5 Easy Ideas For Upcycling Household Items Into Home Decorations
Some folks might say, "Out with the old and in with the new," when it comes to decorating the home. Well, we're much more partial to the idea of turning something old into something new – especially if it involves wood scraps, a drill, and cool new DIY ideas. Do you have a towering stack of dusty old books and don't know what to do with them? Why not build a table out of them? Or maybe there's a pile of scrap wood taking up too much space in the shed. Give those scraps new life and build a chic wall shelf out of them! What great ways to save money while sprucing up your home.
1. Wicker Basket Hanging Lamp
You'll Need:
- wicker basket
- suspension lamp head
- light bulb
Here's How:
1.1 Do you have a wicker basket lying around and nothing to put in it? Rather than tossing it, try upcycling it into a chic hanging lamp! Start by drawing a circle on the bottom of the wicker basket, making sure the circle is large enough for the suspension lamp head to fit through.
1.2 Cut out the circle and thread the lamp socket through the hole.
1.3 Screw in a light bulb and hang the lamp up. This lamp will light up any room – literally!
2. Bookworm Side Table
You'll Need:
- wooden board
- cordless drill + wood drill bit
- screws
- nuts
- old books
- round tabletop
- aluminum tube
- 2 base plates
Here's How:
2.1 This DIY project was made for the bookworms out there! If you've got a stack of old books collecting dust, then now's the time to turn them into a timeless side table for your reading nook. Attach a base plate to the wooden board using nuts and screws, then secure the aluminum tube to the base plate.
2.2 Drill a hole through the middle of all of the books using the wood drill bit attachment.
2.3 Slide the books onto the aluminum tube through the holes you drilled in them.
2.4 Secure the top of the tube to the round tabletop using another base plate, and your chic new side table is ready!
3. Scrap Wood Wall Shelf
You'll Need:
- scrap wood
- cordless drill
- screws
- hammer
- nails
Here's How:
3.1 There's always some extra materials left over after completing a DIY project, so why not put them to good use? Keep the cordless drill out for another few minutes, because this project doesn't take much time to complete! Screw the wood scraps together to make the shape of a small mountain range.
3.2 Hammer 3 nails into the wall and hang the shelf up for a gorgeous new accent, perfect for any room.
4. Repurposed Plant Hanger
You'll Need:
- 2 metal floral hoops
- tape
- 2 U staples
- twine
- 1 square wooden plank
- 1 rectangular strip of wood
- hot glue gun
Here's How:
4.1 Looking for a way to display your houseplants that's both rustic and elegant? Look no further, because this DIY idea will show you how to make a simple, yet elegant plant hanger, all using materials that you probably already have lying around the house. First, tape the 2 metal floral hoops together.
4.2 Using 1 U staple per side, attach both floral hoops to the rectangular strip of wood.
4.3 Use a hot glue gun to glue the square wooden board on top of the rectangular strip of wood.
4.4 Wind a some twine around the top of the floral hoops in order to cover the tape, then use some additional twine to hang up the plant hanger. Place a plant on top of the square wooden board in the center, and your easy new decoration will bring new life to whatever room you hang it in.
5. Bewitching Hanging Bookshelf
You'll Need:
- leather cord
- key rings
- hooks
- wall-mounted rod
Here's How:
5.1 Last, but certainly not least, this hanging bookshelf is guaranteed to catch the eye of anyone who comes over for a visit. Thread a leather cord through a key ring and tie the cord together in a knot at the opposite end.
5.2 Stick the leather cord inside a book.
5.3 Hang the key ring on a hook and hang the hook up on the wall-mounted rod. It will look like your books are magically floating wherever you choose to display them.
It's an incredibly rewarding experience to take old things and bring them back to life! By upcycling old items into new decorations, you can reduce the amount of waste you create while adding an individual touch to your home.
Get the instructions for the Pan Upcycling Ideas, Light Bulb DIY Projects, and DIY Bamboo Shelf featured in the bonus video.