Top 76+ Hacks for Repurposing Random Old Household Items

Chain Compass

Chain Compass, use gutters for tool organization, Oil-Bottle Hardware Tote, Pie Plate Storage Pockets, Use Soft Socks to Clean Blinds, Window Shutter, Chicken Wire Divider, Furniture-Quality Divider, Time for a New End Table, Gutter Garden, Supplies Storage, Tablet Case, New Life for Broken Shop Vacuums, Organize Paperwork with a Pot Lid Holder
Project running you in circles? Trace perfect arcs or circles in an instant with a ballpoint pen, an awl or a nail, and a short length of plumber's chain (sold at home centers). The pen pokes through the chain's smaller links just enough to create an exact radius when you keep the chain taut while tracing. As a bonus, each link provides a 1/2-in. increase or decrease in radius for quick adjustments without measuring. It's one of our brilliant repurposing ideas.

use gutters for tool organization

Chain Compass, use gutters for tool organization, Oil-Bottle Hardware Tote, Pie Plate Storage Pockets, Use Soft Socks to Clean Blinds, Window Shutter, Chicken Wire Divider, Furniture-Quality Divider, Time for a New End Table, Gutter Garden, Supplies Storage, Tablet Case, New Life for Broken Shop Vacuums, Organize Paperwork with a Pot Lid Holder

Oil-Bottle Hardware Tote

Chain Compass, use gutters for tool organization, Oil-Bottle Hardware Tote, Pie Plate Storage Pockets, Use Soft Socks to Clean Blinds, Window Shutter, Chicken Wire Divider, Furniture-Quality Divider, Time for a New End Table, Gutter Garden, Supplies Storage, Tablet Case, New Life for Broken Shop Vacuums, Organize Paperwork with a Pot Lid Holder

Here's a fun little project to keep your screws, nails, nuts and electrical whatsits handy and neatly organized. To make one, you'll need:

  • Six quart-size motor oil bottles (empty!)
  • One 9-in. x 7-3/4-in. floor made from 3/8-in. or 1/2-in. plywood
  • One 7-3/4-in. x 6-in. plywood handle
  • Two 3-1/2-in. x 9-in. plywood sides

With a utility knife or snips, fashion the oil bottles into bins with 15-degree angled sides starting 2-1/2 in. up from one side. (If your bottles have hash marks, the 12-oz. hash mark is great for the low end of the angle.)

Saw a handle slot in the vertical piece, and saw 15-degree angles on the sidepieces. Glue and nail the six-pack together. Add solid wood strips along the open sides to keep the bins from falling out and to make it easy to pull one out as needed.

Pie Plate Storage Pockets

Chain Compass, use gutters for tool organization, Oil-Bottle Hardware Tote, Pie Plate Storage Pockets, Use Soft Socks to Clean Blinds, Window Shutter, Chicken Wire Divider, Furniture-Quality Divider, Time for a New End Table, Gutter Garden, Supplies Storage, Tablet Case, New Life for Broken Shop Vacuums, Organize Paperwork with a Pot Lid Holder

Screw cut-in-half pie tins and heavy-duty paper plates to a shop wall and you've got space-saving storage for the sanding discs, circular saw blades and abrasive discs that like to hide in a drawer. Be sure to tape the sharp edges on the cut pie plates to protect your fingers!

Use Soft Socks to Clean Blinds

Chain Compass, use gutters for tool organization, Oil-Bottle Hardware Tote, Pie Plate Storage Pockets, Use Soft Socks to Clean Blinds, Window Shutter, Chicken Wire Divider, Furniture-Quality Divider, Time for a New End Table, Gutter Garden, Supplies Storage, Tablet Case, New Life for Broken Shop Vacuums, Organize Paperwork with a Pot Lid Holder
The next time you need to clean your window blinds, use a sock on your hand! Your hand makes a perfect tool for reaching all of the nooks and crannies on the blinds, and the sock picks up dust wonderfully.

Window Shutter

Chain Compass, use gutters for tool organization, Oil-Bottle Hardware Tote, Pie Plate Storage Pockets, Use Soft Socks to Clean Blinds, Window Shutter, Chicken Wire Divider, Furniture-Quality Divider, Time for a New End Table, Gutter Garden, Supplies Storage, Tablet Case, New Life for Broken Shop Vacuums, Organize Paperwork with a Pot Lid Holder
Next time you see old window shutters at the resale shop, pick one up. Screw on some small baskets and use it as a seasonal decoration or to store items such as garlic, onions and potatoes in your pantry.

Chicken Wire Divider

Chain Compass, use gutters for tool organization, Oil-Bottle Hardware Tote, Pie Plate Storage Pockets, Use Soft Socks to Clean Blinds, Window Shutter, Chicken Wire Divider, Furniture-Quality Divider, Time for a New End Table, Gutter Garden, Supplies Storage, Tablet Case, New Life for Broken Shop Vacuums, Organize Paperwork with a Pot Lid Holder

This DIYer took an old room divider, tore out the inserts, painted it and used chicken wire to replace the panels. The chicken wire is then used to showcase photos and artwork. Here's how they did it.

Tea Pot

Chain Compass, use gutters for tool organization, Oil-Bottle Hardware Tote, Pie Plate Storage Pockets, Use Soft Socks to Clean Blinds, Window Shutter, Chicken Wire Divider, Furniture-Quality Divider, Time for a New End Table, Gutter Garden, Supplies Storage, Tablet Case, New Life for Broken Shop Vacuums, Organize Paperwork with a Pot Lid Holder

This old tea pot has a new life as a planter. You can get a similar look with an old coffee carafe.

Furniture-Quality Divider

Chain Compass, use gutters for tool organization, Oil-Bottle Hardware Tote, Pie Plate Storage Pockets, Use Soft Socks to Clean Blinds, Window Shutter, Chicken Wire Divider, Furniture-Quality Divider, Time for a New End Table, Gutter Garden, Supplies Storage, Tablet Case, New Life for Broken Shop Vacuums, Organize Paperwork with a Pot Lid Holder

If you have woodworking skills, you can build this hinged room divider.

Time for a New End Table

Chain Compass, use gutters for tool organization, Oil-Bottle Hardware Tote, Pie Plate Storage Pockets, Use Soft Socks to Clean Blinds, Window Shutter, Chicken Wire Divider, Furniture-Quality Divider, Time for a New End Table, Gutter Garden, Supplies Storage, Tablet Case, New Life for Broken Shop Vacuums, Organize Paperwork with a Pot Lid Holder

One trend in DIY end tables is to start with a large old clock. This DIY end table started out as an old clock and an end table with a battered top. It's a neat look for repurposed end tables.

Gutter Garden

Chain Compass, use gutters for tool organization, Oil-Bottle Hardware Tote, Pie Plate Storage Pockets, Use Soft Socks to Clean Blinds, Window Shutter, Chicken Wire Divider, Furniture-Quality Divider, Time for a New End Table, Gutter Garden, Supplies Storage, Tablet Case, New Life for Broken Shop Vacuums, Organize Paperwork with a Pot Lid Holder

Gutters can also be used for creative outdoor water features. Or, like here, gutters have been mounted on a wall for a hydroponic garden.

Supplies Storage

Chain Compass, use gutters for tool organization, Oil-Bottle Hardware Tote, Pie Plate Storage Pockets, Use Soft Socks to Clean Blinds, Window Shutter, Chicken Wire Divider, Furniture-Quality Divider, Time for a New End Table, Gutter Garden, Supplies Storage, Tablet Case, New Life for Broken Shop Vacuums, Organize Paperwork with a Pot Lid Holder

Cut your cheap downspouts into short sections, about 6 inches long, then stack and bind these sections so you have several rows of openings. You can store these downspout storage slots in a work bag for quick access, or mount them on a table. It's a great DIY project for hobbyists with supplies that are tough to store and organize.

Tablet Case

Chain Compass, use gutters for tool organization, Oil-Bottle Hardware Tote, Pie Plate Storage Pockets, Use Soft Socks to Clean Blinds, Window Shutter, Chicken Wire Divider, Furniture-Quality Divider, Time for a New End Table, Gutter Garden, Supplies Storage, Tablet Case, New Life for Broken Shop Vacuums, Organize Paperwork with a Pot Lid Holder

There are some great ideas out there for DIY tablet storage, but using an old book is a brilliant way to store your tablet on the go and help prevent it from getting stolen as it perfectly conceals the electronics within.

Jewelry

Chain Compass, use gutters for tool organization, Oil-Bottle Hardware Tote, Pie Plate Storage Pockets, Use Soft Socks to Clean Blinds, Window Shutter, Chicken Wire Divider, Furniture-Quality Divider, Time for a New End Table, Gutter Garden, Supplies Storage, Tablet Case, New Life for Broken Shop Vacuums, Organize Paperwork with a Pot Lid Holder

We all have books that we remember forever. Now you can carry those works wherever you go by creating your own word jewelry. Or if you've got an extra dictionary or two lying around, pick some words that describe your loved ones and create custom jewelry as a one-of-a-kind gift. These custom-made gifts will mean so much that whoever receives them will want to find a safe hiding spot to keep them secure.

Wreath

Chain Compass, use gutters for tool organization, Oil-Bottle Hardware Tote, Pie Plate Storage Pockets, Use Soft Socks to Clean Blinds, Window Shutter, Chicken Wire Divider, Furniture-Quality Divider, Time for a New End Table, Gutter Garden, Supplies Storage, Tablet Case, New Life for Broken Shop Vacuums, Organize Paperwork with a Pot Lid Holder

This book wreath is nothing short of breathtaking. Patience and careful planning will result in a truly one-of-a-kind décor item that visitors to your home will swoon over. Just be sure to hang it in a prominent location for maximum effect.

Banner

Chain Compass, use gutters for tool organization, Oil-Bottle Hardware Tote, Pie Plate Storage Pockets, Use Soft Socks to Clean Blinds, Window Shutter, Chicken Wire Divider, Furniture-Quality Divider, Time for a New End Table, Gutter Garden, Supplies Storage, Tablet Case, New Life for Broken Shop Vacuums, Organize Paperwork with a Pot Lid Holder

This book-page pennant is an easy-effort craft to do with kids and is endlessly customizable. Simply cut, paste and thread the pennant flags and adorn with whatever lettering you like. Stickers, stencils, and paint are all ways to make this DIY Decor your own.

New Life for Broken Shop Vacuums

Chain Compass, use gutters for tool organization, Oil-Bottle Hardware Tote, Pie Plate Storage Pockets, Use Soft Socks to Clean Blinds, Window Shutter, Chicken Wire Divider, Furniture-Quality Divider, Time for a New End Table, Gutter Garden, Supplies Storage, Tablet Case, New Life for Broken Shop Vacuums, Organize Paperwork with a Pot Lid Holder

Next time an old shop vacuum dies, don't trash the whole thing—just toss the lid and motor, and then use the canister as a roll-around trash can. Just nudge it with your toe to move it wherever you need it.

Organize Paperwork with a Pot Lid Holder

Chain Compass, use gutters for tool organization, Oil-Bottle Hardware Tote, Pie Plate Storage Pockets, Use Soft Socks to Clean Blinds, Window Shutter, Chicken Wire Divider, Furniture-Quality Divider, Time for a New End Table, Gutter Garden, Supplies Storage, Tablet Case, New Life for Broken Shop Vacuums, Organize Paperwork with a Pot Lid Holder
Borrow from the kitchen! Use a kitchen pot lid stand to organize your desktop's most current paperwork. A simple wooden dowel style like this can easily be painted to match your décor. No desk space?

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