8 Green Ways to Upcycle this Spring

Spring is here which for means it’s time for a thorough spring cleaning session. Throw open the windows, grab a reusable duster and your bottle of all natural organic cleaner! But before you fill up that recycle bin, take a look at the following ideas for “upcycling” a few of your used up treasures.

So what’s upcycling, you ask? It’s yet another green way to reuse materials around the house before discarding them. Recycling a cardboard box turns it back into paper, but “upcycling” could turn it into a child’s toy, a color-coded file for your tax records or even new living room furniture.

If you still end up with a box of slightly used goods that could use a new home, keep Goodwill on Hwy. 30 in mind. You can drop off anytime they are open. Too much work? Check out Charity Clothing Pickup online to find out when a charity truck will be in your neighborhood for curbside donations. Items dropped off through Charity Clothing Pickup could end up at stores like , which buy used goods from charities, then sell them retail.

A swifty  duster: Make your own reusable duster from an old flannel shirt. It’s pretty simple if you have basic sewing skills. Click here for directions to make your own Swiffer.

Repurpose old toys: A simple upcycling technique for children’s toys is to find new games to play with forgotten toys or board games with missing pieces. For example, a toddler’s bowling pin set can be use for a big kid’s Nerf target. Game pieces can be used in craft projects, old xylophones can be turned into wind chimes and plastic animal figures can be converted into bizarre refrigerator magnets.

T-Shirt bags: Another upcycling tip for those who can sew—shirt bags! Click here for directions on making your favorite old shirt into a reusable grocery sack.

T-Shirt blankets: This requires a bit more sewing skill, but those old shirts can also be turned into a throw or picnic blanket. Click here for ideas and instructions. Need to brush up your sewing skills? You can take lessons at Fenton Sew and Vac.

Recycle your technology: Got an old computer gather dust in the basement? There’s more creative things you can do with it than turn it into a doorstop. This Esty seller is making jewelry from Mac parts and this website will show you how to turn computer keys into ear rings for the ultimate in tech fashion. But the best computer upcycle we’ve seen is the Mac G4 aquarium.

Kitty litter bike accessories: Perhaps this is one cycle too far, but if you’ve got a lot of cats and like to bike, maybe you’ll love these directions for kitty litter bike panniers.

Green planters: Nothing is greener than upcycling containers into planters and containers for plants. You can turn plastic food containers into miniature green houses for seedlings, build a soda bottle terrarium, or if you hate your neighbors, make a traditional toilet planter.

Bowling ball ornaments: While you’re in the gardening mood, what about a bowling ball ladybug lawn ornament? All this project requires is old bowling balls and paint. You could also cover them in glass gems and turn them into extremely heavy gazing balls for the garden.