Repurpose Common Items: DIY Tips and Ideas

The urge to redo our surroundings can be pretty strong. Trends change, color preferences change, and our living spaces change over time.

Whether you consider yourself a DIY professional or just need another idea for a piece of furniture, here are some ideas to help you repurpose common items you may have in your home, apartment or storage.

A Media Armoire

In this age of flat screen TVs which typically hang on the wall, this piece of furniture is going the way of the dinosaurs. Since most media is streamed to TVs in 2017, there isn’t even a need for storing DVDs either.  However, there are numerous possibilities for your media armoire. Consider repurposing into the following:

  • Home Office Area: If you work at home, this could be especially ideal. You can close the doors at the end of your work day and walk away. With a few added shelves, you could easily have enough room for a laptop, printer, file storage, and your office supplies. There are already holes for power cords.
  • Nursery Changing Table: With a simple paint job to match your nursery colors, this is an easy new purpose for your armoire. Add a changing pad and use all the drawers to store diapers and other needed baby supplies.
  • Kitchen Pantry: Many apartments and homes don’t have built-in pantry areas, so this “new” storage could be a lifesaver. Add a few shelves and there’s plenty of room for all of your canned and boxed goods.
  • Kid Hub: Armoires can be the start of many DIY projects for children. Create an art cabinet, a toy cabinet, or even a special dressing station for kids clothes and dress-up costumes!

Old Photo Frames

When you’ve got old photo frames, you probably have an abundance of sizes and textures. Some may be made of wood, plastic, or metal, so you may have lots of options when it comes to putting them to other uses.

  • Make a Key Holder: Take a small solid frame and add a few hanging hooks INSIDE of the frame. Attach the frame to the wall in your entry way!
  • Make a Tray: With a little fabric, hot glue, and a couple of small handles, you can turn an old frame into a tray – a tray with decorative and functional uses! Look for a sturdy frame so that you have enough space to drill in your handles!
  • Earring Storage Display: Take your frame and run some sturdy wire across the back so that you can display all of your hanging earrings. Another option for function and decoration!

Ladders and Scratched Wood Furniture 

With a little bit of sanding, trimming, and paint, scratched wood still has years of life to display! Maybe you have a ladder that isn’t sturdy to use anymore, but don’t worry, it’s still got plenty of display options!

  • Decoupaged Tabletops: If you’ve got a table or desk with lots of scratches on the top that is otherwise sturdy, this can be a great option for you! Using a poster, map, or any papers of your choice, you can cover the table’s imperfections with the help of sand paper and Mod Podge! A little covering up can help your tabletop last even longer!
  • Old Wooden Ladders: These have plenty of life left in them, even if you can’t stand on them anymore! Wooden ladders can be repurposed into standing shoe storage, an upright nightstand, or into a Christmas “tree” – use that ladder to string your lights and hang your ornaments for a simple “tree.” The ladder could also be used as a makeshift mantel to hang Christmas stockings! If it’s sturdy enough, the ladder could be used for shelving in the kitchen, in the garden, or even as a towel rack!
  • Old End Tables: If you have one or more end tables, think about pushing them together to make one large table instead. Or, do you have end tables that have four legs? How about painting that, adding a fun pillow, and making it a bed for your pet?
  • Dresser Drawers: You may have a dresser that is way past it’s prime, but what about the drawers inside? Consider sanding and repainting the drawers to use as storage containers under your bed  – they’re simple to repurpose! The drawers could even be repurposed into garden boxes for your plants outside!

Old Windows

Depending on what type of windows you are using, you have several repurpose options. Some people like to use windows for decorative purposes, but they also have plenty of options for functional repurposing!

  • Build a Room Divider: If you have several windows, they can easily be screwed or chained together to achieve your desired height. Add some heavy duty hooks to your ceiling to hang the windows and you’re set! Keep the glass, stain it if you wish; or remove the glass if it is better for your needs.
  • Make a Collage Photo Frame: Prepare the frame as you’d like with your choice of paint or finish and add brackets so that the window pane can be hung on the wall. Cut pictures to fit into the individual panes and you’ve successfully turned an old window into a collage photo frame.
  • Make a Chalkboard: Paint the frame and prepare the window to hang! Just add a few coats of chalkboard paint and the panes of glass can be used to make a wall chart or calendar – or whatever you might need for your decor!

It’s easy to see that there are so many ways to repurpose common items. All it takes is some paint, a little elbow grease, maybe a few dollars, and just a little bit of your time. Next time you’re ready to makeover your space, just look around at what you have and see what “new” things you can use and repurpose!

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