Do you have wardrobes and cabinets full of old items you aren’t using? Perhaps you have plenty of old clothes, old books or other such items lying around and you don’t know what to do with them. Before you just dump them in the bin, consider these different ways of making use of your old items.
Donating your old items
While you might not have any need for the items, someone else could be more than happy to have them. If your items are still in relatively good use, you should consider donating them. Donating stuff to charity is a great way of making someone else’s day and ensuring your old things don’t go to waste.
Check with your local charities,whether they accept donations and for what items. You can also contact nation-wide charities like Red Cross and Donation Town. Some charities can even offer free pick-up of your goods, so you don’t need to do much to get rid of the items.
Finally, you don’t necessarily need to donate to a charity. If you have friends or family that might use some of your old items, you can simply ask them first. Perhaps someone you know has just had a baby and they might need your kids’ old toys. You might even know someone crafty, who could be able to do upcycle the items.
Upcycle ideas for old items
Upcycling means converting old items into something new and fresh. It’s essentially the process of turning an unwanted item into something new and useful. This is a great way of giving new life to your old things and adding new refreshing touches to your home without having to buy something new. There are plenty of ways to upcycle your things and a number of great guides online. Here are a few ideas to keep in mind when looking to make the best use of old items:
You can turn an old ladder into a bookshelf or hang your old folding chairs on the wall and use them for hanging clothing and storing boxes.
Use old light bulbs either as vases for flowers or turn them into candles. You can find instructions from the BRIT + Co blog.
Re-paint your old picture frames, remove the glass and turn them into trays. You can also just freshen up your frames by attaching old buttons or even gluing pages from old books on the sides for a new look.
Turn your old suitcases into cabinet shelves for medicine or makeup. You can even use them as coffee tables or children’s benches.
Create a mirror from your old tennis racket, use your skateboard as a shelf and turn your hockey sticks into a clothing rack.
Use old books as shelves or turn them into a small coffee table. Innovative ideas for upcycling books can be found at All Women’s Talk.
All of the above ideas are simple to execute. You won’t even need a lot of tools. Basic power tools are enough and if you don’t yet have any, check out the offers available at Hands On Tools. You can also find great craft items from online stores like JoAnn.com and Walmart.
If you have broken items, you can also put them to good use. You can create plenty of beautiful artwork from broken items. For example:
Turn your cracked plates into wall décor. You could even use them for mosaic art or cover the ground outside with tiny cracked plate pieces.
Use a broken table as a half desk against the wall.
Melt your old crayons together to create new ones. You can do the same with your candles!
You can even repurpose your old clothing. Here are a few clever ways to add new life to your old clothing that cannot be donated or sold forward:
Turn your old clothes into bags. You can also use them for creating pillowcases or soft furnishing for benches and chairs.
Make doll clothes with your old clothing and add more fun to your children’s playtime. You can use the clothes for other playthings as well, such as bedding for dolls or create sofas and pillows for dolls.
Selling your old items
You can also make money from your old items. If your stuff is in good condition, but just unused, there’s no reason for not selling it. You can take it to second-hand stores or sell it online at Ebay or Craigslist.
If you are able to turn your stuff into some of the ideas above, you can make even more money with your items. Selling upcycled items on Etsy, for example, is a great idea. In fact, you can turn your crafty skills into a business idea and start offering services to other people.
Hopefully the above has provided you with plenty of ideas on how to make best use of your old items. Don’t ever just throw away your items before first thinking if there are clever ways of passing it forward or using it for something new. This cuts down waste, puts a smile on other people’s faces and ensures you save money!
