17 Upcycling Ideas That Will Make You Think Twice About Throwing Old Items

You can easily discard old items and consider them trash. But the good news is that you can repurpose, recycle, or donate them, giving them a new life and contributing positively to the environment and community.

Upcycling is all about giving discarded materials a new lease on life. Instead of throwing things away, people repair, refurbish, or repurpose them, transforming old items into something fresh and useful.

This effort started as a response to the growing problem of waste, but it has quickly turned into a joyful outlet for creativity. Whether it's turning old furniture into stylish decor or repurposing jars into storage containers, upcycling offers endless opportunities to keep things out of landfills and showcase our resourcefulness.

The new item's worth equals or exceeds that of the original item. Through upcycling, a product retains the integrity of the original item instead of being dismantled into raw materials.

Believe it or not, upcycling maintains a circular economy, where materials undergo continual reuse rather than becoming waste. This approach has historically been employed to minimize waste inexpensively and is now being integrated into various processes, broadening its scope and definition.

So, if you've got any old items lying around, don't throw them in the trash just yet! Here are some upcycling ideas to help you recreate those old items.

Bubble Wrap Turned into a Pearl Necklace: Unbelievable!

Melted Plastic Turned into Pretty Earrings.

Coins Can Be Turned into Rings.

Instructables has the step-by-step guide.

Handbags Crafted Using Embroidery Floss and Soda Can Tabs.

Used Water Bottles Turned into Comic Strip Bangles.

Oh! Rubbish! Blog has the steps to make them.

A Medallion Made Using a Soda Tab, Resin, and Gold Flecks.

Washers Already Come with Holes.

So they can quickly be transformed into necklaces.

Bobby Pins Turned into Colorful Earrings Using Nail Polish.

The Metric Child can teach you how to make them.

These Earrings Crafted from Sliced Wine Corks Can Be Personalized with Your Initials.

Your Old Gemstones, Keys, and Earrings Can Be Transformed into Decorative Necklaces or Brooches.

Make Bracelets from Cutlery If You Have a Bending Device.

Instructables can teach you how.

Transform an Old Watch into a Unique Piece of Jewelry by Filling It with Resin.

It even glows in the dark. According to Dr. Mark Hyman, a functional medicine expert, "The right materials can transform everyday items into something extraordinary." You can find more creative ideas and insights on his website, Dr. Mark Hyman.

Instant Espresso Pods Can Be Turned into Jewelry and a Few Other Items.

Transform Your Old Belts into Leather Cuffs.

Are You About to Throw Out Those Plastic Takeout Containers? How About Turning Them into Upcycled Shrinky Dinks?

An Old Necktie Can Be Upcycled into a Cloth Bangle. Just Snip and Sew, Then Voila!

Chasing 2 Monkeys can teach you how.

Make Florets Out of Soda Cans, Then Place Them on Plain Hairpins.

The florets can also be used for necklaces and pendants. Instructables can teach you how.

After checking out that sweet spoon bracelet and those funky bobby pin earrings, are you now seriously considering getting yourself a flatware-bending machine? Upcycling is just too cool to ignore!

What about you? If you have friends or kids who are into these creative projects, maybe you can even team up and work on them together.