Many of us need to save money. We have so many expenses each month, that there isn’t always a lot of money left over by the end of the month. Yet, we still want our homes to look nice and maybe even unique. What do we do, when we don’t have that much money to spend? Have you ever thought about repurposing some of the items you all ready have or buying some inexpensive items and doing this with them?
Repurposing what is that? Repurposing can mean taking items you all ready own and finding new, creative uses for them. These uses can be decorative or actually ways in which you will use the product in a different way.
Some people also likes to shop local thrift stores and garage sales looking for items to bring home and repurpose. No, you don’t have to be as talented as Martha Stewart to come up with ideas (although creative people like that will always outdo us normal people). Plus, you don’t have to spend a lot of money in these projects.
Here are some ideas that may get us all started in this repurposing treasure hunt.
Do you have any old iron pots in your household that isn’t use on a daily basis? Maybe the pot is a family heirloom? Here is a few examples on some repurposing ideas for it.
Get an inexpensive pump (like one would use in a fish tank) add some water and pretty rocks. You now have a pretty inexpensive fountain.
Don’t want to get it wet? Use it to store magazines, or in roll towels up in it in the kitchen. (my favorite idea) If you have a fire place use the pot to keep kindling or small logs.
Many people also may have old iron skillets, spoons, ladles and the like. Have you thought how attractive those could be polished up and then hung onto your kitchen walls?
Are you always loosing those small envelopes of gravy mixes and other types of mixes in your cabinets? Here’s an idea. Take a box, a good example would be the box cocoa mixes come in. Tape up the top that was the box’s opening. Turn the box lengthwise and cut off the top (the top is the part that was once the side). Now cover it with some pretty paper. Attach the box to the inside of your cabinet or cabinet door and you have a handy place to keep those envelopes within reach.
Women may really like this idea. Repurposing our clothes. For instance, do you have any outdate of blouses that sparkle? Can you sew? If so, could you turn that into a new handbag for your next dress up occasion? Do you have some leather shoes you like, except of the color? Have you ever thought about polishing them a different color? Do you have any old belts? Maybe some new buckles will jazz them up a bit. You can also change a look of a dress my cutting off the sleeves or cutting them smaller.
What about clothes you don’t wear or some vintage clothing left to you from a deceased loved one? Have you thought about using them instead of letting them hang in your closet or lay in a box? Vintage sweaters and the like can be used as pillow cases. Many sweaters are soft and have pretty decorative buttons and bows on them. Think how pretty they would be in your living room, where you can see them daily.
Do you have any old suitcases? Do you hate to part with them? Now do you have an extra space in your bedroom? Measure the suitcase and either buy or make a table for it. You will want to lay the suitcase flat. The top of the suitcase can still be used as a table. But the suitcase itself can be used to store items you don’t use often, but do occasionally. (special socks, scarves, panty hoses, etc.)
Now do you get an idea what repurposing is? Repurposing has really become popular. There is even a television show called “Junk Brothers” that appears on HGTV. During these shows a set of brothers will pick up thrown out items from people’s homes and then rebuild them and take them back to the previous owners. Of course, the viewers get to see the whole process.
I am not saying all of us can be as creative as the Junk Brothers or Martha Stewart, but with a little time and imagination we may come up with a one or two repurposing projects of our own.
