By Guest Blogger Aimee L.
Repurpose Your Old Items into Spring Fun
Photo Credit: coyot, Pixabay
Spring is here, and people around the country are spring cleaning by scrubbing their houses from top to bottom, clearing boxes out of garages, and pulling weeds and winter debris from yards. You’re probably going through stuff that you no longer use or need or have outgrown. Before you haul it off for donation, consider repurposing it. If you think outside the box and add a little paint, you can turn old items into something new and fun.
Cookie Sheet Memo Board
There’s always an area of the home where little papers pile up. The papers get lost in the pile, so the coupons expire, the memos get forgotten, and the receipts are completely disregarded. A memo board is a great place to store these items so that they’re literally in your face. Instead of buying a boring, corkboard-style piece, repurpose an old cookie sheet and create your own memo board.
To start, spray your cookie sheet with a metal primer, adding a fun color of spray paint afterward. Next, you’ll cut a piece of fabric large enough to cover the baking surface of the cookie sheet and use Mod Podge – a popular crafting supply that acts as an all-in-one gluing, sealing, and finishing medium – to secure it to the cookie sheet, allowing it to dry overnight. Lastly, spray a layer of glossy clear paint to the entire board to protect the paint and fabric. Attach your papers with magnets, and you’re done!
Old Bed Spring Reimagined
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If your child has outgrown her crib or toddler bed, don’t toss the bed spring. Instead, use it to make a memo board, a craft supply storage center, or a trellis for your garden. Acting as a trellis, the wire frame allows climbing fruits and vegetables and ivy to weave their way up and through the wiring as they grow. You will need to prime the metal by spraying it with a can of metal primer, and then spray paint it a color of your choosing. This will prevent rusting and make it more aesthetically pleasing. Seal and protect by spraying a coat of glossy clear paint. For more structural support, consider enclosing the bed spring in a wood frame.
To use the bed spring as a craft supply storage center, follow the same steps above. In addition, you’ll need items in which to place your supplies and ways to attach them to the springs. Place pipe repair clamps around glass jars (such as mason jars or old spaghetti sauce jars) and tighten the clamps. These can be secured to the springs using twine or zip ties to store pens, scissors, rulers, and more. Attach wire baskets using S-hooks to store glue, paints, fabric samples, and more. You can also use clothespins on the wires to attach some items, and magnets on the thicker edges to attach notes and other papers.
Dragonflies from Ceiling Fan Blades
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If you have old ceiling fan blades, table legs or spindles lying around – or purchase them at a Habitat for Humanity Restore or Goodwill for just a few dollars – consider creating a dragonfly to hang inside on a wall or outside on a fence or tree. Start by lightly sanding the fan blades and table leg or spindle. Next, use a marker to draw the wing shapes on the ceiling fan blades. Cut along these lines with a scroll saw or jigsaw, wipe the blades with a damp cloth, and allow it to dry.
Now you’re ready to apply primer and paint to the blades and table leg or spindle. Seal the paint and protect your dragonflies using a clear coat of spray paint. A hinge can join two blades together to make wings, as well as join the wings to the body (a table leg). Use drawer pulls, washers, or other hardware to create the eyes, and antenna straps, metal wire, metal plumbing straps, or other strips of metal for the antennas.
There are many other ways you can repurpose cookie sheets, bed springs, and ceiling fans. There are also other items to repurpose like old Tupperware and kids’ toys. With some imagination and a little work, you can repurpose your stuff into fun, bright, and creative spring décor, gifts, storage units, and more. With other items, utilize the right boxes, and you’ll find that your storage situation is much more organized.
Tia, and TipsfromTia.com is trying to keep you looking good and
feeling good, from the inside out. If you’ve got a problem or a tip email me! Be sure to Like and share on Facebook or Follow on Twitter or Instagram
