Repurposing old goods into new items can help the environment and your budget.
While recycling is the process of converting waste into new materials or products, upcycling — a lesser-known approach to curbing waste — involves finding new ways to use unwanted items before they hit the garbage or recycling bin.
By upcycling, you can curb spending on items like clothing, furniture and other household items while also getting the thrill of having something new and exciting at hand. Plus, if you can find an audience for your upcycled goods on Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, Etsy or other online outlets, you could even make some money in the process.
Finally, not only can upcycling add a little extra money to the monthly budget, but it will do a little extra to help the environment by reducing landfill waste.
With that in mind, here are three easy ways you can start upcycling.
Try Upcycling Your Clothes:
It’s easy to toss aside a pair of socks with holes in them, or a pair of jeans that have seen better days. But a few minutes with a needle and thread, and you could buy your beat-up clothes a second life. Tap family members who know how to sew for a quick lesson, or log on to YouTube for an instructional video.
Even beyond that, you can upcycle clothing by turning them into something brand new. Give garments a new color with dye — or even tie-dye — for an entirely new look. Replace buttons or laces with something new, cut sleeves or midriffs, or patch pieces with fun fabrics or iron-on patches. For next-level upcycling, turn old jeans or t-shirts into tote bags, or work them into a quilt.
Try Upcycling Your Furniture:
Upcycling is one of the easiest and most impactful ways to change up a room. If there’s a piece of furniture that is looking a little worn — or something that’s been passed along or sourced from someone else — there are several ways to transform it. Grab a coat of paint and give it a brand new, brighter color. Or, grab some sandpaper and preserve the natural wood by removing an old finish and re-staining a wood piece.
When it comes to drawers and cabinets, new hardware can offer a quick upgrade with just the turn of a couple screws. It might take more time — and a few more YouTube tutorials — to reupholster a piece of furniture, but a new piece of fabric can completely transform an old or outdated couch or chair.
Also, remember to think outside the furniture box. Upcycling often involves using home furniture and décor in different ways. For example, old ladders can work as a makeshift shelf. Or, a dresser that doesn’t work in a bedroom might work as storage in the basement or garage.
Try Upcycling Your Kitchen Goods:
Instead of tossing kitchen tools or utensils you don’t use, or deciding to upgrade one of your favorite items, give the old products new life. An old teapot or mug becomes a planter. Empty jars turn into drinking glasses, or even serve a new purpose by becoming a candle holder.
Unique plates can become wall hangings (or vice versa), and a cheese grater can morph into a shocking number of reimagined items: an earring display, a pen and pencil holder, a utensil holder, a light fixture or a bird feeder. Or, our personal favorite: a small, thin piece of wood can turn an old cutting board into a tablet holder.
Try Upcycling Your Trash:
While any container can easily go in the trash or recycling bin, a little creativity can turn it into your new favorite piece of décor. Empty wine bottles can become olive oil and vinegar bottles — which will allow you to buy both ingredients in bulk and save a few dollars — or candle holders. Baby food jars can easily turn into spice holders — again, allowing you to save money by buying bulk.
Cereal boxes can be repurposed into piñatas with a little papier maché and tissue paper, or covered with contact paper and cut into organizers for file folders or magazines. Cover cardboard boxes with a little contact paper or paint, and they serve as valuable storage containers. Bottles can become vases, empty cans can become planters and empty egg containers can keep small items like paper clips, rubberbands and safety pins separate but together.
With a little creativity — and a quick look at Pinterest or Etsy — you can turn otherwise unwanted items into something new and special and save a little money in the process.
