly gain attention in your home! These items can also be glued to a magnet for your message board or refrigerator. If you don’t want to keep the items personally then they make great gifts!
5. Art Supplies
With kids in the home it’s hard not to have broken crayons all over the place. Art supplies tend to break quickly, so we end up buying more which just adds to the collection. Rather than going out and adding to the vicious cycle, grab your crayons and melt them into one. You can do this based on color or you can even work with layers. You can even store the new crayons in old lipstick or glue stick containers for an easy way to make arts and crafts even more fun, frugal and recycled. To add some fun to the new crayons, melt them into cookie cutters for fun shapes! You may also want to look for old dried out markers. Simply place them in some water and you’ll instantly get some fun water colors for your children to play with. Better yet, this is a whole lot easier to clean off tables and even carpet!
6. Shoes
Worn out shoes are another major thing that seems to take up space in our closets. It’s pretty easy to come up with an excuse to buy new shoes, but there are some ways to upcycle some of your more worn out pieces. For instance, if you have an old pair of slip-ons then it’s easy enough to remove some of the worn out fabric and create a cozy pair of sandals that may offer more support than any pair you may buy! Flip flops are easy to upcycle too! Simply remove the broken area from the sole of the shoe and replace it with an old braided t-shirt or other item. This is easier than it sounds and it’ll be a lot more comfortable than a lot of flip flop brands.
7. Decor Items
A lot of our decor items can be used for other purposes too! Picture frames are a great example of this as they can be used for so many different things! For instance, you can easily remove the glass and string wire on the frame to hold your favorite pieces of jewelry, post cards or photographs. This is perfect for dorm rooms especially as the frame won’t take up as much room as other storage devices. You can also use the picture frame as a nice service tray. Simply find something strong to use as a back and you’re good to go! If you happen to come across a broken guitar then this could easily be altered and turned into a shelf for some of your lighter decorative pieces. Finally, an old globe can be used for a variety of things. Try cutting it in half to use as a fun light in a child’s bedroom or in a study. You can also flip it over to use as a bowl or planter.
8. Exterior Goods
There’s a lot you can do with the items from outside that may just be sitting around rusting. A rake, for instance, can be hung on the home and used to hold some of your gardening supplies. Of course, you’ll probably want to stick with a metal rake for this task as plastic grows brittle over time and may not hold up your items anyway. Broken flowerpots can also be used as identifiers for your garden using a marker or paint. An old ladder, metal or wooden, looks great as a bookshelf. You can alter these many ways so if you’re low on creative ideas then browse online to see all of the incredible ideas. If you have recently replaced your bike tire or you have an old bike you no longer use then there’s a whole lot you can do with a wheel. For starters, you can use it to hang pots and pans from the ceiling! You can also make a cute custom mobile for the nursery. Finally, if you love spending some time crafting, you can make a large dreamcatcher that everyone will love to marvel at. Another great item to use is an old tennis racket which can be turned into a mirror or picture frame. Old tools can also be bent and used as hooks for hanging up coats and umbrellas.
9. Entertainment
A lot of homes are still filled with vinyl records, CDs and DVDs! Although these items are great to have, sometimes they are too scratched to enjoy or we just don’t use them anymore. Instead of tossing them out you may want to see if you can make something out of them. For instance, vinyl records look amazing on a game/bar room wall. Discs also make great additions to the walls or ceiling of a teenager’s room, especially if the shiny side isn’t too damaged. Finally, if you still have disc holders then change them into a cord holder. You’ll get a lot less tangles this way and they become much easier to store!
10. Recyclables
Even the items in your recycle bin can be upcycled. For starters, items like milk jugs, lotion bottles and other large or round containers can be used as storage or as a planter! Simply cut the plastic tops off and you’re ready to organize the entire home or enjoy some homegrown herbs! Toilet rolls are also a must save item! You can turn them into holders for your ear buds, charger cables and any other wires on your desk. Simply place to the toilet rolls in a box and you’re ready to keep your supplies tangle free! Drink holders are also a must keep! These items can easily be used to hold your household’s condiments (it especially makes getting them to the dinner table easier), crafting supplies and other dolls. Water bottles are perfect for holding dry goods, especially the larger bottles which you can mark for easy measuring! Old credit cards can be transformed into colorful guitar picks with just a few snips of your scissors. Finally, bottle caps can be turned into coasters, containers and even jewelry.
Finding old items around the house that aren’t being used are pretty common. However, what you do with the items doesn’t have to be. With these tips you should be able to turn your home into an upcycled work of art without putting a whole lot of money into the process. With all of these savings, plus the savings from shopping less, you’ll have a bigger budget to work with in no time!
