Wooden cutting boards are easily repurposed for all kinds of practical purposes.

Whether your wooden cutting boards are worn out or you come across a treasure trove at a garage sale, you will want to hold onto or snap them up, whatever the case may be. Wooden cutting boards are one of the more cleverly repurposed household items. They can easily be upcycled and given new life. Discover some of the clever ways that cutting boards can be repurposed.

9 Ideas for Repurposing Cutting Boards

1. Tablet Stand – To keep your iPad safe while cooking, turn a wooden cutting board into a handy tablet stand by affixing a Scrabble tile holder to the bottom of board big enough for your device. You can add a support to hold the board up or simply place it in a plate stand.

2. Blackboard – Need an easy way to keep track of what to get at on your next trip to the store? Chalkboard paint can turn anything into a chalkboard. Paint up an old wooden board, add a hook, and you have got an instant way to make notes in the kitchen.

3. Jewelry Hanger – Anyone who has ever had to untangle a necklace can you tell it is best to store necklaces by hanging them. Add some hooks to a board that’s past its prime in the kitchen to create some additional hanging jewelry storage.

4. Serving Tray – Repurpose a larger cutting board into a functional serving tray by adding some handles from the hardware store.

5. Hanging Mug Storage – By the same token, a little hardware can turn a wooden board into coffee mug storage with some larger hooks and hanging the board from the wall. That’s one way to add hanging mug storage without creating as many holes in your walls!

6. Lap Desk – Whether it’s in the car or on the sofa, most of us find a time when we need a hard-surfaced lap desk. Ever tried to play a card game in the backseat while traveling cross country? A lap desk can really come in handy.

7. Pedestal – Add some knobs or repurposed stool legs to create an elevated pedestal on which to place a table centerpiece for your next dinner party. Use a glass cloche for extra points.

8. Stenciled Wall Art – Old wooden cutting boards can easily be repurposed into wall art. One easy way is to use stencils to paint designs and sayings for some decorative repurposing.

9. Clipboard – Add a pinch clip to make a DIY clipboard.

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With fall soon upon us, it might be time to add another blanket. Make your own with these clever DIY blanket ideas.

Since cooler weather keeps many of us indoors–and is a good excuse to craft–you can make your make DIY blanket or throw instead of buying new. It’s also a practical way to repurpose everything from old t-shirts and yarn to fabric scraps, as well as old curtains, button-up shirts, flannel sheets, and more. Every few Christmases my grandmom would gift each of us grandchildren with a new handmade blanket. Not only were they warmly practical, but I cherished each and every one of those homemade blankets until they fell apart. Now I like to make my own, and I’m always on the lookout for smart and easy DIY blanket ideas.

Simple DIY Blanket Ideas

1. Chunky Knit – Learn to knit a basic chunky knit blanket with this simple tutorial from Knit Aid by simply knitting squares and combining them. The beauty of this project is you can scale the project to any size you’d like. It’s also super easy to knit up on the go without needing to haul the entire blanket around.

2. Flannel Lap Quilt  – Turn super soft and plush flannel into a sophisticated and elegant lap quilt with this easy project. This one is perfect for leaving on the back of the sofa or at work to pull over your legs when the office is too cold.

3. No Sew Fleece – Any project that is no sew is no brainer for me. While I’m not opposed to basic sewing projects, not having to haul out the sewing machine is a plus. This simple project for making a fleece blanket involves cutting and knotting fringe to finish off the ends of your fabric.

4. Tshirt Quilt – Turn those old concert tees that you’re holding onto into a practical quilt to throw over the back of the sofa or the foot of your bed. While this project does involve more sewing than the no sew fleece one, the sewing required is pretty basic stuff.

5. Simple Trim Flannel Blanket – Looking for an even easier project? Turn flannel of all stripes and hues into pretty throws by just adding fringe or trims to finish the ends. There are several options offered.

6. 30-Minute ‘Star Wars’ (Or Any Print) Snuggle Blanket – Even if you aren’t a fan of “Star Wars,” I know you are a fan of making anything in only thirty minutes. And besides, you can easily choose whatever print or pattern you favor.

7. Patchwork Sweater Blanket – Similar to the t-shirt quilt, it’s possible to repurpose old sweaters into a warm blanket. It’s also an excellent way to rid your drawers of all those worn sweaters you’ve meant to donate.

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Books and Glasses on Bed Image via Shutterstock

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Whether you want to plant a few potted plants around your deck or undertake a more expansive garden overhaul, consider repurposing unwanted items into useful garden planters.

We all know that one person’s trash is another person’s treasure and that is certainly true for the creative gardener. Instead of investing money in fancy store-bought planters, reuse items that would normally end up in the landfill in your garden to make a green (and inexpensive) statement.

13 Ideas for Repurposed Garden Planters

1. Tire Hanging Garden – Have a tire swing in your yard that is no longer getting any attention? Repurpose it into a hanging annual planter for a quick way to add some color to your backyard.

2. Library Card Catalog Drawers – If you are lucky enough to come across old library card catalog drawers, turn them into retro chic tabletop garden planters.

3. Wheelbarrow – If your wheelbarrow develops holes or begins to rust, you can turn it into a planter. Simply lay down some landscaping fabric to plug up any holes and fill with soil, compost, and plants.

4. Vintage Cooler – Oftentimes it’s possible to come across retro drink coolers at flea markets. They work pretty well as garden planters for larger plants.

5. Old Rain Gutters – Instead of tossing old rain gutters, repurpose them into functional garden planters. Not only will it keep something with some practical use left in it out of the landfill, but it’s certainly a creative planter idea.

6. Teacups – Delicate teacups are the perfect garden planter for small plants like succulents or pretty annuals. Decorate your deck with pretty vintage teacup planters to make a wonderfully green statement sure to make even the Queen proud.

7. Toolbox – Whether the old wooden style or a newer metal box, a toolbox is a great planter size for planting an herb garden or some pretty perennials.

8. Kitchen Sink – Yes, everything, including the kitchen sink, can be repurposed into a functional garden planter. The only thing holding you back is your imagination.

9. Mason Jar Planters – Mason jars are pretty easily found at thrift shops and can be used as planters for a small herb garden. You can even use them to create a hanging herb garden as well.

10. Washtubs and Buckets – If you come across old galvanized washtubs or buckets, snap them up. They make for great garden planters.

11. Birdbath – While you you don’t want to steal the birdbath from the birds, you can certainly turn an extra one into a decorative succulent garden planter.

12. Baskets – Baskets of all kinds and shapes can work as repurposed garden planters. They are also ubiquitous at flea markets, yard sales, and thrift shops.

13. Filing Cabinet Drawers – Making the switch from paper to digital records? Don’t trash that old filing cabinet, but repurpose it into a clever garden planter instead.

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Tire as Planter, Wheelbarrow Decorative Planter, Herbs in Mason Jar, Wicker Basket Planter, and Red Mum in a Teacup via Shutterstock

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Can you reuse aluminum foil? Of course, you can! Read on to learn how.

Have you ever pulled off a length of aluminum foil only to realize you didn’t need it, after all, and then wonder what the heck to do with it? Well, believe it or not, aluminum foil may be more useful than you would have thought. It’s more than just a handy cover for your cookies as you cart them to your reading club meeting. While aluminum foil may be a better choice than plastic wrap, it is also easier to clean and re-use than plastic wrap, and it is recyclable (as long as it’s clean) in some locations.

If you find yourself with aluminum foil that you didn’t actually use, or piece of cleaned and rinsed foil, don’t toss it. Instead, repurpose it around your home.

Here some ideas for ways you can reuse aluminum foil to expand its life span and usefulness. Sure, it might end up in a landfill eventually, but if you get two uses out it, that’s better than one. And in some cases, it may help you solve a problem and eliminate the need for any even worse product, like plastic wrap. Of course, the real key to eliminating the impact of single-use products is to reduce the use of them by using reusable options, like beeswax paper. But the reality is that sometimes you just need to use some aluminum foil. Make it count by repurposing it with these useful DIY ideas.

1. Sharpen Scissors – Bring a dull pair of scissors back to life by cutting through a sheet of foil.
2. Pot Scrubber – Balled up foil works just as well on grimy pots and pans and even works on cleaning up the outdoor grill. Just make sure only to use it on surfaces that are safe–that means no non-stick surfaces.
3. Arts and Crafts Medium – The ways in which you can use clean sheets of aluminum foil in your arts and craft projects are endless. All you need is your imagination.
4. Static Cling Eliminator – Throw a clean balled up bit of foil in with your clothes in the dryer to avoid static cling.
5. Painting Tool – Cover doorknobs with foil to protect them when painting. Also, you can use crumpled foil to create texture on your walls.
6. Pet Deterrent – Many cats and dogs don’t like to walk on foil and don’t like the crinkly sound of it. Hide some foil where you don’t want your pets to go, like around your plants.
7. Ironing Helper – Place sheets of foil under your ironing board cover to make ironing a breeze. It reflects the heat and speeds up ironing time.

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Image: Kitchen Foil on Counter via Shutterstock

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Reuse and recycle some of the most commonly thrown out items with these repurposing ideas for around your home.

You know the old saying “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure”, but it’s never truer than when referring to repurposing items destined for the landfill or recycling center into practical, functional or decorative objects. No matter what it is being thrown out–whether it’s an old bathtub used as a flower bed or old clothing turned into a patchwork quilt–there are repurposing ideas for all of them.

So, what are some of the most commonly thrown out items and clever repurposing ideas for each of them?

Repurposing Ideas

1. Glass Bottles – Whether it’s beer bottles or vinegar bottles, we all end up with lots of glass bottles in the recycling bin. Repurpose them into drinking glasses, vases and more.
2. Wine Cork Repurposing Ideas – Regular wine drinkers end up with a lot of corks, but what to do with them? They can be repurposed into coasters, cool wall art, planters and more.
3. Repurposing Ideas for Cans – Even if you are trying to reduce the amount of food you purchase in aluminum cans, you still seem to end up with them anyway. Turn those cans into planters, vases, utensil holders, candle holders, garden lights and more.
4. Cardboard Tube Projects – You may have sworn off using paper towels, but toilet paper and those leftover cardboard tubes are a part of our lives. They are actually quite useful and can be made into all kinds of cool decorative art projects from wall art to cardboard flowers. They also make useful cord storage holders.
5. Cardboard Boxes – We all know you can give a kid or a cat a cardboard box and they will be content for days, but there are some really fun ways to repurpose cardboard boxes–like a cardboard guitar, a kitty house, a ball maze and more.
6. Recycled Paper Projects – Whether old magazines, junk mail, wrapping paper, old work or school reports we all have so much paper that needs recycled. Repurposing ideas include making your own envelopes, garlands, cake toppers, coasters and door wreaths.
7. Egg Carton Ideas – Turn those egg cartons into biodegradable seed planters, flower lights, DIY fire starters and more.
8. Plastic Dishwasher Tab Container – If you use a dishwasher and use those dishwasher tabs, turn the plastic dishwasher tab container into a trash receptacle for your car.

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Image:  girlingearstudio

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Looking to update your kitchen decor or add some organizational touches, then consider do-it-yourself repurposing ideas and projects.

Repurposing is a great way to reuse items destined for the landfill or recycling bin. You can also repurpose thrift store, estate sale or yard sale finds for way less money than purchasing new. That’s not to mention that repurposing can keep you out of that cycle of conspicuous consumption, which is a way better choice for the planet. DIY repurposing is also one way to get truly one-of-a-kind decor  for kitchen to wow your guests and to increase your kitchen functionality.

Whether reusing items from the kitchen or creating repurposing projects for the kitchen, inspiration is always the first step. Here are some great repurposing ideas to get you started.

9 Kitchen Repurposing Ideas for the Kitchen

1. Shutter Plate Rack – Need more storage space for your dishes? Try turning an old shutter into a plate shelving rack.
2. Dresser Island – Always wanted a kitchen island? You can make your own from repurposing an old dresser.
3. Muffin Magazine Rack – Repurpose an outdated magazine rack into useful muffin and baking sheet storage.
4. Ladder Pot Rack – Either hang or lean an older ladder as a pot rack.
5. Painted Coffee Cans – Simply paint coffee cans and use them for everything from utensil holders to vases.
6. Test Tube Spice Storage – For all you scientist out there, repurpose those test tubes into something a little spicy.
7. Food Pantry Armoire – Need more food pantry storage? Transform an armoire needing a little love into a practical food storage cabinet.
8. Highchair Cookbook Storage – Need some handy storage for all your cookbooks? Repurpose an unused highchair into a bookshelf.
9. Teacup Lights – Create pretty teacup lights with vintage teacups and light bulb bases and cords. Some handiness required.
10. Tea Tin Herb Garden – Give your tea tins a new life as pretty herb garden containers.
11. Tiered Fruit Stand – Give new life to old aluminum thrift store colanders and cake pans as a tiered kitchen stands.

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Top Image: thekitchendesigner.org

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Ever wondered what to do with all those old tee shirts? Here are some clever repurposing ideas for recycling those old tees.

It’s that time of year again–the season of the tee shirt. Whether from music festivals, employee softball leagues, charity runs or vacation jaunts, you will add new tee shirts to your wardrobe this spring and summer. We’re not saying there’s anything wrong that–tee shirts are excellent for sleeping in, make great art smocks for kids and are great for doing yard work in–but the question is always, what to do with the old ones? There’s really only so much room in the dresser drawers for the latest additions, so that means getting rid of the old ones.

But before you take those old tee shirts to the thrift shop, consider reusing them. Tee shirts can easily be recycled into fun and functional items from rags to jewelry. The Internet is awash in as all kinds of repurposing ideas for tee shirts and we’ve compiled a round up of some of our favorites.

10 Repurposing Ideas Old Tee Shirts

1. Reusable Bags – Turn old tee shirts into useful produce and market bags. With some scissors and a little sewing, you can add to your collection of reusable bags.
2. Braided Infinity Scarf – Here’s a very detailed tutorial for turning old tees into a chic infinity scarf.
3. Crocheted Rag Rug – Turn old tee shirts into yarn and crochet into a practical rug.
4. Tee Shirt Memory Quilt – A great way to keep old shirts that hold special meaning, but are too ratty to wear is to make them into a memory quilt.
5. More Market Bags – Another super easy tutorial for making reusable bags.
6. Sock It to Me – You can even reuse those old shirts to make super soft and comfy socks.
7. Repurposed Tee Shirt Jewelry – Brit+Co shares 15 different ideas for making exquisite jewelry designs from old shirts.
8. Pillows – Turn your favorite tee into a pillow to keep long after it’s suitable to wear.
9. Washcloths – Use tee shirts to make handy dandy braided washcloths and clean up rags.
10. Convertible Shrug – Make a chic shrug from an oversized tee shirt to cover your bare shoulders.

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Top Image: Brit+Co

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Whether you call it shabby, farmhouse, country, cottage, or rustic chic, modern shabby chic is less of the stuffy, contrived style of the past and more of a modern lifestyle choice.

Many are choosing to repurpose, refinish and make do rather than purchasing new furniture and decor elements in their interior decorating.  It’s more about living a more sustainable life and creating a home that evokes rustic comfort and hominess.

With origins in the British and French countrysides (where it was called cottage and French countryside) rustic chic is about using what you have and whatever else you can find to reuse and repurpose. It’s a perfect decorating style for those who are environmentally and socially aware. The style happens organically as people make the decision to lead a less consumer driven life.

A lot of DIY is called for in creating this shabby chic look–it’s pretty much unavoidably linked to this decorating style. For some that sounds like lots of fun and they are ready to jump in with both feet.  If that doesn’t describe you, but you like the look and what your home decor to reflect your efforts to create a smaller footprint, we’ve put together tips to create a more modern and sustainable rustic chic look for your home.

Image: karapaslay

1. Quality and Not Quantity

In creating a modern rustic chic look, the key is quality and not quantity. Solid, well-made furniture, even if it’s showing it’s age, is more preferred to new. Make these sturdy pieces the foundation of each room.

Image: Wickerfurniture

2. Repurpose

Repurposing is reusing an item other than for its intended purpose. For example, using an old washtub as a magazine bin, an old bathtub as an outdoor planter or an old roll top desk as an undated bar station. Repurposing allows for creativity and is ultimately more sustainable.

3. Refinish

Let’s say you have an old bureau that is scratched, dented and faded. Instead of putting it out at the curb, considering refinishing it with a coat of paint. With rustic chic, wear isn’t considered something to hide away, but something to embrace and highlight.

Image: Wickerfurniture

4. Thrift, Yard and Estate Sales

While creating the rustic chic look, thrift stores, yard sales, estate sales and auction houses are going to be your best friends. Just remember the goal isn’t to fill your whole up with a bunch of knick knacks, gewgahs and tchotchkes for the sake of it like a collector would, but rather to lovingly and purposefully add pieces to your home that you can keep out of the landfill and from creating a demand for more and more consumer products.

Don’t be afraid to jump in; there really are no rules because the goal isn’t about creating a showroom home, but is more about creating a home that matches the sustainable life you are living.

Top Image: Post Road Vintage

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This is part two in our series on the Sharing Economy and how it can save money, time, and help you become more connected to your community. Part One explained how sharing services can help you save money. Today’s installment highlights some of the ways collaborative consumption can reduce waste and our impact on the planet.

We’re imprisoned in an ever growing mountain of our own waste. Streets are littered with the cast off shells of purchases we couldn’t live without. Massive houses suck up huge amounts of energy so that we can each have our own flat screen television, and enjoy 80 degree indoor temps in the middle of winter. We “need” a car for each member of the family, even though research shows that the average personal vehicle sits idle 22 hours a day. The Great Pacific Garbage Patch, a Texas-sized island of floating plastic debris, poisons the sea and kills marine life.

We’ve consumed our way into billions of dollars of debt, and buying more stuff, even very green stuff, isn’t the way out. Collaborative consumption allows us access to the things we need and want without assuming the burden (or carbon footprint) of ownership. When resources are shared, the total number of new things that must be produced goes down, taking related pollution and eventually landfill-bound waste, with it. Here are some more ways the sharing economy can help you achieve a zero-waste lifestyle.

1. Reduce

According to the EPA, the average passenger vehicle emits around 5.1 metric tons of carbon dioxide per year. Living without a car would be ideal, but it’s not a reality for those of us with big families or who live in sprawling suburbia. Car sharing, membership-based services that allow you rent a fleet car or your neighbor’s ride, can be a painless compromise. Studies have shown that car sharing reduces the number of cars on the road as well greenhouse gas emissions, all without forcing people into a car-free lifestyle. But if you are trying to go carless, bike sharing can ease the transition. The most popular urban bike sharing programs place bike stations at convenient locations, like outside train stations or shopping areas. This makes it easy to make short trips without hailing a cab or losing your parking spot.

2. Reuse

Few of us can commit to making our own…everything, but thanks to collaborative consumption we can gain access to the things we need without driving to a big box store to buy overpriced, over-packaged things made in China. Before assuming that you need to buy, why not check in to see if your community has what you’re looking for? There are literally hundreds of services that make it peer-to-peer rental, barter, and consignment as easy as checking your email. By swapping, you extended the lifecycle of each shared item, which means things are in use much longer before they head to the landfill.

3. Repurpose

Although it’s easy to share tangible things, like clothes, electronics, cars, but don’t think for a minute they’re the only things we can share. We can also share time, space, and perhaps most importantly, skills. Time shares are a great way to turn free time into a valuable currency that can be used to stimulate the local economy. Hacker and maker spaces are collectives for those who would rather produce than consume. Members share knowledge of beer making or woodworking or solar panel construction as well as the space and tools required to realize their projects. There are even repair cafes dedicated specifically to teaching people how to repair broken items so that they don’t get trashed just because they’re a little worn.

Image: Robert S. Donovan

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Each week, I beg my favorite bloggers and designers to hand select a beloved green product, whether it’s a finish, furnishing, or accessory. The end result? An endless anthology of aesthetically perfect products for your perusal.

This week Kelle Dame has been gracious enough to share her immaculate taste and charming creativity. Kelle has a namesake blog where she notes her inspiration, design musings, and dispenses enchanting and pragmatic advice.

Kelle handpicked a gorgeous Wooden Ammunition Crate from Hindsvik (one of the best sources for vintage treasures). While the product itself is entirely gorgeous, Ms. Dame loves vintage crates for their endless function in addition to their lovely form, “I love them and they have so many uses.” Scour your neighborhood antique stores, flea markets, and garage sales for your own versatile and delightful crates.

Kelle has sprinkled these classic gems throughout her own house (click here to drool through some creative crate ideas and a peak into Kelle’s home).

You can find Kelle sharing her real life projects on her blog (the inspiration is deliciously palpable) and sharing her bits of nesting on Facebook through her design and organization service.

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