Turn it around
Upcycling is a wonderful way to turn old objects into new ones, repurposing them and giving them a new place in your home. Of course, recycling is always an option, but as the process of recycling consumes energy, every object diverted from the recycling plant helps save our precious energy.
I love the challenge of actively thinking about what old objects can be transformed into - but if you don't, I've compiled a get list of websites with great ideas to get you started. If you don't see anything you like below, thinking about the objects you're throwing away, and do a quick google search on "How to upcycle ______" and see what you get! Many people also choose to thrift items for their upcycling projects, and others choose to buy them from those with a crafty flair.
I love the challenge of actively thinking about what old objects can be transformed into - but if you don't, I've compiled a get list of websites with great ideas to get you started. If you don't see anything you like below, thinking about the objects you're throwing away, and do a quick google search on "How to upcycle ______" and see what you get! Many people also choose to thrift items for their upcycling projects, and others choose to buy them from those with a crafty flair.
Above is an example of a failed upcycling project I attempted. My original plan was to use old lightbulbs to make a lightbulb terrarium seen here. However, my lightbulbs were not the right size, as they were too long and I could not get my ivy plants adequately covered by soil and rocks - even after countless attempts with tweezers, chopsticks, and other tiny utensils. In the end, I change my mind and decided to use them as hydroponic planters that could be hung from hooks - they still looked great and I still felt accomplished.