You know what they say; one man’s trash is another man’s treasure – and that’s certainly the case in today’s day and age. While some people are happy to just throw away all of their unwanted waste, there are many other people in this world who put a little more thought into their impact on the environment. Some make sure that they recycle all of the waste that can be recycled, others throw their waste on the compost heap, and there are others who re-use their unwanted waste with these amazing recycled craft ideas. So, which idea will you be trying first?
Create a mason jar chandelier
If you’re someone who has fully embraced the zero-waste movement, there’s a high chance that you have more mason jars than you would care to disclose. While you can use all of these for your trips to the zero-waste shop, you could also use them to make your very own mason jar chandelier. If you already have a light fitting that you want to repurpose, you may not even have to buy any light bulbs. All you have to do is attach the mason jars to the light fitting and watch your whole room brighten up with this crafty creation.
Use leftover fabric to make bracelets
There are so many reasons why you might have leftover fabric in your house. You may have just made your own sustainable dress, you may have decided to design your own cushion covers, or you may have old clothes that you want to repurpose. It’s super easy to use this leftover fabric to make bracelets, because all you have to do is wrap these fabric strips around a plain wooden bangle and glue the ends down. Not only do they look beautiful, but they’re totally original.
Make denim drinks coasters
Although we all love a good pair of jeans, there’s always going to be a time when your jeans start fraying in the wrong place, they start ripping in between the thighs, and they start fading a little too much. Sure, you could donate them to charity or throw them away, but why would you want to do that? The more eco-friendly option would be to reuse this denim to make something new. One of the easiest recycled craft ideas is to cut your jeans into strips before rolling them into denim drinks coasters. They look pretty cool, right?
Get festive with a paper bag wreath
Paper bags are certainly much more sustainable and eco-friendly than plastic bags, but have you ever wondered what to do with them? These things can be recycled, but they can also be made into a beautiful festive wreath. You can use a piece of wire or even a piece of cardboard to make the circular frame, and then all you have to do is wrap your paper bags around them. Once you’ve done this, you can then decorate it even more with flowers, pine cones, baubles, pumpkins, and more.
Sew together a patchwork blanket
If you have oodles of old T-shirts, old towels, old blankets, and other pieces of old fabric to your name, it can be easy to simply throw them in the bin. After all, you don’t need them anymore. Just because you don’t need them individually doesn’t mean that you can’t want them when they are all sewn together, though. It’s super easy to make a patchwork blanket, and the beauty of this recycled craft idea is that there are no rules. You can use as many or as little colours, patterns, or styles as you please.
Turn old cans into planters
Whether you love a can of baked beans or whether you’re a fan of canned banana blossom, you’re probably going to accumulate a lot of these tin cans over the years. These tins are widely recycled, but what if we told you that you could save money by using these cans in another way? Instead of shelling out your hard-earned cash on new planters for your plant babies, you could simply turn your old cans into planters instead. This means that you can also customise the pots to your own taste, your own colour scheme, and your own style.
Hang your paint chips like a garland
If you have recently undergone some DIY and home improvement work, then you may still have paint chips you don’t quite know what to do with. However, it would be such a shame to waste all of the pretty colours that you have available to you. Instead of chucking these chips into the bin, try hanging them like a garland instead. You could either cut out shapes and attach them all using string, or you could make a paper chain like the one pictured. It would make a great addition to any party.
Make your own button cards
Hands up if you always have spare buttons lying around the house? If you come to a point in your life where you’re questioning whether you actually need these buttons or not, we beg that you don’t throw them away. Most buttons are normally made from plastic, and small plastic items not only take thousands of years to decompose, but they can also be harmful to wildlife. Why not make your own button cards instead? You can design your own cards or buy them from the store, and then make them three-dimensional with these little added details.
Use leftover corks to make stamps
Nobody likes seeing old corks strewn around the place, but that doesn’t mean that these corks deserve to be classed as rubbish. In fact, there are so many ways to reuse these corks, and these homemade stamps will certainly keep the kids busy and make your letters and your jars look even prettier than they probably already do. Simply carve your chosen design into the bottom of the cork, and away you go. It really is as simple as that.
Transform broken teacups into candles
There’s nothing worse than realising that your favourite teacup has a crack or a chip in it, and while this largely puts it out of use as an actual teacup, that doesn’t mean that it can’t be used for something else. One of our favourite recycled craft ideas is transforming broken teacups into candles – and it’s really not as hard as it sounds. Making your own candles is pretty easy, and the only thing you need to worry about is making sure you light it and embrace the overall smell and beauty of this design.
Turn an old woollen jumper into a bottle cosy
While there’s no real need for cosying up your bottles, you can’t deny that they look pretty awesome. Plus, you could save on wrapping paper if you want to give a bottle to someone as a gift. Whether you have an old woollen jumper you no longer want or your favourite jumper has been ravaged by moths, cutting off the arms and turning it into a bottle cosy is a great little upcycling hack that we absolutely love.
Use an old scarf to replace a broken camera strap
If you’re a keen photographer, you’ll know that a strap for your camera is pretty important. However, you’ll also know that these straps can be pretty expensive to replace if they break. Although you could go ahead and buy yourself a new one, you could alternatively create your very own camera strap that only you will ever own. All you have to do is utilise an old scarf and some old fabrics to hook back onto the fastenings. We guarantee that you’ll be the coolest photographer out there.
So, while some people will look at this stuff and see a load of rubbish, it just goes to show that beauty really can be found anywhere. All you need is a creative eye and the motivation to try out these amazing recycled craft ideas.