Trash talk

LET’S TALK trash.

Old sweaters. Scrap paper and broken clocks. That table you had no use for. An old rubber wheel. A worn shoe (the other pair missing since—you suspect—the Cretaceous Period). A chipped cup. The cupboard handle that came off—POP—one sunny morning. Light bulbs that don’t work. Wine bottles from that dinner party. Milk cartons from last month.

Spring cleaning: when every speck of dust has vanished; when the kitchen counter gleams as if it were kissed by God; when the cupboards, drawers, and closets have all been emptied of excess bulk—it’s all very bright and airy and vastly satisfying, but what do you intend to do with all these things you’ve cleared out of your home?

Mother Earth doesn’t need more landfills. Don’t take your trash out to the dumpsters just yet. RECYCLE. Repurpose. Upcycle—it’s the new thing.

From lisavollrath.com

Create wall art or shelves out of old books, magazines, drawers and suitcases with odds and ends. Cut squares into the books or magazines. Cover the suitcase or drawer with old newspaper and brush over with clear glue for that vintage look. Stuff the little nooks with dried flowers, photographs, your rock collection, buttons—anything that strikes your fancy.

greenupgrader.com

Turn old newspapers into twine. Cut strips out of the paper and twist it into a rope. Make baskets, doormats, and sculptures with the finished product.

Turn tin cans into charming lanterns. Paint them over. Punch holes in the sides. Place candle inside. Easy as soup.

DIY ottoman: about two dozen PET bottles, cardboard, a plastic sheet, foam, duct tape, and cloth cover.

Need a garden?

Old shoebox + toilet paper rolls = desk organizer.

A cigar box stuffed with a folded old sweater or other cloth.

Turn old soup cans, wine bottles, flashlights, and glass jars into light fixtures; use wine bottles and even light bulbs as pots for hanging plants or small flora.

Get creative.

Lighters dismantled turned into toy bikes. Rather more complex than the usual DIYs, but too awesome to not share.