During this time of year, I find myself becoming more and more eager to start my spring and summer projects. I have a list that is a mile long which includes some backyard design ideas, some kitchen storage projects, coverings for a few of my bare walls, and definitely more overall decoration. Well these lists can take a lot of time to accomplish due to the high cost of materials and decoration needed to get started on these DIY tasks. That’s not always easily doable with my budget so I sometimes have to get a little creative and very crafty to accomplish what I want to get done. Lucky for me I came across these 37 DIY projects that seem to encompass the new trend called smart recycling. Smart recycling is also known by some as ‘upcycling’. This is a very creative way to take your old ‘junk’ that would otherwise be tossed into the trash and turn it into something useful and cute. Take a look at these 37 smart recycling projects that will help the planet, help your budget, and provide some incredibly attractive results.
1.
Use old corks and carve a slot for your flash drives. This will protect them from filling with debris and make them easier to find.
2.
This crafty smart recycler used an old leather suitcase and installed some legs and decorated the exterior. They then stuck a comfy pillow inside, creating one awesome cat bed.
3.
Here is one of my favorites, and if I ever come across an old piano I will be doing this immediately. They transformed this old piano into a garden waterfall.
4.
Here is another example of a piano waterfall created by another crafty person. I like that this one is built into the surrounding landscape.
5.
This would make for the ultimate beach lounge. They used an old washed up boat and turned it into one amazing canopy covered lounge.
6.
Rather than throw away your broken clay pots, turn them into little micro gardens. This one has a tiny lookout cottage in the middle surrounded by plants. It looks like it’s straight out of a fairy tale.
7.
By using an old bicycle wheel and some yard sticks this person created a very unique clock.
8.
If you have any old scrap cars in your yard, consider pleasing your neighbors and turning one of them into a nostalgic yard swing. You can pick up the back half of a car from a junk yard for cheaper than a new bench at the hardware store so consider this as some unique yard art.
9.
This smart recycling project requires some old galvanized pipe and the guts from a lamp that you’re not fond of anymore. With these materials, you can create an industrial looking desk lamp.
10.
This smart recycling project might take some searching to accomplish. They found a vintage children’s scooter and gave it a new paint job. After that, they transformed it into a very classy rocker.
11.
If you still have one of these lying around, it’s probably time to give it a new life. Here is an awesome idea to turn it into a unique mailbox.
12.
If you take a sharp knife and cut the base out of an old globe, you can turn it into a really cool hanging pendant light. You can buy the electrical parts from any hardware store.
13.
This smart recycler took an old brass bed frame and created an elevated garden in their yard. The nightstand really ties the look together.
14.
Old shipping crates make for a very decorative wall shelf, offering tons of storage space.
15.
Using the same galvanized pipe as the desk lamp used, create book storage by hanging some off your ceiling. Attach it to your wall below and create unique designs with the different angles.
16.
An antique cabinet door makes for a beautiful, one of a kind picture frame.
17.
Tired of being sprayed with dirty water from your bike tire? Create your own bicycle fender using this genius smart recycling method.
18.
These awesome little shovels are perfect for gardening or scooping dog food into their bowls.
19.
Check out these cute pop art inspired pencil holders.
20.
Use old shampoo bottles to create cute monster pen holders.
21.
Use different sized cardboard cutouts to accentuate your favorite pictures to make some really cool wall art.
22.
By using only pallets, this smart recycler created a very unique diy bed frame.
23.
Using antique ladles placed around a bathtub would create one romantic and soothing bath.
24.
Smart recycling at its best here. This is an awesome way to convert an old plastic bottle into a yard or garden sprinkler.
25.
Create a lid for your bagged items. This will seal them, keeping the contents fresh and mess free.
26.
With a little super glue and some old denim jeans, you can create some really cute coasters.
27.
If your kids tend to make a mess when painting, consider using this smart recycling trick to keep paint from spilling all over the place.
28.
While this project may take some time to collect enough materials for, the end result will be totally worth it. A play nook or an igloo! How big do you think you could make one?
29.
These one of a kind guitars were made using old, used skateboards.
30.
Some hot glue, a little wood, some twine, and an old tire is all you will need to create a decorative ottoman.
31.
The head of a rake makes for a rustic wine glass holder.
32.
This old A-frame ladder was converted into a very cute and rustic shelf space.
33.
This old wooden ladder was turned on its side and hung on the wall for some very cool book storage.
34.
By hanging folding chairs on the wall you can create some great laundry or storage space in a room that is lacking in space to begin with.
35.
Mirrored glass was cut using a traced template and inserted into these old tennis rackets, creating some really cool wall art.
36.
If you happen to have an old drum set lying around, use the pieces to make some really cool chandeliers.
37.
Here is a really creative way to smart recycle some old chairs for your old dog. Even if you have a very large dog, this idea will help a lot and look great in your kitchen or mud room.
These simple smart recycling tips and tricks will start your season off right. Warm weather is right around the corner for most of us and it’s time to get started on our spring and summer projects. These awesome smart recycling ideas will save you some cash, spruce up your home as well as eliminate some waste. Be creative, get inspired by these ideas, and come up with something amazing!