Recently, I had the desire to flip around my house. I wanted a fresh look and new decor. However, trying to live minimalistic and zero 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 things 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 had 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 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?
There’s an area in our living room in front of the TV where my son loves to play. He has a basket of his favorite blocks and a fun floor piano to walk on and play. However, with my son playing in that area almost daily, I needed to do something about all the switches and outlets on the wall.
These switches and outlets are unused but I still want to remove the temptation. This is where I decided to use one of my blankets! After filling the outlets with safety covers, I simply tacked our blanket on the wall, using heavy-duty tacks. It brought a creative texture to the space while serving a great purpose.
You could also try blankets as a throw or cover for furnishings. Just as in the picture above, with the Spider plant, they can easily add a completely new look to any stand, box, shelf, chair, etc…
Hats & Headbands
Just as we often have an abundance of blankets, we usually have just as many hats and/or headbands. Again, I’m also guilty of this. With how quickly trends change, sales, and gifts there’s no way I could really wear them all.
I had quite a few hats and headbands I no longer had use for, whether they were too worn, or I just didn’t care for them anymore. I also had some plant pots I wanted to change up to match their new locations in my home. 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 new, fresh look without having to spend a penny. This can sound absurd or maybe it’s brilliant. Give it a try then and share your pictures below!
This was an old beret from high school that I was never going to wear again. However, I absolutely 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 table 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 just don’t work for my hair type. With the satin fabric, it would just slide right off my hair and ended up being more of an annoyance than anything. Again, I love the pattern and fabric, so I didn’t want to get rid of it. Another easy way to make a version of a pot cover.
Inspiration
I believe it’s important that we don’t just rely 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 that you are able to get the inspiration you’re looking for to create. Zero waste is a lifestyle that gives you endless opportunities to reuse and re-purpose easily and affordably.
