Recently, I had the desire to flip around my house. I wanted a fresh look and new decor. However, trying to live minimalist and low waste, I figured shopping for new items wasn’t the answer. It was time to get creative.

I found some fun ways to update my decor, plants, and house without having to buy anything. I’m hoping this post will give you some fun inspiration and ideas to try at your house!

boxes

Boxes are some of the easiest items to get creative with! We acquire boxes in all kinds of different ways such as online shopping, birthdays, holidays, or moving.

Recently, my son had a birthday, and shortly after that was Christmas. It’s safe to say we had a hefty pile of boxes. Rather than just recycling them, I thought it’d be a fun and creative challenge to find a new purpose for these boxes throughout our home.

Here are 2 ideas I have come up with!

This was our vacuum box. We had gotten a new, larger vacuum and the box was in great shape! All I did was throw some color-coordinated blankets on top and voila! A plant stand with room for more.

This was the box for my son’s kitchen set and grocery store set. All we used was a box cutter, poster board, and some Dollar Tree tape. We had a blast adding whatever he could think of!

blankets

Most people I know have an abundance of blankets. I, for one, am guilty. I can’t use the absurd number of blankets I have at once, so why not put them to use in other ways?

There’s an area in our living room where my son loves to play. He has a basket of his favorite blocks and a floor piano to walk on and play. However, with him playing in that area daily, I needed to do something about the switches and outlets on the wall.

These switches and outlets were unused but I still wanted to remove the temptation. This is where I decided to use one of my blankets! After filling the outlets with safety covers, I tacked our blanket on the wall, using heavy-duty tacks. It brought a creative texture to the space while serving a great purpose.

You can also try blankets as a throw or cover for furnishings. They can easily add a new look to any stand, box, shelf, chair, etc…

hats & headbands

We usually have just as many hats or headbands as we do blankets. And again, I’m also guilty of this. Whether a gift, a sale, or headbands from high school, there’s no way I could wear them all.

I also had some plant pots I wanted to change up to match their new locations in my house. So, put the two together and you have a great solution!

I wrapped the headbands or hat around the pot, and it gave me exactly what I needed. A fresh, new look without spending a penny. Give it a try and share your pictures below!

This was an old beret from high school I was never going to wear again. However, I loved the crochet pattern and fabric, so I didn’t want to get rid of it. I also wanted my pot to be black to match the kitchen and plant stand. Rather than buying a new pot or letting the hat just sit around, I decided to make it a pot cover.

These are old headbands that don’t work for my hair type. Again, I love the pattern and fabric, so I didn’t want to get rid of it. They were another easy way to make a pot cover.

Inspiration

I believe it’s important we don’t rely solely on ‘recycling’ but become conscious consumers and get creative with our waste. There are endless ways we can reuse a lot of our packaging from items.

My intention is for you to get the inspiration you’re looking for to create. Low waste is a lifestyle that gives you endless opportunities to reuse and re-purpose easily and affordably.