Whether you are doing a complete renovation or have taken on a small home improvement project, chances are you might have a few items left over once the work is complete. Rather than chucking those castoffs, leftovers, and scraps, what if you could repurpose them into something really cool?
We have you covered! Here are a few clever ideas to get you started on upcycling your home improvement extras so you can enjoy the ripple effect of one improvement begetting another.
For extra crown molding
If you have extra crown molding lying around after you’ve fully decked out your house, take a tip from Eugenia Lung of Geniabeme and repurpose them as the ultimate shoe rack. Saw off the pieces of molding to fit on the inside of your closet door or other wall, paint them an eye-catching color, then glue them in place (see pic below). Any shoe with a heel will hang perfectly on the molding (and just think of how much near your once-shoe-strewed floor will look now).
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For extra PVC pipe
If you’ve recently completed a plumbing project and found yourself with extra PVC pipe, use it to make this inexpensive bed canopy.
Blogger Nancy Rector at Our Peaceful Planet came up with this clever alternative use for piping when she wanted to make over her bedroom on the cheap. The result: a cheap yet elegant oasis.
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For old sheets of plywood
If your doors are flat and lacking in personality, maybe you’ve considered switching to a paneled model. Well, guess what? You can actually create a paneled door out of old sheets of plywood.
Jenna Diermann of Jenna Sue Designs shared this project on Remodelaholic and noted that it cost her less than $15 and an afternoon’s worth of work to give this door a significant face-lift.
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For old sawhorses
If you’re massively into DIY projects, chances are you have a couple of sawhorses standing around taking up space. Why not put them to good use by transforming them into a funky and functional $50 desk?
Whitney Gainer of Shanty2Chic did just that. After finding the perfect desk for $600, she just knew she could make one for a fraction of the price. Stain the wood to match your decor, and you’ve got one workhorse of a workspace.
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For old pallets and chairs
Mary Moore of Raising Dick & Jane had a few extra pallets in her garage, so she decided to repurpose them and create a country-chic bench.
If you have extra wood and chairs that could use a new lease on life, this is an easy project that leaves you with extra seating and less debris in your garage or basement.
As Moore says, “Just because something is old, it does not mean it is useless.”
For countertop scraps
Want a classy cutting board that doesn’t cost a fortune? Amy Sarah of Cheap and Wise wanted a pastry board but didn’t want to pay a lot for it. Her solution? She visited a local shop that makes custom marble and granite countertops and was able to get a small piece of marble that was cut from a larger slab to create a sink hole.
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For old pipes
Can’t decide if you prefer an industrial or rustic look? Thanks to these pipe shelves you no longer have to choose.
Pam Dana of the decor and lifestyle blog Over the Big Moon put old pieces of pipe to work as the brackets for rustic-looking shelving—and couldn’t be happier with the results. Get caps for the pipes to finish them off, and spray-paint them to complement your decor.
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