5 Easy DIYs with Waste

Editor’s Note: We asked our good friend Albe Zakes with TerraCycle to share his do-it-yourself ideas using what some might think of as trash. Here’s his creative spin.

It’s no secret I like to recycle the unrecyclable. I always strive to find new and innovative ways to turn garbage into something new. That’s why I wanted to share some easy DIYs I found that repurpose household items and give them new life. The possibilities are endless when you look at trash in a new light.

1) Bottle caps are a huge source of waste. If you look at it from a new angle, the potential to reuse them is also huge. Most of the time, I see belts or jewelry made out of bottle caps. I thought a bottle cap lightshade was even cooler.

2) We’re big fans of using cast-off furniture in the TerraCycle office.  If you have an old dresser you just can’t find a use for, don’t haul it to the curb right away. I found a sweet way you can use the drawers to make an awesome bookshelf. All you really need is some paint, and you’re good to go.

3) I love coffee, and I thought this DIY was a cool way for me to reuse coffee cans. You can turn used coffee cans into bird feeders and decorate them however you want.

4) Everybody has that one favorite shirt they are reluctant to throw away. I’ve seen tons of ways you can reuse old t-shirts, but I found one more use. If you turn your shirt into a reusable bag, not only do you keep it out of the garbage but you also lessen your plastic bag usage.

5) This last idea is so awesome that I wish I came up with it myself.  It’s a cell phone charger holder from a used lotion bottle. With this neat creation, I don’t have to worry about tripping over the cord or having my cell phone dangling precariously down the wall. The holder is like a little pocket for my phone. I’m definitely going to make this; it should work for charging iPods and digital cameras too.

It’s easy to see that I’m not the only one who loves giving trash a new purpose. The possibilities are truly limitless when you think creatively and keep an open mind. Here are a few more ideas for re-using Malt-O-Meal bags. And, in the next few weeks, we’ll be posting how-to videos of some pretty cool projects. Stay tuned! In the meantime, do you have cool re-use ideas to share?

Categories: TerraCycle
Tags: DIY, Malt-O-Meal, re-use, TerraCycle, trash, waste

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