9 Common Household Items You Can Actually Upcycle

It's so easy to turn to the trash when once-shiny items loose their luster. But why not reuse? Here are 9 everyday household items you can upcycle, and how!

It’s easy to be lazy and throw old items out, but why not take objects out of their conventional context? Embrace the possibility of seeing items in places where they don’t belong, functioning as you never thought they could! With just a few modifications, you’ll find that there are tons of common household items you can upcycle. With enough creativity you can upcycle anything, but here we have nine ideas listed out for you already:

1. Baking pan

Baking cake sure is nice, but the slices never last nearly as long as the satisfying memory of eating them do. Turn your baking pan into a memory board by painting over it with an oil-based paint. Then, glue pictures that you want to display on the base of the pan, so that when it hangs, it protrudes outwards, adding a burst of dimension to your walls.

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2. Jam Jars

This is one of the most popular options (if you’ve ever spent any time on Pinterest, you know what I mean). Collect clean glass jars and hang them with twine to use as plant holders. This simple idea highlights the homeliness of plants by showcasing them in a fluent and relaxed manner. To play up the effortlessly cozy factor even further, assemble glass jars of different heights and circumferences.

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3. Plates

For a rustic antiquity, buy clock hands and glue them onto a ceramic plate. This design is elegant and uncomplicated, as well as practical. It emphasizes a classic minimalism through the appearance of a clock without numbers. It’s a great way to add elegance to your decor without breaking the bank.

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4. Corks

This is one of the most common household items you can upcycle (at least in my apartment!). Find a piece of wood or metal, and glue wine corks onto the material so that they point out towards you. You’ve instantly fashioned a family or roommate key-holder system. Consider the material you’re gluing the corks onto in comparison with your home decor style. Wood is playful and lighthearted, while metal is straightforward and industrial.

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5. Candles

This project is a little bit more of a gamble. Undertaking a project without knowing what the outcome will resemble can be nerve-wracking, but here you have the assurance that you are creating something irreplicable. Almost any item that acts as a holder will do for this project, from clear jars to ash trays. Melt your old candles over the item and let the wax drip all over it, creating a trail of liquid design. Once it’s had time to harden, your old holders will be brighter and bolder than ever before!

6. Cheese grater

Stylish jewelry boxes that separate earrings well are impossible to find in the store. Instead, you can turn your cheese grater into an earring tower by simply painting over it with a metal-compatible, oil-based paint, and inserting earring pairs into adjacent holes. Now you’ve got an easy and adorable earring holder that also keeps the pairs organized!

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7. Ladles

Ladles and spoons come in all shapes and sizes. If you don’t already have half a dozen, surely you can find a few at the local flea market or a yard sale. Hang ladles, painted or unpainted, on your bedroom wall as candle holders. When unpainted, they will channel a French country home style. On the other hand, they can be an eccentric masterpiece when painted in bright colors. Either way, the ladles will function beyond their years as gorgeous wall statements. This is one of the more complicated household items you can upcycle, because the project does require other supplies (as seen below). Alternatively, find a ladle with a hole in the top and just hang it on a nail!

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8. Curtain Rod

So your old apartment required you to buy your own curtain rods, but your new one provides them? No worries! Use the old rod as a space to hang plants using string and S-hooks. This creates a stylish and airy design to brighten up any space.

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9. Old Cushions

Just because the chair that held the cushion broke, doesn’t mean you can’t still sit on the cushion! You can sit on it. And you and a friend can sit on it! Everything is hunky dory. If the old cushion case is looking worn out, then sewing a new one is all that’s required to craft together a mismatched Bohemian vibe for your living space. If they’re already cute, just find a space for them. After all, it’s better to upcycle than to toss and forget.