30 Things You Shouldn't Throw Away + What to Do With Them

One man's trash is another's craft stash. Reduce waste with our clever organizing, storage and decorating projects that breathe new life into items you usually throw away.

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June 12, 2020

By: Chelsea Faulkner

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Baby Food Jars

Transform those sweet little glass jars into handy storage for small items like push pins, ponytail holders and more. Unscrew the lid from the jar, then glue a small wooden drawer knob in the center of the lid. Spray paint the lid and knob your favorite color and let dry before placing back on the jar. Use these cute containers as storage or to gift small items like candy or nail polish.

Plastic Straws

Don't let those plastic straws end up in a landfill! When you're done slurping up your iced coffee, save the straws to make a few of these gorgeous faux copper air planters. P.S. - they make great gifts.

GET THE HOW-TO: Make a Chic Copper Air Planter Out of Upcycled Plastic Straws

Glass Bottles

Light up those long nights of porch sitting (and rid your deck of pesky bugs) with DIY citronella torches made from last weekend's emptied wine bottles.

GET THE HOW-TO: Turn Old Glass Bottles Into Citronella Torches

Soda Bottles

Vintage soda bottles have a nostalgic charm that works as both decor and as a room freshener when you turn them into a scent diffuser using chopsticks or ordinary bamboo skewers. Just fill a bottle with a simple 3:1 ratio of water to rubbing alcohol, mixed with a few drops of your favorite essential oil. Add decorative rocks, beads or glass marbles to the bottom of the bottle, if desired.

SEE MORE: 20 Easy Upcycles for Old Kitchen Gear

From: Heather Baird

T-Shirts

Made from recycled t-shirts, these eco-friendly produce bags are perfect for gathering a harvest from the garden or toting home your farmer's market finds.

GET THE HOW-TO: Recycled T-Shirt Produce Bags

Coffee Canisters

Stylishly store plastic bags by turning an empty coffee canister into a handy bag dispenser. Using a utility knife, cut an X-shaped slit in the center of the lid. Cover the canister with brightly-colored cardstock and decorate with stick-on letters. Roll plastic bags together in a tight circle (like a sleeping bag) and place them in the canister, threading the first bag through the slit. Each time you pull out a bag, a new one should take its place.

Tin Cans

Light up summer nights by turning old soup and vegetable cans into these glittering luminaries.

GET THE HOW-TO: How to Make Tin Can Lanterns

Old Paint Cans

In just a few hours, empty paint cans can be transformed into colorful, industrial-chic planters by removing labels, adding drainage holes and applying leftover or sample-size paint.

GET THE HOW-TO: Make Dripping Paint Can Planters

From: Brian Patrick Flynn

No. 10 Cans

Number 10 cans (oversized tin storage cans) have lots of upcycle potential, but one of our favorite ways to use them is to make a space-saving utensil holder. Not only does it free up valuable drawer space, but it also keeps your most-used utensils handy. Wash and thoroughly dry the can, then cover in self-adhesive washable wallpaper or vinyl shelf liner.

SEE MORE: 20 Easy Upcycles for Old Kitchen Gear

Egg Crates

Is your embroidery thread stash in desperate need of organization? What about your bobby pins, nuts and bolts, or batteries? Keep small items easily corralled with the help of a leftover egg carton. You can even use the open lid to store larger items like scissors, straws, small tools and more.

XL Egg Crates

Hang onto your egg cartons this holiday season — they’re perfect for keeping small, round ornaments safe when it’s time to take the Christmas tree down.

SEE MORE: 20 Clever Holiday Decor Storage Hacks

K-Cups

Grab the kiddos for this clever upcycle. With just a little glue, paint and a few basic craft supplies, unrecyclable coffee pods are easily transformed into adorable finger puppet critters. Bonus: this craft will keep little hands occupied indoors on hot summer days.

GET THE HOW-TO: Upcycled Coffee Pod Animals

Pill Bottles

Looking for a clever way to hide a key that will fool even the cleverest of thieves? Simply remove the label and lid of an empty pill bottle and glue a rock to the top of the lid using heavy-duty super glue. Once dry, drop a key into the bottle, replace the lid and bury until only the rock is visible. You'll never lock yourself out again!

Cereal Boxes

Don’t toss those family-sized cereal boxes – repurpose them as magazine organizers! Carefully cut the cereal boxes at an angle from the top, using sharp scissors or a craft knife. Cover with wrapping paper, wall paper or contact paper to keep issues of your favorite magazines stylishly organized.

SEE MORE: 20 Easy Upcycles for Old Kitchen Gear

From: Heather Baird

Cereal Boxes

Keep important papers at the ready with a reimagined cereal box. Neatly trim the top flaps off the box, then wrap the box in pretty paper. This is a great way to keep homework assignments and handouts sorted by class in a school locker.

SEE MORE: 50 Ways to Get Organized With Items You Already Have

Scrap Rope

If you constantly find yourself with seemingly unusable scraps of rope, yarn or fabric from craft projects, don't toss them. Instead, turn those odd pieces into beautiful curtain tie backs. Get the step-by-step instructions below.

GET THE HOW-TO: 3 DIY Curtain Tie-Backs From the Hardware Store

Kid's Art

We feel you: you don't want to put your child's artwork in the trash, but you also can't hang onto it all. Instead of cluttering the refrigerator door, create a beautiful, rotating art display wall that won't clash with your design style. Snag our most stylish ideas below.

SEE MORE: 6 Design-Friendly Ways to Display Kids' Artwork

From: Kim Stoegbauer

Shoeboxes

How cute is this shoebox-turned-play kitchen? Simply cover a shoebox in construction paper, glue on an aluminum foil oven door, felt stove eyes and bottle cap knobs and your kiddo is ready for his culinary debut.

Shampoo Bottles

Create a designated charging spot for your phone with this handy hack. Cut off the top of an empty shampoo bottle, then cut off about half of one side of the bottle, leaving a pocket to hold your phone. Cut a hole through the top of the bottle for your phone charger’s plug to fit through. Get more shampoo bottle hacks at the link below.

SEE MORE: Clever Uses for Leftover Shampoo Bottles

Tea Tins

If you've always wanted to keep herbs indoors but simply don't have the counter space, this smart upcycling project will have you cooking with fresh ingredients in no time.

GET THE HOW-TO: New Year, New Project: Make This Fridge Herb Garden With Recycled Tea Tins

Wine Corks

Celebrate fond memories long after the bottles are empty by turning saved corks into a chic boot tray. Earnest Home Co.’s Erin Souder is the wino behind this cute and useful craft. "I’m a big wine fan and have a lot of bottles that were special or that I wanted to remember," she says. "Typically, I write the date on the end of the cork as well, so this was a way to display them in a functional way." While this may be a project that’s in the works for a while, we think getting there is (more than) half the fun. Cheers!

GET THE HOW-TO: DIY Wine Cork Boot Tray

Baby Crib

When your child outgrows his or her crib, use the rails to create a DIY bike rack with bonus storage for helmets, bike locks and other gear.

GET THE HOW-TO: DIY Bike Rack: Upcycle a Crib Rail Into a Bike Stand

Old Canning Jars

If you have a cotton shoelace, some empty glass jars and vegetable shortening, then you have everything you need to cook up some emergency candles. Melt a large tub of solid vegetable shortening in the microwave or on a stove top, then carefully pour into tall 12-ounce jelly jars. Insert a cotton shoelace or other wicking material into the melted shortening and tie the end to a skewer that rests on the jar’s top edge. When the candle sets firm, use immediately or cover with a lid and store with waterproof matches. Be sure to use fresh (unused) vegetable shortening for an odorless candle.

SEE MORE: 20 Easy Upcycles for Old Kitchen Gear

From: Heather Baird

Chocolate Boxes

Hold onto those sweet memories for years to come with this chic, heart-shaped coffee table tray made from an upcycled box of chocolates.

6-Pack Carriers

Whether you're throwing an outdoor party or trying to stay organized on a camping trip, empty drink carriers are perfect for corralling cups, napkins and cutlery when dining al fresco.

Soda Can Boxes

Stacks of canned foods can be precarious in a pantry. Keep your canned goods tidy and topple-proof by storing them on their sides in empty soda boxes. Cover the boxes with decorative paper, attach labels, and cut openings in the back so older cans rotate to the front.

SEE MORE: 50 Ways to Get Organized With Items You Already Have

Washcloths

Using old (clean) washcloths and a few cute craft accessories, you can make animal-themed ice holders to cheer your kiddos right up when they get a boo-boo.

GET THE HOW-TO: DIY Boo-Boo Buddies for All the Aches and Pains

Tennis Balls + Old Socks

Your sore back and aching feet have met their match. Pop a few tennis balls into an old sock for a self-massager that works wonders on your back, neck and shoulders. Or, use a single tennis ball underfoot for a simple sole massage that offers surprisingly effective relief.

SEE MORE: Score Big With 14 Ways to Reuse Old Tennis Balls

Old Long-Sleeve Shirts

Aside from their handiness as cleaning rags, old flannel shirts also make great wine bottle gift bags. Simply cut the sleeve off an old shirt, about an inch from the shoulder seam. Flip the sleeve inside out and tie the cut end with a rubber band. Flip the sleeve right side out and slip the bottle in the sleeve. The tied end should fit perfectly inside the indentation at the bottom of the bottle and sit level. Pull the sleep up and around the neck of the bottle and finish with a decorative bow.

SEE MORE: 9 Ways to Turn Garbage Into Gorgeous Gift Wrap

CD Case

Keep your TP free of bugs and debris on a camping trip by turning an empty cd spindle into a handy tissue container.

Photo By: Jalynn Baker

Photo By: Shain Rievley

Photo By: Jalynn Baker

Photo By: Heather Baird

Photo By: Jalynn Baker

Photo By: Rae Sturm

Photo By: Heather Baird

Photo By: Photo courtesy of Michele Pacey

Photo By: Laura Russell

Photo By: Heather Baird

Photo By: Flynnside Out Productions

Photo By: Cassidy Garcia

Photo By: Rennai Hoefer

Photo By: Jalynn Baker

Photo By: Andy Vinson of Loch & Key Productions

Photo By: Earnest Home co.

Photo By: Johnson Giles

Photo By: Heather Baird

Photo By: Laura James

Photo By: Photo courtesy of Amy Williams

Photo By: Jalynn Baker

Photo By: Cassidy Garcia

30 Things You Shouldn't Throw Away + What to Do With Them

Related To:

Baby Food Jars

Plastic Straws

Glass Bottles

Soda Bottles

T-Shirts

Coffee Canisters

Tin Cans

Old Paint Cans

No. 10 Cans

Egg Crates

XL Egg Crates

K-Cups

Pill Bottles

Cereal Boxes

Cereal Boxes

Scrap Rope

Kid's Art

Shoeboxes

Shampoo Bottles

Tea Tins

Wine Corks

Baby Crib

Old Canning Jars

Chocolate Boxes

6-Pack Carriers

Soda Can Boxes

Washcloths

Tennis Balls + Old Socks

Old Long-Sleeve Shirts

CD Case

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