by Afsana Unaz
Afsana is a Humber College student. Her acquired knowledge of the problems facing the natural environment has empowered her to learn as much as possible on being an environment-friendly individual.
Do you have old shoe boxes lying around in your house? Or what about that vintage wrapping paper that you don’t use? Instead of tossing them into the trash, try turning household clutter into bright, creative and inspiring art! Not only are these cost-effective solutions, but they contribute to less trash in landfills. Read on to discover five ways to upcycle your old clutter!
1. Shoebox lids as canvases
Instead of purchasing a canvas for art, why not use a removable shoebox lid as an alternative?
Simply find a removable shoebox lid in your house. For size variation, use scissors or knife to cut the shoebox lid to your desired dimensions. Next, use any paints, markers or construction paper to transform the lid into brand new wall decor.
Not only are these shoebox lid canvases great in upcycling an old lid, but they are a great inexpensive option instead of buying a canvas at the art store!
2. Magazine collage
To repurpose old magazines, create an eye-popping collage!
Find any magazine or newspaper that you want to use for the collage. Flip through the pages and cut out any words, images, or logos you find interesting. Next, find a sturdy board such as cardboard or bristol board. Finally, use tape or glue to paste the cut out pieces onto the board in an arrangement that you like!
Magazine collages are a great way to reuse old magazine paper, and it adds a bit of personal flair to the collage, which you won’t get if buying a pre-made collage from the store!
3. T-shirt wall art
We all have old clothes lying around. So before you send them to a donation centre, why not spruce up your walls with your favourite t-shirt print!
For this project, find an old t-shirt that you no longer wear and purchase a canvas. Cheap ones sell at Walmart and Dollarama. Cut the t-shirt to the dimensions of the canvas, leaving the t-shirt a little bit larger. Finally wrap the canvas in the shirt, like wrapping a gift box. Secure with fabric glue or hot glue.
4. CD coasters
CDs, once loved as a way to listen to music, are now a thing of the past. If you got old CDs you no longer need, don’t dump them! Upcycle into cool coasters!
Grab some CDs, sandpaper, paint, and felt (fabric). Use sandpaper to remove the CDs garnish. Decorate your CD with paint and stencils for designs. Next, trace the CD on the felt and cut out the shape. Glue the felt to the back of your CD to prevent it from sliding on smooth surfaces. That’s it! Home decor was never so easy!
5. Shoe bracelets
Chances are, you probably have extra old running shoes that you haven’t worn in years! Repurpose the shoelaces into a trendy bracelet!
Find two shoelaces of different colours and fold both shoelaces a few inches away from the aglet. The formation of the bracelet involves inserting one looped shoelace into the second looped shoelace to make the weaving pattern. Repeat the process until the pattern is long enough to fit around your wrist. Finally knot both ends of the bracelet. Now you have a stylish bracelet! How much did it cost? Not a single cent!
So the next time you have old household items that you are just dying to get rid of, try one of these super easy and fun ideas to turn your household items into art!
Humber's Office of Sustainability 