How to turn old trash into new treasure

Are you looking for an eco-friendly hobby or simply don’t want to waste old goods? Forget buying new goods - do yourself and the environment a favour and keep your old waste! This doesn’t mean getting old junk out of the dumpster - you can save old items and transform them into new pieces that can be enjoyed for years to come.

With bin hire in Moorabbin, Beaumaris, Dandenong and across Melbourne a popular way for getting rid of trash, people often forget to consider keeping the items they put in these bins before they get taken off to landfill! But there is so much you can do with your older household items that make it so they don’t simply become eco-unfriendly trash.

By following the three Rs: reuse, repair and refurbish, you will be saving quality household items from the trash and doing your budget a favour, too.

Reuse old products

People have started to get more into recycling and reusing old products in recent times, and this can only be a good thing! People used to think that once an item had run its original course that it no longer needed to stay in the house - but this couldn’t be further from than truth.

Many household items can easily be repurposed, for example:

• * Bed sheets and linen can be reused for pet beds and painting drop sheets.

• * Old office containers can be reused for storage purposes in closets and under beds.

• * Excess rocks and dirt can be used for ongoing landscaping projects.

• * Renovation waste can be used for later landscaping jobs.

• * Extra timber and wood can be used to build storage shelving.

• * Old tree branches can be used for decorating purposes and art projects.

• * Christmas lights can be used as fairy lights in the garden.

• * Broken glass and dishes can be used for decorations and crafts.

Repair old items

If you’ve broken something it doesn’t necessarily have to go in the tip - you can simply repair it! Yes, today most household items are easily replaceable, but it doesn’t mean you have to go spending on these items. By repairing old household items, you can save the cost of a waste solution as well as money on old items.

Therefore, if you break something, you can see if you simply have to replace its parts or components. An awesome example of something repairable is a white good: people tend to go buy new dishwashers or washing machines as soon as they incur a fault - they might just need new parts. Installing a new washing machine part in one of these items saves you from spending all that money on a new appliance as well as the costs of getting rid of such an appliance.

Refurbish old furniture

You may be going for a new style in your living room, bedroom or any other room where furniture sits, but wait! You don’t have to throw out that old furniture just yet - you can refurbish it and give it a new lease on life. While furniture moves with fashion and you might find your old furniture is dated, restoring it can give it a new freshness that means not having to buy an expensive new piece. A few alterations and a bit of handiwork can really give old furniture a new look and is perfect for creating new and unique styles that add plenty of character to the home.