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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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
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.
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
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
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.
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 Stand: 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
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.