ENVIRONMENT

5 upcycling ideas for a responsible, creative, and unique home

Kathryn Wheeler
By Kathryn Wheeler,
updated on Nov 16, 2024

5 upcycling ideas for a responsible, creative, and unique home

Give the items in your home a new lease of life

Upcycling is the art of taking something you already own and reusing or repurposing it in a new and creative way. And thinking twice about how we treat our belongings – whether that be by recycling or reusing – makes a difference. According to a report from the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs, in 2022/23, the total weight of waste from households in England decreased by 6.6% to 21.3 million tonnes (from 22.8 million tonnes in 2021/22). Of course, there’s still a long way to go. But concerted efforts can make a real difference. Enter: upcycling.

Not only is upcycling a great way to reduce waste in your home, but it’s also an opportunity to create unique, interesting items that you couldn’t find anywhere else. Here, we’re rounding up five ideas for taking things that you might have considered throwing away and giving them a new lease of life.

Fabric memory keepsakes

Fabric memory keepsakes are beautiful ways to preserve sentimental clothing, or other textiles, in a way that means you don’t have to hold on to bags of stuff. It might be a baby’s first outfits that you can’t quite bring yourself to pass on, a loved one’s clothes after they have passed away, old uniform, or T-shirt collections from trips around the world – whatever it is, your items can be turned into something wonderful.

Professional services will often have a couple of different options, including teddy bears, tote bags, quilts, cushions, and even pendants – and they can work with you to create a design that gives these sentimental fabrics a new life. Try searching for ‘fabric memory keepsakes’ on Google to find a service near you – or, if you’re confidently crafty, search for ‘memory keepsake patterns’.

Quirky plant pots

With a couple of considerations and small alterations, almost anything can be a plant pot – and getting creative with your choice can add moments of joy and delight around your home. When it comes to choosing the item to become a plant pot, you will either need to make a hole in the bottom for drainage (you can make this quite easily with a household drill) – then place a dish underneath it to catch the water – or it needs to be large enough that you are able to put another pot that already has a drainage hole (the pot that your plant came home in will likely have this in place) inside of it.

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It could be a used candle jar, old cooking pots, mugs, cans, or even a wheelbarrow. Whatever it is, before you throw it out, consider whether the item could make a quirky plant pot.

Carpet off-cuts to new rugs

Whether it’s leftover carpet from a recent renovation, or good quality, pre-existing carpet that’s being replaced with something else, those off-cuts can be given a whole new life with a carpet binding service that turns them into rugs.

It could be that you create a custom-sized rug for an awkward place in your home, pet rugs, or even car floor mats – the options are truly endless. And the best part? Most carpet binding services will be more than happy to work with you to pick out the border tape, so you can create a truly one-of-a-kind rug. Classic, contemporary, or creative – what route will you take?

Furniture flipping

A hugely popular upcycling project, furniture flipping can take your old, worn out items and give them a completely new look. It might be a side table that needs a lick of paint, or an armchair that could do with reupholstering – whatever it is, it’s time to get into DIY mode and make something wonderful. There are plenty of guides and videos online to take you through the process step-by-step, so that even a beginner can pick up a project and see great results.

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Tailor old clothing

If you’ve got something sitting at the back of your wardrobe which never quite fit you the way you wanted it to, or which is starting to look a little dated but has strong foundations, taking it to a tailor means that you will be able to transform it into something worth keeping hold of.

You can ask for a piece to be adjusted to fit you better than it will do straight off the rack, and this can be enough to totally transform the look and feel of it. Or you can make other alterations, such as changing the neckline, swapping out fastenings or changing the hardware, altering the length, changing the sleeves and armholes, and so much more. So, if you’ve got an item in your wardrobe which you think could be worthy of a second life, reach out to your local tailor – it could be the be first step to a perfect partnership.

With a dash of creativity and a bit of vision, you can make a real difference to both the planet and your home with the art of upcycling. So, when will you begin your next project?

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