Upcycling isn’t exactly a new thing. People have been reusing and repurposing old items since the time of Adam. Okay, maybe not that far but you get the idea.
It’s nothing new but not a lot of people are into it To be honest, we believe they’re missing out on all the fun it brings. Upcycling lets you get creative and be eco-friendly. Each time you recycle or repurpose a material, you’re helping minimize waste materials.
One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.
We’ve all heard of this adage before. However, when you’re looking at all the junk you have at home or any thrift shop or flea market, it’s sometimes hard to identify which ones are diamonds in the rough. Which ones are treasures and which are trash? It’s hard, right?
Well, we honestly believe that all you really need is the right eye to see the potential in almost any item. Like converting reclaimed barnwood hardwood into flooring or taking a barndoor and turning it into a dining table. It just depends on how creative you are.
That being said, we have listed down a few ideas to help unlock your creativity and get you started.
10 Upcycling Projects for an Eco-Friendly Home
1. Planter Bricks
If you still have some bricks lying around from a previous home project, clean it up and fill ti up with some potting soil into the holes. Plant some succulents in it and voila! Instant low-maintenance planters.
2. Window Frame Organizer
If you’re planning on replacing your window frames, don’t throw the old ones away. You can still salvage them with a little paint and creativity and turn them into a wall organizer or multi-picture frame.
3. Cinder Block Planter
Like the brick planter, take a few unused cinder blocks and fill them up with dirt or potting soil. You can have individual planters or stack them up for a nice vertical planter. Paint them with any design or pattern you like and turn them into nice indoor or outdoor planters.
4. Chandelier-Crystal Necklace
If you’re already getting tired of replacing the bulbs on your chandelier and you’re thinking of getting rid of it, take the crystals from them and use them as pendants for home-made necklaces.
5. Teacup Candles
Got a nice set of vintage teacups that you no longer use? Why don’t you convert them into teacup candles and put one in different areas of the house?
6. Vintage Mirror Tray
This one is easy to do. Get a vintage mirror at a thrift shop (they’re cheap) and give it a good cleaning and paint job and you have yourself a nice centerpiece for your table.
7. Cork Vase
You will need more than a handful of corks for this project but it will be one that will be well worth it, especially if the corks that you use are all coming from just one brand.
8. Window Shutter Paper Organizer
Window shutters are the types of items you’ll find on a roadside or even in your own garage. With a little cleaning and a nice paint job, you can easily turn it into a desk paper organizer for your office.
9. Craft Caddy Block
You would think a knife block only exists to house knives, right? Well, with a little ingenuity, someone had the brilliant idea of making a kid-friendly art station with it.
10. Broom Bristle Desk Organizer
Just the sound of it is already interesting enough, right? This piece of work is handier and more helpful than those typical uninspired pen holders you usually find in office supplies shops.
Do you have any more fantastic upcycling ideas you’d like to share with us? Hit the comments section and let’s learn from one another.
