Over the course of our lives, we accumulate a lot of stuff. Moving home, going to school and starting new jobs all require a lot of extra baggage to keep going and after a few years, we might end up with a whole lot more than we bargained for. If you’re struggling to find a place for your old possessions, however, there is another way. Transforming tired out objects into useful and practical tools can be a great way of recycling unwanted things and better yet, it’s something that you can do entirely at home. Ready to get productive? It’s time to roll up your sleeves.
- Wine Bottles
Old bottles can really get in the way of things and getting rid of the old junk can seem like a real waste. If you apply a little creative thinking to your trash, however, you can transform even the most tired of bottles into something incredibly functional. Simply by cutting off the bottom of your wine bottle, you can use it as a shade for a pendant lamp. Loop the wire through the bottle opening, attach your light bulb below and voila; you have a ready made bespoke light fitting!
- Bottle Caps
While you’re recycling your old bottles, don’t forget about their lids and caps, either. Although you might be tempted to toss these in the garbage, they can be used to make individual tea lights, perfect for illuminating your home. Gather up all of your old caps, fill them with new wax and short wicks and you have a ready made candle collection, just waiting to be lit.
- Toilet Paper Rolls
Tossing toilet paper rolls in the trash might be completely second nature but by hanging on to the cardboard after you’ve finished using the paper, you might help yourself to get seriously organized. When stacked vertically in a box, toilet paper rolls make perfect storage for long cables and wires, enabling you to store all of your leads in the same place without them getting knotted together. Neat and tidy; now that’s how we all want to live.
- Wrenches
A functional, industrial tool, it might be hard to see beyond a wrench’s functionality but by simply manipulating its makeup, you can turn it into something useful and attractive. Nailing bent wrenches to your garage or shed wall can be a great way of adding extra storage space for new tools and make use out of objects you don’t need anymore. Just because an object has finished one purpose, it doesn’t mean that it can’t have another.
- Coffee Cans
Old tins and cans can accumulate very quickly and over time, you might find yourself with a lot of extra garbage to get rid of. Instead of tossing coffee cans to the trash, however, you can use them to help things grow. By giving your old tins a lick of paint and a few extra trimmings, they can be transformed into individual planters, perfect for giving your indoor foliage a new home.
- Clothes Hangers
Knotted into metal piles, shoved down the back of your closet; clothes hangers can really get in the way and when they build up over time, they can be more hassle than they’re worth. If you’re struggling against a pile of extra hangers, however, you can simply give them a new home. By re-twisting old wires and attaching small clips, old clothes hangers can be turned into recipe card holders, or shopping list reminders; you’ll never forget a thing again!
- Tin Cans
These days, there are a whole load of food products that come in tin cans and the more that we eat, the more garbage that we have to deal with. Not any more, however. By repainting tin cans and drilling them with small holes, you can turn them into functional patio candle holders, perfect for whipping out when the nights get warmer. If you don’t have a drill, a hammer and nail will also do the trick; the key is to know your design before you start.