Be careful of what you’re throwing away—you might be missing the chance to turn it into something completely out of the box and new. Just because something is not serving its original purpose anymore, doesn’t mean it can’t be used for something else. There are so many ways you can reuse old items so it can serve you well once more. Doing so will not only benefit you, it can also benefit the environment. By recycling, repurposing, and reusing some of your old stuff, you’re keeping them away from the landfill for a little while longer. This is especially important for items made of plastic or other non-biodegradable material. If you’re looking for some inspiration, here are eight incredibly creative trash-to-treasure crafts that will surely spark your creativity.
- Paint Can Herb Garden
You can create an adorable hanging herb garden using pallet boards, rope, and a couple of paint cans. The idea is to attach the rope onto the sides of the mouth of the paint can and hang it up on an old pallet board. Make sure you drill some holes on the bottom of the can for drainage. You can even keep some of these in your kitchen so you can easily reach for an herb while cooking.
- Apothecary Jars
There are many different ways you can reuse pickle jars and one of them is by turning them into apothecary jars. You can place essential medicines like painkillers and antihistamines on these jars, or you can use them to create a mini first aid kit. Create a vintage look by attaching old door knobs and drawer pulls at the top of the lid and decorate the jar with decorative paper.
- Rake Jewelry Display
Garden tools can easily wear out especially if they’re often used or if they’re left out in the open where they’re exposed to humid and rain. Rusty rakes and garden tools can serve you another purpose as jewelry displays. Detach the head of a rake and hang your necklaces on its teeth. Just make sure you thoroughly clean the tools before using.
- Plastic Spoon Hurricane Lantern
You can make a beautiful, elegant lantern using an old jar and a bunch of spoons. Just cut the heads of the spoons off and glue them around the jar. Spray paint the entire piece with a metallic colour and let it completely dry. Place a tea light inside the jar and let the dim glow illuminate the room and set a romantic mood.
- Mint Box Hairpin Holder
Many women, those with unruly hair in particular, need bobby pins to keep their hair in place. Since bobby pins are very small and thin, they’re usually hard to locate especially if you just throw them in your purse. As a solution, you can use an empty mint box to corral these bobby pins in one place. Decorate the mint box using washi tape and you’re all set for fighting off your next bad hair day.
- Frame Tray
There are tons of ways you can repurpose old picture frames and one of the best ways to do it is by turning it into a tray. Attach some tiles onto the center of the frame and screw on some old drawer handles on either side of the frame to serve as the tray holder. Paint the frame with your desired colour and it’s done.
- Belt Dog Collar
An old, vintage belt makes a great dog collar, and it doesn’t require much effort to make. Just cut the belt so it fits around the neck of your dog. Create new holes onto the belt if necessary. Attach the dog tag in the belt loop and let your pet enjoy the luxe collar.
- Wooden Crate Shelves
Before throwing out those wooden crates, know that they can make very eclectic shelves. Just paint them according to a theme of your preference and attach them on the wall. You can use these for storing and easily accessing your shoes, or as bookshelves and storage areas.
