41 Clever Upcycling Ideas to Give Old Things a New Life
These ideas help you save money and reduce waste.
If you’re looking to minimize your environmental impact, save money, and flex your creative muscles, you’ll want to check out our collection of clever upcycling ideas. We’ve gathered our favorite ideas that take your old items and turn them into something useful and stylish. Think turning your old bookcase into a statement-making hutch with a fresh coat of paint or saving a few of your tin cans to make an adorable windowsill herb garden.
While it’s easier than ever to buy anything you might want for your home, pros say finding ways to upcycle your items instead of buying something brand-new is a simple way to be easier on the environment.
"Any production, even from sustainable brands, has a negative impact on the environment," says Emma Seymour, associate director of the Good Housekeeping Institute's Textiles, Paper, and Apparel Lab. "One of the best ways to reduce your environmental footprint is by not buying new items: the more sustainable choice would be to upcycle."
In addition to being easier on the environment, these ideas can also come in handy if you’re trying to stick to a budget. After all, why spend hundreds of dollars on a new dresser when you could repaint the functional one you already own and make it feel brand-new?
Keep reading to see our favorite upcycling ideas that give your items a second life.
Before: Glass Vase
While a simple glass vase is a nice way to display flowers or greenery, it doesn't make much of a statement — and chances are you have more than one laying around collecting dust.
After: Nautical Vase
All you need is a roll or two of jute rope to turn a boring vase into a beautiful ocean-inspired vessel. Hot glue the jute rope around the vase row by row until you're content with the final result.
Before: Dated Cabinet
Tired of looking at your drab, dated cabinet? Turn it into a conversation piece in just a few simple steps. Get your furniture DIY ready by removing the hardware, lightly sanding the wood and wiping it clean.
After: Botanical Bookcase
Transform an old cabinet into a beautiful bookcase with peel-and-stick wallpaper — like this Spoonflower design full of dandelions, yarrows and tansy. To get started, measure and trim the wallpaper to fit the back of each shelf. Peel back the bottom left corner and set in place. Use a wallpaper smoother or credit card to remove any air bubbles.
Before: Oyster Shells
Sure, you've decorated with sea shells, but have you tried oyster shells? Save your oyster shells from a restaurant or seafood market.
After: Trinket Dish
With printed designs and a bit of mod podge, these oyster shells make for gorgeous trinket dishes, paper clip holders, jewelry trays or just simple home decor.
Before: Plain White Window Shutters
If you finally replaced your shutters and are looking for a fun project to spruce up your home, your old shutters can be assembled into a statement piece.
After: Colorful Cabinet
For this project, you'll need your shutters, a measuring tape, four pieces of medium-density fiberboard, bun feet and knobs. Don't forget your preferred color coat to paint it once assembled.
Before: Cardboard Box
Between Amazon boxes, cardboard food packaging and paper towel holders, our recycling bin is constantly overflowing. Have you considered using a series of boxes to make a kid-friendly craft?
After: Princess Castle
After a fresh coat of pink paint, your child will completely forget this castle is made entirely of cardboard. A medium size box and cardboard canisters (like oat packaging) provide the foundation, while toilet paper rolls act as the balconies and turrets.
Before: Stack of Old Books
Whether you've got an overcrowded bookshelf or dusty novels in storage, a stack of old books is a great starting point for a home project.
After: Book Side Table
To recreate this elegant side table, you'll need to drill a hole the size of your dowel through each book’s center. Cut trim to form a box frame that fits snugly around one book, and nail it to the tabletop’s underside. Stack your books or encyclopedias, lining up the holes. Glue the dowel to the center of the table's underside and screw it through the holes to secure them to the tabletop.
Before: Bricks
Use bricks from a leftover home project or buy them at your hardware store for around 60 cents each.
After: Planter
Scoop dirt or potting soil into a hole and pop in a few small succulents for the ultimate low-maintenance garden.
Before: Spoons
Whether you've just gotten a new silverware set or discovered an antique set at your local thrift shop, spoons (matching or mixed) make for a really fun DIY.
After: Spoon Hooks
In just a few hours, you can make your own hook rack for the kitchen. Use it to hold dish towels, aprons or kitchen utensils. Just note you will need a mallet and a precision torch to recreate this look.
Before: Wood Pallet
Most hardware stores (like Lowe's), garden shops or furniture retailers will give pallets for free if you ask.
After: Patio Table
Once you add a layer of exterior paint and attach metal casters, you can barely recognize these wood pallets. The end result is a sturdy, portable coffee table.
Before: Old Bookcase
If your bookcase is thrifted, boring and worn out, turn it into an eye-catching focal point for your living room or bedroom.
After: Stylish Hutch
You can transform your bookcase into something you really love. All it takes are stylish paint colors. Don't be afraid to mix and match shades for a unique look.
Monique Valeris is the home design director for Good Housekeeping, where she oversees the brand's home decorating coverage across print and digital. Prior to joining GH in 2020, she was the digital editor at Elle Decor. In her current role, she explores everything from design trends and home tours to lifestyle product recommendations, including writing her monthly column, "What's in My Cart."
Alyssa Gautieri (she/her) leads Good Housekeeping’s gift guide strategy. She writes and edits commerce content, where she analyzes lifestyle trends, shopping data, and works closely with the Good Housekeeping Institute to recommend top-tested products. Previously, she was the associate lifestyle editor for GH and wrote for publications including ELLE Decor, BobVila.com, and Unique Homes Magazine. When she’s not tracking down buzzy products, you can find her walking her dog, Skye, around Jersey City.
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