Creative Ways to Upcycle Everyday Materials

Don’t toss out those household items just yet. You may have the perfect materials for some upcycling projects at your fingertips. 

Who doesn’t love a good DIY project? It’s a great way to express your creativity and make unique items with your own two hands. The best part is that you may not have to go to the craft store to get the materials you need. There are several household items that you can upcycle into unique projects — so you can get crafty and care for the planet at the same time. Here are some creative upcycling ideas for items you probably have in your home already. 

Creative, Eco-Friendly Upcycling Ideas

1). Repurposed Candle Jars

Empty glass candle jars can be remade into so many things. However, they are especially useful as storage containers for small household items. Candle jars can add a little aesthetic flair when holding makeup brushes, pins, rubber bands, craft supplies, cotton swabs, and kitchen spices. 

2). Tin Can Outdoor Decorations

A simple tin can offers the perfect blank slate for a variety of upcycling projects. Using some paint and a drill bit, you can fashion tin cans into outdoor decorations such as lanterns, bird feeders, planters, or even storage containers for seeds and gardening tools. 

3). Crayon Molds

If you have a young child — or someone young at heart in your home — you probably have dozens of crayon stubs lying around. It’s tempting to throw out those old crayons and buy a new box, but those stubs can still prove useful. You can melt down old crayons into molds to form multi-colored art supplies. Find a mold that appeals to your little ones to make new crayons with exciting new shapes they’ll love. 

4). Tie-Dye Clothing

Don’t throw out last year’s fashions; use them to add some life and color to your wardrobe. Instead of tossing out old shirts, pants, jackets, or jeans, consider giving them a tie-dye makeover. You’ll be helping the environment by keeping those items out of landfills. 

5). Plastic Bottle Planters

You already know you should recycle plastic bottles, but did you know you can also upcycle them into planters? By cutting off the top and filling the bottle with dirt, you can make an easy planter for your favorite flowers. To make the planter even more fun, you can cut the bottle into various shapes or paint the outside of the bottle any color you choose. 

6). Revamped Wooden Chairs

Don’t toss your old wooden chairs into the dumpster. Give them new life with a little TLC. Sanding, restaining, and applying some new upholstery is an easy way to reimagine and customize furniture that you already have. 

7). Pallet Furniture

Wooden pallets are perfect for DIY projects ranging from storage solutions and planters to headboards and coffee tables. Pallets are incredibly versatile, so if you have a few of these wooden wonders, get creative with them. Want to create something with a rustic touch but not sure what to make? Just search “DIY wooden pallet projects” and see what sparks your imagination.

8). Reimagined Drawers

That old dresser in your spare room has got to go. So what do you do with it? If you’re feeling crafty, there are ways to breathe new life into that old furniture. Drawers can be removed from dressers and repurposed as unique decorative boxes for bathroom storage or beautiful floating shelves in any room of your home. Or, for an outdoor project, drawer sets can also serve as unique flower planters.

9). Wine Bottle Vases

One of the simplest and most beautiful ways to upcycle glass wine bottles is to use them as a vase for long-stem flowers. They can also serve as stylish candle holders. To add your unique spin to the bottles, consider painting them or wrapping them in rope, twine, or ribbon to accent the room's aesthetic. 

Innovative Recycling: Verdeco’s Quality rPET Solutions

For the materials that can’t be upcycled, recycling is still a sustainable option to make reusable items into something new. At Verdeco, our unwavering dedication to innovating a better tomorrow has led us to create several groundbreaking rPET recycling solutions. And, with our innovations, recycled plastics aren’t synonymous with lesser quality. Our rPET solutions have the same durability, quality, and aesthetics as virgin PET. We’re shaping the future through recycling and doing our part to create a zero-waste economy that benefits the planet for generations to come. 

To learn more about how Verdeco is changing the world, visit verdecorecycling.com.