Upcycling the Unusual into the Unexpected

Almost everything around you can be given unexpected new life through upcycling. In fact, part of the fun of the entire recycling concept is taking something that already exists but is perhaps no longer wanted or needed and transforming it into something quite unexpected. Consider these ideas for upcycling items/products that might be unusual candidates for transformation just a kickstarter.

Aluminum Cheese Grater

An old aluminum cheese grater doesn’t need to be tossed into the garbage when it can be upcycled into something even way cooler than shredding cheese. Wiring a cheese grater for electricity is not nearly as difficult as you might imagine. Find a step-by-step how-to guide for wiring objects to give them new life as a lamp. Once wired, all it takes is upcycling unwanted wood to turn the grater into a rustic kitchen light.

Suitcase and Balustrade

Old balustrades that no longer serve the purpose of keeping things like a staircase rail standing can instead keep your brand new and very cheap coffee table standing.  Hot glue the balustrades to thee underside of an old suitcase and you have just upcycled two things destined for the dump into one thing that both serves a function and becomes a conversation piece. Bowling enthusiasts who can get their hands on discarded bowling pins might want to consider replacing the balustrades with the bowling pins.

PVC Pipe

That short length of PVC pipe that you discarded after fixing a leak in your pipes doesn’t need to sit in a landfill for a thousand years when you can upcycle it for a very special purpose. Saw PVC piping in half and glue to a plywood panel and you’ve got a pen & pencil holder for your desk. Give yourself half an hour and you can almost certainly figure out ways to upcycle other items for decorative purposes.

Newspaper/Magazine

If you are the sort of person who gets the blues just from watching the news or reading the paper, here is a way to recycle and reuse newspaper articles that are about good things that make you feel good about yourself. Practice the art of decoupage on tables, dressers or any furnishings you can think of by transferring those feel-good stories to the surface. If you prefer, you can use magazine articles that spur you to good feelings. If it’s more a situation of needing motivation, decoupage with articles that motivate you to finish a marathon or get that promotion or find your soul mate.