Every week the trash truck comes to pick up our garbage and unwanted items, which are promptly taken to landfills. Instead of filling landfills and just buying new items to stuff our homes, we can help the earth and recycle everyday household items.
Below are a few fun and creative ideas for recycling things around your home that you might be ready to trash.
Coffee Table Into Bench
If you just purchased a new coffee table, don’t give away the old one — repurpose it. Find a space in your home where you could use some additional seating, like at the end of your bed or in the entryway.
Push it up against the wall so that any drawers and shelves are facing out. Then add some cushions and pillow. Tada; a bench!
Copper Piping Into Bathroom Hardware
Whether you’re going for a modern industrial look or a French country theme, old copper piping can add an attractive and interesting conversation piece to your restroom.
Utilize a U-shaped piece of piping as a toilet paper holder and long pieces of pipe as towel racks. Polish the copper and then seal it with spray lacquer so that it keeps its sheen.
Light Bulbs Into Decorations
Recycle filament light bulbs with a fun little craft project for your children. Grab paint, twine, glitter and glue. You can make flower pots and hang them in the yard as a simple green accent. Use the twine to create loops for hanging.
Pillowcase Into Shopping Bag
Take an old or vintage pillowcase, lay it flat and cut the top corners off of the open end. You’ll want to cut the corners off in a half-C shape so that that there is only about a two-inch strip left in the middle at the top.
Sew that two-inch strip together and you’ve got your handle. This reusable shopping bag rolls up tight and is easy to wash.
Drawer Into Dog Bed
The size of your animal will dictate the size of drawer you should repurpose. A cat might like a kitchen drawer while a bigger dog would use a large dresser drawer. Strip the wood off the drawer and repaint. Remove the hardware.
Maybe stencil your pet’s name on the front of the drawer. Then create a mattress using foam, batting and a soft and durable material.
Before getting rid of that broken side table or trashing those carry-out chopsticks, take a second look and tap into your creative side to see if you might be able to recycle and give them a second life.
Tyler Johnson says
December 15, 2020 at 11:04 amThat’s a good point that the copper piping would have a cool industrial look. I like the idea of using recycled parts as well. Maybe I’ll have to see if I can find some copper pipes to use in the bathroom, and then recycle what won’t work.
Martey Bird says
July 11, 2021 at 9:05 pmI like what you said about stripping copper. Is the same process used for steel? I need steel beams for the house.