8 Great Upcycle Projects Using Items You Likely Already Have on Hand

Inside: Try these upcycle projects using items you likely already have on hand. You’ll turn it into something useful and keep it out of landfill.

A guest post by Cora Gold

Using the materials you already have to make something new lets you explore your creative side.

You also save money and reduce waste while meeting a current need without spending a dime. 

Upcycle projects can be personalized to your style and needs. They add beauty to your decor while serving a practical purpose.

Need some inspiration to get started? Consider these eight fun DIY upcycle projects using items you likely already have on hand. 

The Benefits of Upcycling 

Landfills are hurting the environment, so the more we limit the items we put in them, the better.

They’re big producers of methane, a greenhouse gas that’s heavier than carbon dioxide. Methane is released when organic matter like food and used textiles decays under anaerobic conditions, crushed beneath tons of other trash with no air to breathe. 

Upcycling is a step forward to reduce landfill waste. Everything you buy requires energy to produce — and contributes to emissions creation.

Factories produce smoke and exhaust is added to the air from planes, trains, and automobiles to get the product from the manufacturer to your door. Upcycling reduces these issues. 

Upcycling Provides Precisely What You Need

How often have you purchased something, only to have to modify it, anyway, to make it work for your needs? Upcycling allows you to customize your creations and create something unique.

Although it might take a bit of work, you can design a style that suits your decor — and that always has the right number of pockets or openings. 

Upcycling saves money and reduces waste by making do as you repurpose items you already own.

8 Upcycle Projects Using Items You Likely Already Have

When you’re ready to get out your crafting supplies, dig into these eight upcycling projects using home objects you already have. 

1. Empty Jar Storage Containers 

Empty jars serve countless organizational needs. Line your sewing drawer with used baby food jars containing buttons, pins of various lengths, needles, and appliques.

Do you have a natural food store nearby where you can fill your own containers? Collect different sizes for storing anything from spices to oatmeal.

You can use jars in the bathroom as toothbrush holders or to organize small items like cotton balls. If you’re a frugal declutterer, you consider the ways an item could be repurposed before letting it go.  

Jars can also come in handy if you want to decorate for a holiday or party without buying disposable party supplies. You can tie ribbons or scrap fabric around the jar and place a candle inside for a quick and easy table centerpiece.

Alternatively, fill an empty jar with water and glitter and use an old doily to make snowflakes for a simple holiday snow globe. 

2. New Life to Old Fabrics 

The average person goes through a lot of clothes in their lifetime. Whether an item gets stained or no longer fits, you probably have several pieces in your closet that you don’t wear. 

Could you alter the piece to make it a unique one you’d enjoy wearing again? Or perhaps you could use the fabric to make something completely different.

Jeans can be remade into various items including a cute bag (with a pocket already built in!).

Give sentimental items new life as a pillowcase or part of a patchwork quilt. These options are good for treasured pieces, like baby onesies, or team t-shirts. Turning them into practical items will allow you to keep them without wasting space at home. 

Stained or damaged clothing can become extra cleaning rags, and soft, worn-out T-shirts make excellent makeup removers or hair towels. 

3. Wine Rack Planter or Storage

Do you have a wine rack at home that doesn’t get much use for its intended purpose?

If it’s a metal rack that is mounted to the wall, it will be sturdy enough to display houseplants. Add a pot to each circle and mount it vertically to create a garden cascade indoors. 

Wine racks can also be a great way to store towels if you don’t have a linen closet. You can make use of vertical space in a small bathroom by rolling towels and stacking them on the rack. 

4. Wine Cork Bulletin Board

If you do use your wine rack to store wine, you likely go through a good number of corks. Instead of throwing them away, get crafty with your corks. 

Glue your old corks together with or without a frame to create an instant bulletin board.

Its thickness is sufficient to support a few small hooks, too — perfect for hanging keys or organizing small tools.  

5. Empty Box Drawer Organizers 

If you’ve bought a new phone recently, chances are you might still have that box saved somewhere just waiting for a reason to use it.

Collect any similar small boxes you can find and use them to organize your drawers.

You can buy drawer organizers, but if you’re frugal you’d rather not spend the money when you can use things you already have on hand. 

Any small and sturdy box you get can be put into a desk drawer to organize pens, paper clips or other supplies.

Additionally, you can use them in kitchen drawers or dresser drawers to organize socks and underwear.

Think about the possibilities next time you get a device, jewelry, makeup, or another product that comes in a box. 

6. Customize a Piece of Furniture

Repairing pieces that you already have on hand is another great way to save money and reduce waste.

Sometimes beloved furniture pieces just need a bit of glue or wood filler to help repair them. Other times you may be looking to refresh the look of the piece.

Depending on how much time you want to spend on the piece you could either strip the finish and restain it or perhaps even just sand it and use chalk paint or spray paint to give it a new look.

Older furniture pieces did tend to be made better than the mass-manufactured kinds you find in many stores today. Putting in a little bit of time and effort can help you save it from the garbage and give you a good quality unique furniture piece to enjoy for years to come.

7. Child’s Play Kitchen Set 

Children’s toys can cost a pretty penny these days, and unfortunately, many of them are plastic and noisy.

Certain toys inspire imagination and creativity and are helpful for a child’s motor development, and often you can create some with things you already own.

Before buying that toy kitchen set, check your cabinets for dishes and utensils you don’t need anymore.

You might have souvenir plastic cups from events or sports games that you never reach for or a collection of plastic utensils from takeout orders. Old wooden spoons or plastic spatulas that have seen better days can be perfect for imaginary play kitchens. 

Of course, only choose age-appropriate items. An older child might be able to handle ceramic mugs for a tea set, but stick with plastic or wood for younger kids. 

8. Candle Jars  

Candle jars come in a variety of shapes and colors. Once you’re done burning the candle you can either melt additional wax into it to reuse it or consider these other upcycle options.

Empty candle jars can make a great succulent plant holder. You’ll have a unique look for the plants on your windowsill.

Another idea is to use the container as a pen or pencil holder on your desk. No need to buy one of those when you can repurpose a pretty container you already have on hand.

In order to repurpose the jar, you will need to get all of the remaining wax out which is done more easily by freezing it to pop out the leftover wax. If you can’t get it off the sides of the jar, using hot water to melt it can help.

And if your candle jar has a label on it you’d like to remove, You can also remove the label by soaking it in hot water and then using oil to help remove any remaining residue.

Upcycle Projects Using Items You Likely Already Have

Before you toss that unwanted item in the trash, take a second to examine it mindfully with a creative eye. Could it easily be repurposed to something you’d actually use?  

Designing upcycle projects with items you already have saves you money while exercising your imagination. Plus, making something old new again is a sustainable way to help reduce waste.

But be careful of holding onto too many items imagining what they could be if you don’t have the time to do the project. Setting a deadline is a great motivator and will keep these items from becoming clutter in your home.

What upcycle projects have you done using items you already had? Share it in the comments section below.

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