How to make decor items at home with waste materials

Dr Meenu Kumar

Turning useful and aesthetic decor items from the waste available around you instead of throwing them are the best way of using them. Furthermore, the initiative for waste management should begin at home, and the mantra of 3 R’s, i.e., reduce, reuse and recycle, should be followed to minimise the quantity of waste that goes to the landfill. Most importantly, it is a great idea to reuse the waste as it will help the environment to get refreshed and experience a reduced carbon footprint. Also, all these can be used in a creative way to spruce up the interiors. Well, you can reuse things and decorate your home with the help of these creative waste craft ideas.

Bottle craft artwork
Instead of discarding empty glass bottles, one can reuse them for creating a beautiful home décor and transform them into a vase, a showpiece, or a table lamp. Glass bottles can be made more attractive by decoupage, which is the art of adorning a surface with paper cut-outs and covering it with varnish or adhesive.
To make this beautiful decor item, all you need is coloured paper, strong adhesive, a flat brush or maybe some colours, as you can also paint the bottle with beautiful patterns. Sand and small shells can be placed into clear or coloured glass bottles, and adding some coloured fairy lights will create a sparkling effect.

A vertical garden of plastic bottles
You can grow plants at home using recycled plastic bottles. Use the cut-down bottle as a miniature planter after painting it. With plastic bottles in various shapes, create a tiny vertical garden on the balcony or by the kitchen window. Pick plastic containers that can support the weight of water, plants, and soil. For drainage, drill a few holes at the bottom. Choose a location that receives enough sunshine. To hang the bottles on the wall, construct some shelves or a grid of wire mesh.

Reuse tin box as a kitchen organiser or planter
Nowadays, many food items, including chocolates, cookies, and sweets (rasgullas), come packed in tin cans. To keep the kitchen organised, you can reutilize those tins as organizers. After cleaning, you can either spray-paint the tin or embellish it with lace, wasabi tape, coloured papers, cloth, or coir. Use the colourful tin box to store small spice packets, knives, utensils, scissors, and more. You can also reuse these tin cans as an indoor planter.

Pebbles doormat
Select miniature rocks that match the hues of the walls tiles. These stone pellets can be stacked on an old doormat using high-quality adhesive. Leave no gaps between them while arranging them closely next to one another. For the most comfort, pick flat pebbles.

Recycle an old tray to wallboard or decorative tray
Use your old trays to create appealing message boards and to-do lists for the kitchen. Cover an old tray with a cloth or a cork sheet. Furthermore, you can also hang a metal tray with paper sheets.
Old serving dishes can be painted with geometric or floral patterns. The tray can also be decorated with pre-made stencil stickers. The tray can be embellished with mosaic tiles or patterned textiles, beads as finishing touches, and lamination. Additionally, if you are a talented artist, you may paint a lovely picture on the tray and put it on display in your living room or bedroom.