Making is even more fun (and infinitely more green) when it includes a little upcycling and recycling. Who doesn’t love turning everyday items into amazing home and wardrobe accessories? It’s like upscale shopping in your recycling bin. You just need a little DIY magic.
1. Cheese Grater Earring Caddy: Cheese grater on its last legs? Repurpose it! Try this clever trick to transform it into stylish storage for your earrings.
3. Color Block Wall Hook: Who knew an old branch could look so glam? A quick coat of paint turns backyard debris into a fun wall hook.
4. Upcycled Magazine Wall Art: Give old magazines a new life as part of your wall decor! Transform those glossy pages into gorgeous wall art.
5. Candy Jar Terrarium: Oh terrariums, we adore you. You could make this version out of a candy jar or any other jar you’d like to recycle.
7. Cookie Sheet Memo Boards: Scratched up cookie sheets? Put them to good use as stylish memo boards. How cute would these look with some bright color blocking?
8. Beer Bottle Bud Vases: Beer bottles, we hardly recognized you! Who knew they could transform into delicate bud vases?
9. Color Block Coffee Can Wine Rack: Coffee and wine: two of our faves together at last. Give empty coffee cans a color block makeover and transform them into a cozy home for your vino.
10. Sweater Infinity Scarf: Old sweaters can still keep you cozy and chic after their wearable days are over. Transform an old favorite sweater into a gorgeous infinity scarf with this simple tutorial.
11. Plastic Bottle Concrete Pendant Lamps: Concrete gives your plastic bottles another stylish transformation, this time as swoon-worthy pendant lamps.
12. The Ultimate Accessory Organizer: Spring cleaning season is here, and it’s time to get organized! This rustic-glam accessory organizer is a nice start, and a way to put an old frame to good use.
13. Recycled Newspaper Rosette Bobby Pin: Ever make a newspaper pirate hat when you were a kid? Here’s a more stylish way to wear newspapers on your head.
14. Recycled Bucket Ottoman: Old buckets become fresh new ottomans, complete with rope details and customizable fabric cushions.
15. Wine Bottle Tumblers: These DIY tumblers make drinking straight out of the bottle classy.
16. Floppy Disk Planters: This is a kitschy way to update your apartment for spring. We could even see these as part of some geeky wedding decor.
17. Clip On Desk Organizers: Transform tin cans into handy, clip on desk organizers.
18. Glitter Boots: If the leather on your boots got discolored due to some serious winter weather, you can revive them with a little glitter. Distraction tactics!
19. Colorful Shoebox Shelves: We’re always in the market for more colorful storage… and more shoes.
20. Rope Bottle Vases: Fresh flowers, nautical rope details and a fun color pop — show off pretty spring blossoms and recycle your bottles!
21. Cork Trivet Color Block Clock: Finally, you know exactly what to do with those cork trivets that you got from your Aunt Rhonda for your birthday.
22. Recycled Pallet Dining Room Set: We’re a little obsessed with pallets, and we’re not the only ones. Now you can show off your pallet obsession too with a whole DIY dining room set.
23. Striped Wool Pencil Pot: Tin cans get cozy in this adorable wool covered pencil organizer.
24. Jenga Set Necklace Rack: Have old Jenga pieces lying around with nowhere to go? Transform them into this awesome Jenga jewelry rack.
25. Plate and Glass Cake Stands: So simple and so adorable if we do say so ourselves.
26. Sweater Plant Pot Vase: Growing a kitchen herb garden? Give it some pizzazz and keep your herbs snuggly with this use of an old sweater.
27. Recycled Yoga Mat Bulletin Board: Add a little more yoga to your life without even having to do a downward dog. Recycled yoga mat bulletin boards keep you organized, while maybe reminding you to get it om.
28. Belted Storage Bins: Believe it or not these glam and oh-so-portable storage bins are made out of recycled paper boxes.
29. CD Case Desk Organizer: Get organized by giving your old CD cases a few dabs of glue.
30. Dangly Earring Holder: Because you can never have too many ways to store your accessories AND because you have no idea what to do with that massive plastic top that covered all of your blank CDs.
31. Desk Makeover: Have your little ones outgrown their playtime desk? Give it a grownup makeover by turning it into a desk that you’d want to use yourself.
32. Vintage Book Clutch: Transform an old vintage book into a clutch! Snazzy handbags can be pricey, but this one is a steal.
33. Egg Carton Centerpiece: Make an omelette, then make the perfect spring table centerpiece. Eggshells and egg cartons get a seasonal makeover with the addition of fresh flowers.
34. Recycled Pallet Couch: More pallets please! This time, our favorite recyclable gets turned into a fun, beachy couch.
35. Gold Wall Art: A new canvas and old thumb tacks, a match made in heaven. Who knew?
36. Coffee Filter Pennant: We’ve all been there: You buy coffee filters, they don’t fit your coffee pot and you can’t return them. Instead of having them hang out in your kitchen forever, turn them into a festive pennant for your next party.
37. Bubble Wrap Mailed iPad Case: Got an old bubble mailer laying around? You’ve got yourself a new iPad case.
38. Paper Roll Tree Topper: Though this fabric scrap wrapping hack looks perfect for the holidays, you could get away with gifting the look all year long.
39. Nautical Necklaces: We hope the nautical trend is here to stay, because we’re ready to turn all of our old t-shirts into recycled necklaces.
40. Face Blotting Papers: Double recycling! Well, kinda of. Coffee filters and an old Altoids tin come together in this DIY oil absorption answer.
41. Cozy Cuffs: Mason jars, you make everything better. This handy craft is not only good looking, but it makes use of the rings rather than the jar itself.
42. Jewel Case Planter: Yup, another planter! We couldn’t resist. Greening your apartment is an Earth Day must.
43. Tiered Copper Necklace: Recycle old sheets, t-shirts or any kind of fabric scraps into a glam necklace. Also, it’s good time to get on that copper trend.
44. Outlet Cover: Try as you might, you’ll never get those junky mailers to stop showing up in your mailbox. But there are about a million different things you can do with them from making a piñata to wrapping a present to adding some details to your outlet covers.
45. Mason Jar Votive: We leave you with one final double recycling duo. Mason jars and an old sweater are now you’re new favorite candle holder.
What’s your favorite recycled craft project? Any plans to do an upcycling or recycling project for Earth Day? Let us know in the comments!