Darcy Miller’s Ideas for Turning Trash Into Treasure

We’ve all heard that we must always all the time in the reduction of, reuse, and recycle. Nevertheless my favorite choice to be sustainable is to reimagine—getting barely creative about turning trash into treasure.

The first step is to suppose sooner than you throw. Ask your self, can I reuse this object in a single different methodology, as a substitute of bringing it to the recycling room or trash bin? Listed beneath are some clever strategies to supply widespread devices a second life:

• Ceramic yogurt jars which can be out there attention-grabbing colors; you presumably can merely wash them, take away the label, and swap them into bud vases, Q-tip holders, pencil cups, toothpaste holders, or ring dishes. The glass variations can keep on as votive candle holders, which can be good to have at a celebration (the candlelight reveals by means of the clear glass).
• Glass-stoppered wine bottles make wonderful carafes for water.
• Tequila bottles could possibly be so ornate and vibrant that they make good vases, decanters, or water carafes as quickly because the tequila inside has been cherished.
• Paint a supply discipline and use it to hold info or maintain papers out of sight. Packing containers moreover make good forts or playspaces in case you have got little ones—or pets—at dwelling.
• Paint a washed tomato can and in addition you’ll have a vase or pencil holder, counting on its measurement.
• Cereal packing containers, when painted and scale back into shapes, get new life as mobiles or greeting enjoying playing cards.
• One in every of my favorite points to upcycle is a wine bottle. It’s possible you’ll merely rinse it out and use it as a vase. Or, flip it proper right into a candle holder using my ideas beneath.

Discover ways to Flip a Wine Bottle Proper right into a Candleholder

I actually just like the romantic look of wax-covered bottles holding drippy candles; it rings a bell in my memory of an old-school Italian restaurant. It’s possible you’ll merely recreate that take a look at dwelling with an empty wine bottle you saved from the recycling room, and a drippy candle (or two).

You’ll be able to even have pleasing and paint the bottle first, write on it with a gold paint pen, or cowl it in glitter sooner than together with the candle. It’s a pleasing choice to decorate for dinner, after which you have gotten the “candleholder” as a memento of the evening. And don’t neglect to reuse it! As quickly because the candle melts, you presumably can change it with one different one, and pull it out every time you have gotten a specific dinner.

Feeling creative? Proper right here’s recommendations on methods to gentle up the night alongside along with your trash-turned-into-treasure candlestick. And in case you want to add our Italian-inspired banner, you presumably can get hold of it proper right here.

What It’s possible you’ll Need

• An empty wine bottle
• Drippy candles
• Non-compulsory: Spray paint, glitter, craft glue

Instructions

Step 1: Within the occasion you’re adorning your bottle, do that first. You might spray paint it, write on it with a gold paint pen, cowl it in spray adhesive, or use craft glue thinned with water and painted on with a brush, then dip it in glitter. Within the occasion you’re holding it easier and letting the drips be the décor, skip to step two.

Step 2: Soften the underside of your candle until it’s tender adequate to wedge into the bottle, then gentle it so it begins dripping down the edges. When it has dripped to your liking, blow out the candle so it doesn’t soften all the best way during which; you presumably can relight it at dinner. (Observe: Within the occasion you couldn’t uncover drippy candles, you’ll have to soften just some candles to get good drips, then relight one different one to utilize as a result of the exact candle.)

Step 3: Bask throughout the glow of the candlelight—and your pretty outdated wine bottle-turned-candleholder!