Decorating for Christmas using Upcycled Items
It’s that magical time of year again! Everybody wants to decorate their home in a personalized fashion. What better way to do that than to use items from around your house to decorate? We all have things that we want to throw out. But, what if we took those items and turned them into one-of-a-kind decorations that will be a conversation topic when friends and family come to visit? Here are a few ideas to turn your trash into unique decorative items.
Snowflakes: I’m pretty sure that every house has a puzzle or two that are missing pieces. We don’t want to throw out the puzzle because we “might” find those pieces. But, eventually, we don’t find those pieces and we want to throw them in the trash. Instead of throwing it away, take the pieces that do not have straight edges, paint them white, glue one end (of appx. 6 puzzle pieces) together. Use a ball of tinfoil, it should have the shiny side out and only be big enough to place on the notch of the puzzle piece where they are all connected. Now you have a snowflake. Dangle them from your ceiling for an added touch to your indoor winter wonderland.
Outdoor lights: This is a beautiful way to light your walkway during the Christmas season or when you’re having a party. Simply take old mason jars, pour in a half a cup of Epsom salt, and place a votive candle in the middle of the salts. Line them up and light them for a unique luminous edition to your outdoor entryway.
Do you have a deck of cards that is missing a few? Don’t throw them out! If so, you can still use the cards you have to decorate! Take the cards and build a unique wreath for your window.
Do you have an old Scrabble game laying around the house? I’ll bet over the years you’ve lost a few letters. If you’re thinking about throwing this out, think again! You can use the remaining letters. Simply glue them together to spell the names of people on your Christmas list. Attach the name by a ribbon to their gift for an added decoration that they will be sure to cherish.
There are a million ways to enhance your Christmas atmosphere. All you have to do is look around your house, find the things that you are willing to part with, then repurpose them. Everyone enjoys things that they don’t see every day. Breakaway from the common and ordinary and upcycle your decorations this year. When friends and family come to visit you, your one-of-a-kind items will be a hot topic. This is a great way to get people interested in the upcycling movement & a more sustainable future for our environment.
Looking for more tips on how to reduce waste? Follow Kelsey Rumburg for regular updates and ideas!