Upcycling your clutter can be a great way to get creative. You’ll be able to save money, and you can also breathe a little bit of life into those items you no longer use but you do still want to keep because they’re still in good condition. The next time you’re looking to throw out old furniture or you are putting the bones of an old project to bed, think about how you can use the pieces for something better. Upcycling is becoming more innovative and more stylish.
There are so many ways that you can be better and kinder to the planet, and upcycling is a good way to do that. It also allows you to think about how you could be repurposing things rather than spending more money, and this way you’ll be able to save a lot. With that in mind, let’s take a look at some creative upcycling ideas for your home.
Use up old scaffolding
Have you just finished a project in your house where you’ve upcycled or upgraded windows or added an extension? Reclaimed scaffold boards are a great addition to any project in the house, especially if you’re looking to turn some old boards into some furniture rather than have to take them to the scrap yard. If you’ve got old boards laying around in the garden you could build something completely new, so ask for some help if you’re not sure how to go about it. Or just dig into YouTube.
Upgrade your jeans
Any old jeans that you’re no longer using can be reshaped, restitched and cut into a work apron. If you like to work in the garage, on the car, or on anything dirty, then think about putting those jeans into an apron. All you need is a pair of jeans, some scissors, and a needle and thread. And there are plenty of videos online that can walk you through how to convert denim jeans into a denim apron that goes down to your feet.
Reuse your stuffed toys
If the kids have moved out of the house but they don’t have any inclination to bring those large stuffed animals with them, turn them into doorstops. If you’ve got stuffed toys that are no longer wanted or needed, then all you need to do is make a needle cut in the fabric, pull out all the stuffing and fill it with something heavy like sand or gravel. Then all you have to do after that is sew it back up and they’re perfect for doorstops and they can bring a little bit of a conversation around whenever you have guests.
Reuse old cable reels
Going back to where you may have had scaffolding around the outside of your house, if that came with any cable reels, you could turn these into coffee tables. Sand them down, repaint them and then varnish them. If you want to be extra fancy you could even add a cushioned exterior, but check out YouTube for that because turning cable reels into coffee tables is much easier when you have a video to follow. These are great places to organize your books and plants in a more interesting way, or you can simply just put your feet up at the end of the day.
Repurpose old sheets or duvet covers into rugs
If you’ve updated your bedding and you have somebody that is too tired for displaying your room but you don’t want to get rid of it, you could always upcycle it into rugs or cleaning rugs. Old bedding often gets changed into dust sheets or cleaning rags, but while that’s a great way to recycle it, you could actually make a rug. Amish knot rag rugs can be made out of duvet covers or sheets, and there are videos on YouTube to help you walk through it. It’s a good way to reuse without having to go out and spend money on a rug, especially if you actually like the pattern that might already be on the duvet cover.
Give wooden furniture a little bit of a makeover
If you have wooden furniture that’s looking tired or it doesn’t match your colour scheme, then it’s time for an upgrade. It can be cheaper than buying new furniture but it can be rewarding, too. A fresh coat of paint and some varnish can make a big difference to a wardrobe or a chest of drawers. The best part is that it doesn’t cost as much to get some varnish, some paint and a sanding block as it would cost to get some new furniture to replace what you have. If you want to give it a complete transformation, you could also replace the hardware on it, so changing the chest of drawer handles or the wardrobe door knobs can make a big difference.