DIY Project Ideas to Repurpose Unwanted Stuff at Home

Shannon Quinn - April 29, 2022
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DIY Project Ideas to Repurpose Unwanted Stuff at Home

Everyone has unwanted stuff lying around their house in the attic or garage. But what if you could transform them with a DIY project to repurpose them into something brand new? Here are some amazing projects gathered from the internet of people who repurposed something old into something new.

This antique ladder was transformed into a bookshelf. Credit: Old House Crazy

40. Antique Ladder Bookshelf

This craft from Old House Crazy is an antique ladder that they had lying around the backyard for years. They had originally gotten it from a friend, hoping that they would one day figure out a proper use for it. This seems to happen to a lot of crafters, because they know that one day, inspiration will strike. One day, they had the spark of an idea to turn it into a rustic bookshelf. A shelf like this would be perfect in a house that was already filled with Farmhouse decor. If you want to see the tutorial on how to make this, check out Old House Crazy.

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39. Thermos Lamp

Check out this kitschy Thermos lamp made by House of Hawthornes. Making a lamp is easier than you might imagine. All you need is a make-a-lamp kit from Westinghouse, a drill bit, grommets, and safety glasses. The end result is a unique lamp that would like great in a little boy’s bedroom, or in an office space with other kitschy things. The maker thought that it would look great with camping gear, but they just can’t plug it in because they’re outside! If you’d like to see the full tutorial on how to make this, check out House of Hawthornes.

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Credit: Maker Mamma

38. Thrifted Clock Redo

A blogger called Maker Mama decided to take discarded items from a thrift store and repurpose them into a brand new retro style clock. Firstly, she took the hands out of an existing clock. Secondly, she found a blue pot lid. By removing the handle, she was able to install the clock function onto the back of the pot lid. In the end, it made a smooth, retro looking clock finish. If you would like to see the full tutorial on how to make this clock, check out Maker Mama.

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Salvaging a few pieces around the house turned into a magazine rack. Credit: Salvaged Spaces

37. DIY Magazine Racket

A magazine rack can be a great place to store your magazines in the living room next to your sofa. This blogger from Salvaged Spaces created a magazine rack out of old tennis rackets, a picture frame for the tabletop and a few pieces of wood from an old crate. We just love the end result. If you would like to see the full tutorial on how to make this magazine rack, check out Salvaged Spaces.

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Instead of throwing an old fan away, this blogger turned it into a mail holder.Credit: Redoit Yourself Inspirations

36. Industrial Mail Holder

A blogger from Redo It Yourself Inspirations had a favorite fan that they used for about two years before the motor burned out. Instead of throwing it away, they decided to repurpose the metal to make an industrial style mail holder. All they needed to do was take everything apart and remove the fan’s wiring. Next, they cut the fan with a metal blade. Once that was done, they used black spray paint to complete the project. If you would like to see the full tutorial on how to make this mail holder, check out Redo It Yourself Inspirations.

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These luminaries are a quick and easy way to repurpose glass jars. Credit: Crafts by Amanda

35. Doily Luminaries

Putting lights in jars is nothing new. But these beautiful luminaries are covered in doilies, which cascade shadows and patterns across the room. These are very easy to make. All you need are glass jars, adhesive spray, crocheted doilies, burlap, ribbon, and twine to finish it off. If you would like to see the full tutorial on how to make these luminaries, check out Crafts By Amanda.

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Old suitcases have been cut down to make shelving units on this wall. Credit: Manmade DIY

34. Vintage Suitcase Shelves

This next project would actually be expensive to do, unless you just so happen to have a lot of vintage suitcases lying around your attic. They have been cut down to make shelves which hang on the wall. The end result looks sort of like a gallery wall. If you’d like to see the full tutorial on how to make this, check out Manmade DIY.

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A basket stand was made from a hanging basket. Credit: Hearth and Vine

33. Basket Stand Made From Hanging Basket

A crafter from Hearth and Vine desperately needed some organization for her office space. So she bought a three tiered hanging fruit basket from Amazon. Then, she took it apart, and used some parts from Ace Hardware to assemble it into a standing basket organizer. Lastly, she spray painted the metal white, which gave it a beautiful finishing touch. If you’d like to see the full tutorial on how to make this, check out Hearth and Vine.

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These old shutters were repurposed into bathroom shelves. Credit: Simplicity in the South

32. Repurposed Shutters Bathroom Shelf

This next project was inspired by a shutter shelf being sold for $259.00 out of a Ballard Designs catalog. A crafty blogger from Simplicity in the South figured out how to do this project for just $7. The end result is an adorable bathroom shelf that fits in perfectly with a rustic Farmhouse designed home. If you’d like to see the full tutorial on how to make this, check out Simplicity in the South.

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This drum set was repurposed into a DIY chandelier. Credit: Instructables

31. Drum Set Chandelier

A man named Icabod’s wife asked him if he could make her a drum set chandelier, so he decided to make her dreams come true. Taking apart an old drum set, he welded together metal pieces from guitar stands and other parts of the drum set to assemble the light fixture that you see in the photo above. If you’d like to see the full tutorial on how to make this, check out what Icabod uploaded to Instructables.

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An old acoustic guitar was given a new life as a shelf. Credit: Instructables

30. Guitar Shelf

Musicians out there may cringe, because it’s a sin to destroy a guitar. However, sometimes, guitars are so damaged that there’s not much left you can do to save them. That’s where a project like this comes on. Someone decided to hollow out the guitar and turn it into a small set of shelves complete with LED lighting. If you’d like to see the full tutorial on how to make this, check out Instructables.

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Tins were repurposed into miniature kitchen organizers. Credit: eHow

29. Mini Kitchen Organizers

What do you do with leftover spice tins? Chances are, you throw them out or toss them in the recycle bin. But here’s a DIY project that you just might get behind. By cleaning out these spice tins and adding magnets to the back, they become a set of adorable kitchen organization boxes. They’re just big enough to hold a pair of scissors, bottle opener, pens, and more. If you’d like to see the full tutorial on how to make this, check out eHow.

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This collection of coffee cans was repurposed into a DIY wine rack. Credit: Brit Co

28. Coffee Can Wine Rack

Do you have a lot of old coffee cans lying around? Or maybe you drink coffee enough to start collecting them. This is a cute DIY project transforming coffee cans into a wine rack. All you need to do is cut out the backs and paint them so that you cover up the labels. Then, you need to attach them all together. If you’d like to see the full tutorial on how to make this, check out Brit Co.

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An old stepladder is repurposed into a side table shelving unit in this bedroom. Credit: Funky Junk Interior

27. Stepladder Side Table

Here is yet another way you can use an old ladder in your home. This blogger took an old antique wooden ladder and transformed it into a side table. This is perfect to have next to the bed, because you have space to put your stuff in the middle of the next. As you can see in the photo, they use it to hold their laptop, and a book to read at night. The higher shelves are used to show off some of their decor pieces. If you’d like to see the full tutorial on how to make this, check out Funky Junk Interiors.

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Credit: Idea Room

26. DIY iPad Holder

If you love cooking, you’ve probably found recipes online. Using your iPad in the kitchen has become commonplace, but it can cause trouble if you don’t have a stand. Bloggers over at The Idea Room came up with this idea to transform a cutting board into an adorable DIY iPad holder just for the kitchen. If you’d like to see the full tutorial on how to make this, check out The Idea Room.

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An adorable colander pendant lamp DIY. Credit: HandiMania

25. Colander Pendant Lamp

Most people have a colander in their kitchen to strain the water out of pasta. But have you ever imagined turning it into something more? Bloggers over at Handi Mama turned a metal colander into a pendant lamp. Making it is actually a lot easier than you would imagine. If you’d like to see the full tutorial on how to make this, check out Handi Mania.

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An old washing machine was transformed into a backyard fire pit. Credit: Instructables

24. DIY Backyard Fire Pit

This next project may be out of reach for most people, unless you just so happen to have a scrapped washing machine lying around. Firstly, they removed the drum from the washing machine. Secondly, they added legs, and painted the entire thing with metal safe paint. The end result is a personalized fire pit for the backyard. If you’d like to see the full tutorial on how to make this, check out Instructables.

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Wooden coat hangers were repurposed into an adorable little coffee table. Credit: Buzzfeed

23. Mini Coffee Table Out of Coat Hangers

Have any old wooden coat hangers lying around the house? With a piece of wood, brackets, nuts, and screws, you could be the proud owner of a tiny coffee table. These wooden hangers can sometimes be found at thrift stores, too. Don’t be afraid to ask the front desk at Goodwill if they’re available from donations. If you’d like to see the full tutorial on how to make this, check out Buzzfeed.

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Badminton rackets were turned into a set of mirrors. Credit: Pepper Box Couture

22. DIY Mirrors

Mirrors are a great accessory to hang on the wall, because the reflection makes a room look bigger, and it ultimately bounces more light around the room. So this DIY project making mirrors out of badminton rackets is brilliant, especially for a young boy’s bedroom. If you don’t have old rackets lying around the house, they should be easy to find at your local thrift store. If you’d like to see the full tutorial on how to make this, check out Pepperbox Couture.

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This wire basket was turned into an end table. Credit: HGTV

21. Wire Basket End Table

Looking for a fancy end table to put in your bedroom? Consider doing this DIY project from HGTV. They took a wire waste basket and spray painted it gold before attaching a marble topper. The end result looks like an expensive table you might pay $50 for, but the cost of this project probably cost a lot less. If you’d like to see the full tutorial on how to make this, check out HGTV.

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Credit: Homeroad

20. DIY Jewelry Display

When you look at this jewelry display, it looks like something you would buy out of a luxury home decor store. But in reality, it was assembled from several pieces of broken furniture. They nailed the broken pieces together and covered it in mud paint, followed by chalk paint. The end result is an antique-looking piece that you might assume had been like that for decades. If you’d like to see the full tutorial on how to make this, check out Homeroad.

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These cute ceramic bells are a great DIY project. Credit: The House that Lars Built

19. Ceramic Bells

This next project, ceramic bells, was a trend going around people on Pinterest who are into ceramics. It’s totally possible to do this project as a DIY, even if you don’t know how to use a kiln. After collecting ceramic cups at flea markets, he assembled a collection that looked cohesive together. Then he used a ceramic drill bit to poke a hole through the bottom of the cups, and attached wooden beads. The end result is an adorable holiday decoration that can actually stay up all year round. If you’d like to see the full tutorial on how to make this, check out The House that Lars Built.

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Credit: WikiHow

18. Bicycle Rim Clock

Have an old bicycle lying around the garage? Or maybe you found a bike by the garbage, and couldn’t help but rescue it for your DIY projects. This idea is to create a clock out of a bicycle rim. It might look cool in a man cave, or on display in a game room. If you’d like to see the full tutorial on how to make this, check out WikiHow.

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An old record was transformed into a small side table. Credit: The Flourishing Abode

17. Record Side Table

All you need to make this project is a planter stand, a vinyl LP record, and a glue gun. That’s all it takes to make an adorable record side table. Just keep in mind that you’re going to ruin this record forever, because it’s never going to play again. Most thrift stores will have an entire section of vinyl records, so it should be easy to find an album that won’t be missed. If you’d like to see the full tutorial on how to make this, check out The Flourishing Abode.

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These mugs were reused as a cup organizing unit. Credit: Home Road

16. Enamel Cup Organizer

Most households have too many mugs. So you can use them in this DIY enamel cup organizer project. If you want all of the mugs to match, check out Dollar Tree. They have a huge selection of mugs and cups for just $1.25 each. The end result looks great for a Farmhouse kitchen, where you can keep little odds and ends. If you’d like to see the full tutorial on how to make this, check out The Homeroad.

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15. Rustic Window Picture Frame

Just in case you ever come across some old windows, you might want to consider turning them into rustic picture frames. Jamielyn Nye over at The Inspiration Board printed out a picture of her kids to fit the size of the window, and it looks perfect on top of the mantle piece. She said it was one of the easiest DIY projects she has ever done! If you’d like to see the full tutorial on how to make this, check out The Inspiration Board.

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A collection of old denim jeans became a pocket organizer. Credit: Pillar Box Blue

14. Denim Pocket Organizer

Kids grow up quickly, and jeans are one of those things that can be difficult to part with. After all, jeans can be expensive, and they’re often still in great shape even after your kids have grown out of them. Bloggers at Pillar Box Blue came up with this project to cut out the pockets of old jeans and turn them into a denim pocket organizer. This would look great hanging in a child’s bedroom where they can stash all of their favorite things. If you’d like to see the full tutorial on how to make this, check out Pillar Box Blue.

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A cute picture frame is being used as a key holder. Credit: Photo Lini

13. DIY Key Board

Do you tend to lose your keys? Then you might want to have a key organizer set up somewhere in your home. This one looks easy to make, all you need is a picture frame and some hooks to get started. They used wrapping paper for the polka dot backdrop, and used putty to apply the antique key to the backdrop. The end result is an adorable place for you to keep your keys by the doorway. If you’d like to see the full tutorial on how to make this, check out Photolini.

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An old chair was turned into a Farmhouse style shelf. Credit: Home Road

12. DIY Farmhouse Chair Shelf

A woman named Susan from a blog called The Home Road took an old chair that her daughter was throwing away, and repurposed it into multiple projects that she could use around the house. This one in particular is using pieces of the chair to create a Farmhouse style shelf. In the end, the shelf is hanging in one of her bedrooms displaying an alarm clock, knick knacks, and a wreath. If you’d like to see the full tutorial on how to make this, check out The Home Road.

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An old wooden bowl was transformed into a unique lampshade. Credit: Make It Yours

11. Repurpose Wooden Bowl Into Lampshade

Making a wooden lampshade might not be on the top of your list when it comes to DIY projects. But having a statement lighting piece in your home can really make a difference when it comes to interior design. A blogger named Fanny Mercier took an ordinary wooden salad bowl and used paint to turn it into a unique lampshade. Of course, you will need to learn how to wire the lamp as well. If you’d like to see the full tutorial on how to make this, check out Make It Yours.

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This old tray was reused as a chalkboard to do list. Credit: Saved by Love Creations

10. Chalkboard Tray To Do List

Are you the sort of person who thrives with a to-do-list? Then you might love this next DIY project. All you need is an old silver tray, chalkboard paint, and chalk. They also used white transfer paper to trace over the text and lines of the to-do list. (This is great if you don’t feel confident in your abilities to write it with a steady hand.) Once this project is done, you can write with a traditional piece of chalk, or find chalk markers somewhere like Michael’s or even Dollar Tree. If you’d like to see the full tutorial on how to make this, check out Saved by Love Creations.

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A baby’s crib was a repurpose project turning it into two toddler’s homeschooling area. Credit: A Little Learning For Two

9. Repurpose a Child’s Cot into a Desk

When you kids grow out of their crib, it can be difficult to let it go. If you’re sure that you’re not having another baby any time soon, it may be a chance to repurpose the furniture into something great for your toddlers. On a blog called A Little Learning For Two, they transformed the old cot into a little table big enough to fit two small chairs. This would be perfect for homeschooling kids, or letting them have a place to do their homework. If you’d like to see the full tutorial on how to make this, check out A Little Learning For Two.

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An old crib spring has a new life was an industrial photo display wall. Credit: Decor and the Dog

8. Instagram Display From Old Crib Spring

If you still have your baby’s old crib up in the attic, it may be time to say goodbye, because its purpose has been fulfilled. (Unless you plan on having more children soon.) Bloggers at Decor and the Dog decided to use the old crib spring as a way to display their photographs. They printed photos from Instagram and used clothes pins to attach them to the metal springs. This would look great with a pre-existing Farmhouse or Industrial decor in your home. Because of projects like this, it makes it easy to repurpose objects into something brand new. If you’d like to see the full tutorial on how to make this, check out Decor and the Dog.

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These old spoons were reused as tea light holders. Credit: Home Road

7. Bent Spoons and Ladles

If you search your local thrift store, it’s very likely that you’ll find old sets of cutlery that people no longer wanted when they moved. This is a clever idea to repurpose old, bent spoons into a Farmhouse style craft. The spoons were screwed onto a piece of wood that had been stained a darker color. Once the spoon is installed, it can be used as a tea light holder. If you’d like to see the full tutorial on how to make this, check out Home Road.

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A baby’s crib was turned into a bench for the front porch. Credit: 2 Little Hooligans

6. Baby Crib Turned Into Porch Daybed

Here is yet another idea on how to repurpose your child’s crib into something new. This DIY project is rather simple and straight-forward. Just remove one side of the crib, and you can turn it into a porch bench. Add throw pillows with indoor-outdoor fabric as a nice touch. You may also want to re-upholster the mattress with a good indoor-outdoor fabric as well, because you want to make sure everything in your new project is protected from the elements. If you’d like to see the full tutorial on how to make this, check out 2 Little Hooligans.

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A vintage suitcase was transformed into a small chair. Credit: See Kate Sew

5. DIY Vintage Suitcase Chair

Do you have a vintage suitcase lying around and you’re not sure how to use it? Check out this cute idea from See Kate Sew. By adding legs and a cushion to the suitcase, you suddenly get an adorable little chair. Obviously, this would only work as a child’s chair, because it’s so low to the ground. Or it may even become a little piece of furniture for an American Girl Doll. Either way, it’s a clever way to repurpose something old into something new. If you’d like to see the full tutorial on how to make this, check out See Kate Sew.

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An old tire was repurposed into a beautiful wreath full of flowers. Credit: The Craft Patch Blog

4. DIY Tire Wreath

Don’t be deceived, kind viewers, because this project doesn’t exactly repurpose something old into something new. The Craft Patch Blog uses a galvanized metal tire swing circle from Hobby Lobby, which is actually a new project. However, you can use this idea as inspiration to potentially do the same thing on your own. Maybe you have an old tire frame from a bicycle or a yard tool that’s rusting in the shed. You can transform it into a beautiful wreath like this one. If you’d like to see the full tutorial on how to make this, check out The Craft Patch Blog.

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These vintage silver platters are now being used as wall art. Credit: DIY & Crafts

3. Vintage Baking Art Wall

Do you just so happen to have a huge collection of vintage trays? Then this project may be for you. It’s an adorable way to repurpose your objects into a piece of art. Keep in mind that this is actually an expensive project, because some of these pieces may be made of silver. When you go to your local thrift store, check out the houseware section. Over time, you may be able to build a collection like this. If you’d like to see the full tutorial on how to make this, check out DIY & Crafts.

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Credit: Premeditated Leftovers

2. Repurpose a Globe Into a Bowl

Check out this clever way to repurpose an old globe into something new. It was cut in half and turned into a bowl after being placed on a stand. In the photo, you can see that it was used to display Christmas balls. But something like this could be used as decor any time of the year. If you’d like to see the full tutorial on how to make this, check out Premeditated Leftovers.

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This picture frame now holds dangly earrings. Credit: Kevin and Amanda

1. Dangly Earring Frame Display

Last but not least is this adorable picture frame that was transformed into a dangly earring holder. This is a great DIY project, because it can sometimes be difficult to find a place to hang your bigger earrings without them getting tangled in the jewelry box. Firstly, you need is an old picture frame to repurpose. Secondly, you will need some wire to nail on in straight lines. In the end, you’ll have a beautiful frame to hold earrings. If you’d like to see the full tutorial on how to make this, check out Kevin and Amanda.

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