If you've never heard the buzzword ‘upcycle,’ you’ve probably been off to the moon. The trend of creative reuse is all about transforming products that would otherwise end up in the trash.
Why? Because it’s is a great way to reuse materials and reduce our footprint. Plus, it’s fun and if you're still not convinced, below we have plenty of evidence of people using their skills and ingenuity to give old stuff a new life.
From a handcrafted tote bag made from a bunch of plastic bags to an old grill transformed into a cute herb garden, nothing seems impossible for these handy people. Scroll down, upvote your fave remade objects, and be sure to share your own upcycling ideas in the comments below!
#1 Unused Bags, It's Time To Do Some Handicraft
#2 This Kind Man Is Recycling Old Camp Coolers To Make Warm Kitty Shelters For Winter! How Cool Is This?!
Image credits: Waifer2016
#3 Turned An Old Fan With A Bad Motor Into A Lamp
Image credits: navy_snipe
#4 The School Security Guard Decided To Save The Discarded Benches And Gave Them A Second Life
Image credits: karim.arfa.940
#5 Ultimate Upcycling! Abandoned Car To Airbnb!
Image credits: drawnbyjohn
#6 I Take Plastic Shipping /Bale Straps From Hardware Store Waste, And Make Sturdy, Functional & Fashionable Baskets! (My Cats Also Love Them At Every Stage)
Image credits: lycorisette
#7 My Vintage TV Barn Find Turned Into My New Bar Cart
Image credits: Captain_K_
#8 IKEA Backpack
Image credits: bitanica
#9 Upcycled 3 Old T-Shirts Into 1 New One
Image credits: Bydanielpearce
#10 Pulled Out Of A Trash Heap. It Was One Part Of A Military File Cabinet. Thorough Cleaning, Paint And A Little Shining Up Followed By Wrapping It In Wood From My Scrap Pile. Added Some Legs And Bingo Bango!
Image credits: PigwidgeonWeasley
#11 This Rug Used To Be A Bunch Of Ugly T-Shirts
Image credits: missamericakes
#12 Turned An Old Office Credenza Into A New TV Stand
Image credits: chackzo
#13 IKEA Bags Into Windbreaker
Image credits: bitanica
#14 I Turned An Old Microwave Cart Into A Rolling LEGO Stand For My Daughters For Christmas
Image credits: SweetHeidiJo
#15 I Turned Old Perfume Bottles Into Room Diffusers
Image credits: -ladykitsune-
#16 Made Some Shorts, A Bucket Hat And A Bag All From One Old Jacket
Image credits: Bydanielpearce
#17 A Neighbor Was Giving Away This Kid Size Chest Of Drawers For Free, So I Snagged It And Made It Into A Quarantine Bar
Image credits: caphoto88
#18 I Convinced My Friend To Not Throw Away His Old Fencing And Let Me Build Him Garden Boxes. How Do You Think They Came Out?
Image credits: kingpig2017
#19 Upcycled An Old Candle Lid
Image credits: __coveredbridge
#20 Made A Fairy Succulent Garden Patio Area With A Broken Pot
Image credits: pmolina12
#21 Turned An Old Mannequin Hand And Gold Metal Tray Into A Light! (Not My Idea Originally, I Saw Some Similar Online)
Image credits: milkandket
#22 Repurposed An Old Cable Spool Into A Table For My Zero Waste Store
Image credits: pauley10
#23 Teacup Birdfeeders Made By Me
Image credits: catgoturtongue
#24 Made A Bag For My Mom's Yarn From Old Window Screen
Image credits: DepDerDi
#25 Old Handmade Writing Desk Turned Into A Changing Table For The New Nursery
Image credits: stooshie45
#26 I Repurpoused My Old Grill Into A Small Herb Garden! I Hope All The Seeds Grow Soon
Image credits: Saunterie
#27 Upcycled A Thrifted Suit By Painting On It ! It Took Me About 30 Hours, But I Love The Result
Image credits: Incarnam
#28 Swater Not Won Since 1996 And A Zipper From An Old Bag = Wool Overall For My Kid
Image credits: InsanitySuitsMe
#29 Denim Friends From Old Jeans
Image credits: nycleigh
#30 A Knit A Sweater Made Entirely Of Old /Scrap Yarns I Had Lying Around
Image credits: JadedYarn
#31 I Made This Cosy Pj Set From My Old Blanket And I'm So Happy With The Outcome Since I've Never Made Shorts Before!
Image credits: megjc_1
#32 I Initially Thought This Was A Photo Organizer Or Recipe Card Holder, But It Appears To Be A Floppy Disk Organizer! Anyway, I Fell In Love With Its Little Roll Top At The Thrift Store And Took It Home To Upcycle Into A Charging Station. It’s So Nice To Have A Way To Hide All The Ugly Cables!
Image credits: 360inMotion
#33 A Raincoat For My Dog Made Out Of A Broken Promotional Umbrella (She’s Not Impress)
Image credits: moonkoko
#34 Earrings Who Lost Their Mates Turned Into A Charm Bracelet
Image credits: MartoufCarter
#35 Handpainted Them. Love How These Turned Out!
Image credits: Cocktailforbreakfast
#36 From Ruined Jeans To An Area Rug
Image credits: squirrelandpeanut
#37 Took Two Old Shirts And Made Two New Ones!
Image credits: y_obayashi
#38 Picked Up A Used Cardigan That Turned Out To Look Much Better In The Picture Than In Person, So I Turned It Back To Yarn And Crocheted The Yarn Into A Cat Bed (I Didn't Use A Pattern)
Image credits: couchpotatolady
#39 I Turned An Old Dresser Into A Microwave Stand!
Image credits: shasha_neequa
#40 Repurposed A Diaper Box + Some Contact Paper Into A Little Bookcase For My Son
Image credits: kellyc0417
#41 My Old Favourite Jeans Turned Into A Pen Roll
Image credits: corileahs
#42 A Rose For My Partner On Our Anniversary, Made From Recycled Cutlery
Image credits: ioanese
#43 Update! TV With Cats (And You Can See The Chandelier I Made From An Old Vase)
Image credits: CamrynDaytona
#44 I Needed A Travel Pill Container For A Big Trip. Rather Than Buying One, I Made One Out Of An Old Altoids Tin And An Old Plastic Membership Card
Image credits: toddy951
#45 I Turned My Friend's Old Dress Shirt Into A Crop Top With A Matching Mask And Scrunchie!
Image credits: cassykustoms
#46 The Drink Tray I Got From A Cafe Is A Reused Milk Carton
Image credits: myfacelookslikeafoot
#47 Something I Made From Old Bicycle Parts And Christmas Lights
Image credits: Thebitterestballen
#48 Upcycled Bicycle Wheel
Image credits: AnthonyCrammen
#49 I Turned A 1952 Rca TV Into My New Home Bar
Image credits: megm577
#50 Turned A Thrifted Blanket Into These Ridiculous Sweats
Image credits: dopamiineonline
#51 My Mom Made This Pig Planter
Image credits: paisleysneeze
#52 Repurposed My Old Bike As A Shirt Rack
Image credits: karelpeterseren
#53 A Bed Made Out Of An Old Towel And Stuffing From An Even Older Soft Toy, For My Cat!
Image credits: amrutahd
#54 Vintage Tiny TV Upcycling!
Image credits: drawnbyjohn
#55 I Read That A Lot Of Donated Clothes End Up In Landfills Anyway, So Started Saving Our Old Fabrics/Textiles That Didn’t Seem Nice Enough For Resale. Finally Used Them To Make This Pet Bed!
Image credits: MissJinxed
#56 Got This Pillowcase At A Local Thrift Store For 50 Cents! Flipped It Into A Cute Purse!
Image credits: bananatornado
#57 Bought A Men's Shirt For $3 And Turned It Into A Twin Set!
Image credits: HerRandomOutbursts
#58 Used A Paper Towel Roll, Hot Glue, And Some Leftover Rope From Another Project To Make A Cat Scratcher For My New Kitten
Image credits: perfectplum218
#59 My Neighbour Was Throwing Out An Old Bench. I Gave It A New Lease Of Life
Image credits: aurorasdegus