Ever felt guilty about throwing away something that seems perfectly useful?
Well, you don’t have to! With some creativity and tips, you can give new life to common household items you may have been planning to toss out. This article will show you five simple and fun ways to reuse everyday items, from tin lids to old t-shirts.
You’ll not only help the environment by reducing waste but also get to save some money and have fun in the process!
1) Metal Tin Lids
If you’re like most people, your family has a stash of metal tins lying around the house. There are more than you can find uses for, but some are just too pretty to toss. Here’s a quick fix: did you know that the lids of those metal tins can be upcycled into something useful within a second?
Just turn them over, and you will have yourself some highly functional coasters or trivets!
They’re perfect for protecting your table or desk from hot or cold drinks and are much sturdier than flimsy paper coasters. I found this out when I had a cookie tin lid on my work desk, and I have been using it as a coaster for months. The tin currently houses some cables!
There are other ways to upcycle spare metal tin lids, too! You could use suitable ones to create unique wall art or as bases for candles. You could even glue magnets onto extra metal tins and use them to store little bits and bobs. Talk about a nifty way to prevent those paper clips or pins from shifting everywhere!
2) Calendars
You probably have a few old or unused calendars, especially since many come as gifts or promotional items. With a little creativity, you can turn them, or your favourite ones, into unique wall art and other fun projects.
One of the easiest ways to upcycle a calendar is to cut out the images and use them as wall art. You can then frame or tape them to your wall for an eclectic and colourful display! They will also look right at home in your bullet journal or scrapbook.
If you have a large calendar with sturdy pages, you could even use it to create a DIY notebook or planner. Simply cut the pages to the desired size, punch holes along the edge, and use binder rings to create your own custom notebook.
Old calendar pages also make for unique home decor, such as paper flowers, origami animals, or fun and colourful garlands. The possibilities are endless!
3) Egg Cartons
Egg cartons can be used as seed starters for those dabbling in gardening! After cleaning it well, cut the top off the carton and fill each section with soil and seeds. Once your seedlings are big enough, you can transplant them into your balcony or backyard if you have one.
- Paper Beads: You can create necklaces, bracelets or earrings by rolling strips of magazine or newspaper pages into beads! Different pages and textures produce different coloured beads and looks.
- Woven Baskets: Cut strips of newspaper or magazine pages and weave them together to create a basket. You can then use these as mini desk trashbins or storage compartments.
- Wall Art: Just like old calendars, you can cut out interesting images or patterns to create collages on a canvas or pieces of cardboard. This can be a fun and low-cost way to decorate your room!
5) Old T-Shirts
Old T-Shirts often become cleaning rags, but here’s another way to repurpose them: T-shirt rugs! Cutting them into strips turns them into T-shirt yarn, which you can crochet or finger-knit into cheerful-looking decoration.
There are many tutorials out there, but we’ll share one below:
You can also turn old T-shirts into tote bags, tank tops for light workouts, braided headbands, and more. It’s a great way to breathe new life into old apparel!
Upcycling common household items is both eco-friendly and cost-effective and a great way to express our individuality and style. It’s also a great way to try something new without having to break the bank! Everything craft-related we’ve listed is easy to start and uses things easily found around the home, so do give something a go today!
