Creative Upcycling Ideas: Transform Items You Were About to Throw Away

Discover innovative and practical ways to repurpose everyday items instead of discarding them, saving money and reducing waste.

Many of us often toss away items that, with a bit of creativity and care, can be repurposed for useful household applications.

From coffee cup lids and plastic bottles to candy wrappers, these everyday objects can find a new purpose with your help.

10. Coffee Cup Lid as a Perfect White Balance Tool

Achieve the ideal white balance in your photography using a coffee lid from popular chains like Starbucks or McDonald's.

Creative upcycling with coffee lids — Image: Using coffee lids for photography white balance

9. Craft a Stylus from a Candy Wrapper

While Steve Jobs famously discouraged stylus use, if you want to unleash your inner artist without purchasing one, try making your own. All you need is an old pencil and a candy wrapper. Adding thin paper or newspaper can enhance your DIY stylus even further.

DIY stylus from candy wrapper — Image: Homemade stylus made from candy wrappers

8. Build a Portable Home Theater from an Old Box

A brilliant idea from our readers: create a portable 'theater' or 'TV' using an old cardboard box. This simple solution helps reduce glare and unwanted light, enhancing your viewing experience.

DIY home theater from box — Image: Portable home theater crafted from an old box

7. Turn a Plastic Bottle into a Protective Smartphone Case for Your Bike

Plastic bottle smartphone case — Image: Smartphone case made from a plastic bottle

Instead of discarding plastic bottles, transform them into a protective case for your smartphone during bike rides, safeguarding it from water and accidental drops.

Alternative use: a bottle cap can serve as a lens cap for your camera.

Camera lens cap from bottle cap — Image: Camera lens cap made from a plastic bottle cap

For gardeners, create an irrigation system by making two holes at the bottom and two on the sides of a plastic bottle. This setup waters your plants automatically when you're away.

DIY irrigation system — Image: Irrigation system made from a plastic bottle

6. Newspapers to Combat Odors and Clean Windows

Newspaper uses for odor and cleaning — Image: Using newspapers to eliminate odors and clean windows

Old newspapers are great not just for igniting campfires but also for absorbing unpleasant smells. Place crumpled newspaper in drawers, shoes, or refrigerators to neutralize odors.

Additionally, newspapers are excellent for streak-free window cleaning.

5. Repurpose an Old Gift Card as a Cable Organizer

Gift card cable organizer — Image: Cable organizer made from an old gift card

Don't throw away old gift or discount cards. Cut slits on the sides and use them to neatly wrap and store your earphone cables.

4. Use an Old Sock as a Player Armband Holder

If you jog with a music player, you know it can sometimes be uncomfortable or even cause bruises. To solve this, repurpose an old sock into a comfortable armband holder as shown below.

Sock armband holder — Image: Armband holder made from an old sock

3. Transform a Shampoo Bottle into a Charging Station

We all have devices that need charging when we get home. Use an empty shampoo bottle to create a hanging charging station near your power outlet, keeping devices off the floor and safe from being stepped on.

Charging station from shampoo bottle — Image: Charging station made from a shampoo bottle

2. Organize Cables Using Toilet Paper Rolls

Cable organization with toilet paper rolls — Image: Cable management using toilet paper rolls

Those small cardboard tubes left after using toilet paper are perfect for organizing cables around your home. Don't discard them; instead, use them to keep wires tangle-free.

1. Boost Your Wi-Fi Signal with a Soda Can

Wi-Fi signal booster from soda can — Image: Wi-Fi signal booster made from a soda can

Before investing in a new router to improve your Wi-Fi, try this simple hack: cut a soda can and attach it to your router's antenna as a parabolic reflector. This can significantly enhance your signal strength across your home or apartment.

*Note: Meta Platforms Inc. and its social networks Facebook and Instagram are restricted in certain regions.

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