Whether you’re a frugal homeowner or a major tree-hugger, you may be amazed at the infinite possibilities that come with reducing reusing, and recycling. There are countless items in your home that can be repurposed after no longer serving their primary function. Now’s a better time than ever to cut down on your household waste and get your home organized. Here are just a few sustainable and space-saving DIY projects that may be right for you.
Laundry Soap Dispenser
A 2017 Unilever study found that 33% of consumers, or one in three, prefer to choose brands that support social or environmental causes. That being said, there’s far too much plastic being used in disposable ways. If you’ve ever dealt with a huge tub of detergent, you know how messy it can get — not to mention, awkward to handle. You can avoid buying them completely by keeping your detergent in mason jars instead. It’s as easy as drilling a hole toward the bottom of the mason jar, adding a dispenser attachment, and labeling it, as shown on HomeTalk. Of course, to avoid buying plastic detergent completely, you’ll have to make your own detergent. Wellness Mama has several ‘recipes’ to choose from. You should also keep in mind that U.S. e-commerce revenue is about $423.3 billion, so if you can’t find the right size or type of mason jars in the store, you can choose from countless varieties online.
Suitcase Side Table
Not everyone has a vintage suitcase lying around, but if you do, this is the DIY project for you. The only other things you’ll need are the legs from an old or broken coffee table. Once you screw the table legs into the suitcase, you’re left with a beautiful and one of a kind piece of furniture that can hold both storage and decor. Check out the official instructions, provided by The Weathered Door.
In a survey of over 2,000 consumers, 67% of respondents agreed with the statement, “A lot can be said about a person from the furniture s/he owns.” Bring this innovative project to life and show everybody how much of a traveler at heart you truly are.
Jean Pocket Organizer
If you have old jeans that you’ve simply outgrown but are otherwise wearable, it’s often best to donate them to charity. But if they’re ripped or have become unwearable, collect them for this stylish DIY accessory holder. You essentially cut out the pockets from your old jeans and sew them up like a quilt. From there, you can store anything from sunglasses, to jewelry, keys, headphones, and countless other trinkets.
“First, you cut out pockets from your jeans front and back. Also, cut out the waistbands from your jeans…Arrange your jeans pockets how you want them, in four rows of four. Sew the four pockets in each row together and then the four rows together…Use either a branch or a wooden pole threaded through the loops to hang your pocket organizer from,” writes Claire on HomeTalk.
Shipping Container Pool
Finally, some 11 million unused shipping containers around the world could potentially be used for a variety of purposes. If you’re able to get your hands on one, a shipping container is actually an innovative and low-cost pool solution for many homeowners on a budget. This is more of a general home improvement project than an organization tip. That being said, it’s definitely a larger scale project. But as long as you have the backyard space, you can customize your shipping container pool in many ways.
“People are living in them, why not go swimming in them as well?” writes the Winnipeg Free Press.
Ultimately, the sky is the limit when it comes to reusing household items and materials in innovative ways. Happy organizing!
