Create Home Accessories from Discarded Items

Reusing and recycling are two keys to green living. Before you throw anything away, give careful thought as to how the item might still be used. In some cases, donating unwanted items to charity is the best approach. You could also consider selling the item in a garage sale or on an online auction site. However, if the item is broken or too worn to be used in its normal fashion, you might need to get a bit creative in order to find a new use for it.

Fortunately, there are many different kinds of home accessories that can be created from discarded items. By using items in this fashion, not only will you reduce waste, but you can also gain some decorative and useful items for your home for little or even no cost. Always give some careful thought to any item before you discard it. Many times you will be able to think of new and creative uses for it.

Utilizing Scrap Fabrics
Fabric scraps can be used in many different ways to create home decorating accessories. You can utilize worn or damaged clothing, old bed linens, towels, and anything else made from fabric for this purpose. If you know how to sew, you can make many different items from fabric scraps, such as pillows, quilts or even window curtain toppers. However, even if you don't sew, you can cut up old clothing and linens to create dust cloths and rags, which will also help to prevent the needless use of paper towels. For those who enjoy crafts, scrap fabrics can also be used in a number of ways, such as creating a braided rug from discarded clothing.

Using Paper Scraps
Most households generate a lot of paper scrap. If this excess paper is still good on one side, such as is often the case with junk mail and used printer or notebook paper, you can make attractive and useful notepads for your home. Simply use a paper cutter or scissors to chop the paper up into uniform pieces, stapling them together at the top to form a pad. You can embellish your paper pads however you wish, such as using an ink pad and stamp to add an attractive design. Then, keep one of these notepads beside the telephone, on the family bulletin board, or in any other location where you frequently need to write things down. This will allow you to get double-duty from your used paper, while preventing the use of new paper for notes.

If you enjoy arts and crafts, you could also investigate methods of making your own paper from paper scraps. This generally involves using a blender to create a paper and water mixture from the discarded paper. This slurry is then poured over a framed screen so that the water can drain, after which you can allow the new sheet of homemade paper to dry. This paper is often very decorative and can be used in a number of creative ways as part of your home decor.