Upcycling Fabric Scraps

Fabric scraps just show up everywhere—inside that box in the closet, under the bed, in a pencil pouch that’s mostly thread and a movie ticket. I want to throw them out, but then I need to patch my dog’s sweater—so, yeah, they stick around.

People keep saying “make a quilt!” I never finish. Hair scrunchies, though, those happen. Sometimes I tie scraps up for gift tags. Little squares become coasters, but coffee ruins them. I glued fabric to cardboard once for bookmarks—worked, kinda.

I tried making cat toys out of fabric balls. My cat ignored them and now they’re under the couch with that mystery sock. A friend uses scraps as padding in zipper bags. Honestly, it’s lumpier than poly-fill but whatever.

• Common Uses for Fabric Scraps:
  • Hair scrunchies
  • Gift wrap ties
  • DIY bookmarks
  • Quilt patches
  • Makeshift padding for zipper organizers

Innovating With Cardboard and Paper

There’s always a box in the recycling—Amazon, shoes, cereal, whatever. I tore one up for a phone stand, then used another to prop up a wobbly table. Everyone here hoards paper “just in case,” but when I need a notepad, they’re all gone.

Cardboard tubes? Pencil holders. Unfold a box and, boom, “robot costume” for a nephew who refuses to wear it. I tried making a wall organizer out of cereal boxes and tape—it fell down and I found confetti for weeks.

I duct-taped boxes together for a magazine holder. It lasted until humidity warped it into a modern art disaster. Some people make dollhouses, but mine always collapse. Cardboard swords? Fold in half instantly. Classic.

Simple Ideas for Cardboard/Paper:

Repurposing Tin Cans and Containers

Tin cans are a pain. I tried making a cutlery holder with twine—glue everywhere, hands sticky for days, and I swear the table’s still stained. Soup cans, coffee cans, hot chocolate tins—they just show up. Punch holes in them for lanterns? Sure, if you like sharp edges.

I made a zipper container with a tuna can lid. The zipper vanished, but the jar’s still here. Used a can for paintbrushes once, but it rusted and stained the shelf. Now there’s a dish towel scrap under it. Lazy, but it works.

Coffee cans? They pile up. I meant to use them for planters, but forgot drainage holes. Now they’re just soggy dirt. You can paint them, glue rope, stick magnets on for fridge storage. But if you skip checking for inner rims, you’ll cut your fingers every time.

• Common Upcycling Ideas:
  • Cutlery holders (file down the edges, seriously)
  • Planters for herbs (drainage holes, don’t forget)
  • Bathroom supply containers
  • Tool caddies for gardening or art stuff
  • Lanterns (if you’re patient and have a hammer)

DIY Planters, Vases, and Plant Pots

It’s honestly ridiculous how fast junk piles up. I grabbed three empty coffee cans, tripped over a plastic bin, and now every flat surface is a “planter area,” even the spot meant for laundry. Scraps everywhere, but at least the plants are alive. Sort of. No one asks if I washed the yogurt tub first and, honestly, I don’t remember.

Making Unique Planters

My kitchen counter’s basically a dumping ground for “planters.” Buckets, chipped mugs, glass jars with weird smells—if it’s deep enough, I’ll try it. Spray paint hides, like, half the disasters. Laundry bins? Add rope handles and suddenly they’re “statement pieces.”
I once shoved a tall tin can into a stretched-out tee shirt sleeve, cinched it with a zip tie (not even straight), and my sister just stared. Avant-garde? Sure, okay.
People online slap jute or yarn on busted plastic with glue. I don’t know if that’s safe for plants, but it looks cool in photos. Anything with a lip sits on my windowsill, except that dumb square pasta box that’s always falling behind the radiator.
Hot glue’s my go-to for sticking stuff, but, yeah, it doesn’t fix weird smells. Learned that after a peanut butter jar incident. Gross.

List: Random Planter Base Materials

• Coffee cans
• Tall buckets
• Laundry soap bottles (weirdly sturdy)
• Large yogurt tubs
• Solo cups

Decorative Vases From Recycled Materials

Empty glass bottles pile up fast. Some have ridges, some are squat and diner-y. I almost torched my hand melting wax out of an old candle jar, but now it holds sad basil. Olive oil bottles? Honestly, they look fancy with one flower jammed in.
If I had more patience, I’d glue broken CDs on one. Instead, I usually just slap stickers or tape at odd angles. The last time I tried to get fancy, my cat knocked it over anyway.
Tall plastic bottles (lemonade, water) work for flowers if they’re clean and not stinky. Color schemes? Nah, I just grab what’s not sticky.
Whenever I try lining these up for a “centerpiece,” it turns into a lopsided parade—some painted, some wrapped in newsprint, whatever I had on hand.

Quick Steps Table—Bottle to Vase:

Plant Pots With a Personal Touch

I’m into using chipped bowls or lopsided mugs for plants. Makes my window look like a flea market, but in a good way?
Once, I covered a ramekin in Sharpie doodles. Wanted “boho,” got “math test.”
My cousin taped a family photo onto a clay pot, and now the spider plant’s eating her uncle’s head. Didn’t plan that.
Cut-out cereal box letters for labels—works, if you don’t care about glue blobs. Rope-wrapped planters? Mine unraveled halfway, but hey, still holds dirt.
I hot-glued magnets onto little tins, stuck succulents on the fridge. Absolutely not dishwasher-safe, but people notice and laugh.

Ways I’ve personalized pots:

• Marker doodles (mixed results)
• Glued-on fabric or denim bits
• Family photos, usually crooked
• Old badges or brooches
• Band stickers from high school