15+ Projects That Show the Power of Upcycling

You can easily turn something old and falling apart into something new, creative, and totally unique!

21. 1 Shirt 2 Shirt 3 Shirt New Shirt

It seems like upcycling clothing is one of the more popular trends. What do you do when you have some old shirts that have met their final wear? It’s not that you don’t like them, but something about them is just old to you, or perhaps too familiar. That’s exactly what this user was feeling and they decided to do something about it.

20. MicroWAVE Hello To The Newest Kitchen Staple

We don’t know about you guys but our apartments are always running out of space, especially the kitchen. Counter space is something we all fight for, especially when it comes to appliances. This is where upcycling comes in. It can be a great way to upgrade your kitchen and also resolve any housemate quarrels, a 2 for 1!

18. The Office Chair That Got Some Self Care

Offices can be a very bland place when it comes to design. Most desks, cabinets, and chairs are made in neutral colors and rarely patterned. Upcycling isn’t always taking something and making it into a whole new entity, sometimes it’s giving something old a makeover. What was once an old bland office chair is now a bright youthful version of its old self.

17. When You’re Just YARNing For Something New

We’ve all had the experience of purchasing something online and not living up to our expectations when it arrives. When it’s too much of a hassle, or you’re unable to return the item, what else can you do? This user got a green cardigan online and much to their dismay it was not what was expected. What can be done in a situation like this?

15. Take Down To Rebuild Back Up

Time is a precious thing, and it can be hard when we see some of our favorite items get old and run down. Of course, we can go one of two routes when this happens. We can trash it (wrong answer) OR as you might have guessed we can upcycle it. In this case, this parent gave their child’s run-down school bench a total makeover!

14. The Cozy Little Cat Cooler

The elderly are truly the gift that keeps on giving, and this sweet man is one of the purest examples of that. Winter in some places can be brutally cold and not everyone has the material necessary to stay warm, including animals. When this man had some leftover coolers he repurposed them from keeping the cold in to keeping the old out.

12. Don’t Have a Cow, Make a Rug!

Furniture and home decor have gotten quite expensive in these past few years. It doesn’t help that trends have been coming and going quicker than usual, it makes it quite difficult to afford all the latest fun things in the world. Plus, certain items are overpriced far beyond what they’re actually worth.

11. The Beauty of the Everlasting Bouquet

Finding that perfect gift for your significant other can be one difficult task. The pressure to find something they like, something special, and most of all original, can be overwhelming. A lot of partners choose to get their significant others flowers, and while it’s a beautiful gesture, flowers don’t tend to last all that long.

9. The All Tied Together Apron

A really easy gift to give is a tie, especially for someone with an office job. It’s inevitable that at some point these people will have more ties than they may know what to do with, but this user found a great way to repurpose these silky accessories. They made the most exquisite and unique apron we’ve ever seen.

8. License To Live In Style

Plants are beautiful, but they do need a vessel to live in when they’re brought into your home or garden. We don’t mean any run-of-the-mill boring container you’ll find in your local hardware store, your plants deserve better than that. The issue is that it can be hard to find something exceptionally unique while still being functional.

6. That Foxy Flare On Home Décor

Adding that personal touch to your home decor can be a daunting task. A lot of people think your personal touch comes from shopping around and looking for pieces that you feel represent you, but what if we told you that wasn’t always the case? Sometimes instead of looking for what suits you, you need to make something that suits you.

5. From Bales To Bags

Shipping bale or shopping bag? Where fashion meets functionality in a creative and stylish display. How many times have you had leftover supplies from a project, a shipped item, or random packaging from your latest Amazon order? This user took old scraps from a hardware store and turned them into a completely functional multi-use basket. And hey, it even doubles as a carrier for her cat.

3. Can’t Mask Your Excitement Over This

This pandemic did a number on all of us, and we had to get used to a lot of change. One of those changes was having to incorporate a mask into our daily lives. These days we view our masks as an accessory, and are always on the hunt for creative and chic designs that will match the rest of our closet.

2. The (Piano) Key To Home Decor

Sing us a song, you’re the piano man! Or should we say read us a book? When this user happened upon a damaged piano that met the end of its musical career, he elected to transform it into a great new piece of decor. Not only is this beautiful but it’s also functional as storage for books, CDs, and other household items.