Our Editors Share Their Favorite Upcycle Hacks!

The strength of Another Existence

Before I even understood what upcycling was, my mother was reusing old toothbrushes to wash hard-to-achieve corners or shoe grooves, and taking advantage of old t-shirts to wash the grimiest messes. Like a youthful girl, oftentimes I had been embarrassed because of it I usually considered to myself, “Why can’t my mother be normal?” I needed her to purchase new cleaning rags or get rid of used toothbrushes immediately. However I realize that my mother was showcasing what true sustainability means-to nurture and take care of something very well that it is lifespan is extended indefinitely.

“Whether it’s born from necessity or conscious sustainability practices, upcycling is one thing a lot of us have a tendency to do without realizing.”

Upcycling is a means of existence that acknowledges the planetary toll our consumer habits (yes, the “environmentally friendly” ones) dress in our limited sources. Today, I’m not only free of my childhood embarrassment however i am motivated to upcycle like my mother does. (And That I aspire to cultivate sustainability into my future daughter’s existence just like my mother did for me personally. ??)

Whether it’s born from necessity or conscious sustainability practices, upcycling is one thing a lot of us have a tendency to do without realizing it. For the team, it comes down to basics, and also the concepts the Good Trade began on. We need to continue building upon the sustainable practice of extending the existence from the goods we consume and cultivate practices that consider our ecological footprint and just how we invest our dollars.

We’d like to learn about your go-to upcycles, too! What sustainable “hacks” are you living by, and do you know the products you want you understood how you can propel right into a second existence? Tell us within the comments below!

  • Annie
  • Creative Assistant

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Certainly one of my personal favorite hacks is repurposing glass candle jars. A year ago, my candle obsession required a are a deep abyss of lingering at-home candlelit dinners. I began accumulating a lot of waxy, but mostly empty, glass jars which i began boiling them (filling all of them with boiling water works too!) and voila, the wax melts off. This enables for that perfect clean, wax- and wickless vessel to keep miscellaneous products throughout the house, much like your favorite looseleaf tea, dry goods, or perhaps a DIY candle!

“Boiling old candle jars enables for that perfect clean, wax- and wickless vessel to keep miscellaneous products throughout the house.Inches

I love to store used french press grounds in stated glass jar to help keep within my shower like a nice smelling exfoliant (mainly in the a.m).

My other favorite upcycle is out to any or all my hopeless romantics or fellow Pisces signs (who find deep sentimental value in all you do). After my second date with my lady, he tucked an email within my bag that incorporated a do it yourself laminated wine label having a handwritten love letter around the back. It had been in the first wine bottle we shared on the first date. I melted right into a puddle, and made the decision I ought to certainly be around this individual. Since that time, we’ve adopted this sentimental keepsake, and every so often, we’ll secretly write new love notes to one another on the rear of wine labels we’ve shared.

It’s a sweet method to tell someone you love them, reminisce on the instant, and could be completed with buddies and family too!

  • Henah
  • Editor

Like Annie, I increased in a family group where my parents practiced sustainability lengthy before I recognized what it really was about, many occasions from sheer necessity. So alongside repurposing old yogurt containers for food, plastic bags as garbage bags, and cookie tins for stitching kits (you realize those), a particular “upcycle” holds a unique devote me.

In early stages within our relationship, my then-boyfriend/now-husband and that i would drink Mexican Cokes on dates. With time, whenever he’d purchase one for me personally on the big day or the other way around, we began collecting the empty bottles. Years later, i was while moving to a different apartment as he was adamant on keeping them, that we shrugged off. Little did I understand he’d been collecting them through the years when ever he planned to propose.

“Whenever we undergo a wine bottle, we collect the containers and using them as candle holders.”

I had been so touched with this thoughtful gesture, after i later visited our rooftop and first viewed it lined with individuals old Coke bottles, full of peonies. After that, we’ve found methods to include these old bottles around the house, usually full of an imitation flower or more (gotta love pets who’d eat them otherwise!).

Similarly, once we undergo a wine bottle, we collect the containers and using them as candle holders. An easy hack would be to give a taper candle towards the mouth from the bottle and lightweight it for any bit so the wax melts lower the edges. The result is lovely and comfy, and it is a good way to create warmth to some space. ?

  • Emily
  • Managing Editor

All things in my house experiences a rigid “can I personally use this later?” test before it will get discarded or recycled. From sauce jars (I personally use them as consuming glasses) to card board boxes (I build them into castles in my house rabbits), I see potential in everything. It’s…a problem. But, whenever which i have an excessive amount of something, it works as a indication to become thoughtful about my waste ??.

I recieve it from my parents, who are the most ingenious people I’ve ever met. Their approach would be to source what you need secondhand or allow it to be themselves from scrap material, and exhaust all of their options before purchasing new products. It’s largely become my very own approach, too, even though it looks different for me personally inside a city apartment of computer does for these questions rural setting.

“My very favorite method to upcycle is as simple as finding what I’ll endearingly call my ‘curb treasures.’”

My very favorite method to upcycle is as simple as finding what I’ll endearingly call my “curb treasures” (and often, less endearingly, my “trash furniture”). When I received my first apartment, I sourced various home items by keeping track of what my neighbors could leave by the dumpster after their moves.

My work desk would be a lucky find I selected up right next door, and something of my personal favorite works of art in i reside in one I spotted while driving home in the vet. My dining room chairs, nightstand, corkboard, as well as random range of frames and planters are curbside finds. ??

For me personally, these finds instill my house with story, and feel so resided-in immediately. Plus, all it is is a great wipe-lower and a few awkward stares from passersby while you walk lower the road together with your new treasure!

  • Kayti
  • Editor

I am really a thrifter than an up-cycler-I like repurposing what others’ have thrown out. Curb alerts and free furniture are my love language, and that i can’t avoid yard sale signs, even when I am running late. Thankfully, Los Angeles’ sunny weather ensures they happen year-round. ??

“I enjoy repurposing what others’ have thrown out. Curb alerts and free furniture are my love language.”

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If this does arrived at upcycling, a couple of of my personal favorite hacks are most likely ones all of us know and love: repurposing old clothes for rags, washing out pasta jars for bulk grains, and reusing dressing bottles for DIY dressings (I really like causeing this to be homemade cashew caesar or just mixing dijon mustard, essential olive oil, and balsamic).

One new hack which i want to understand: I’ve been trying to puzzle out how to handle a classic shower curtain which i have no need for any longer. It’s super cute and light-weight gray fabric, but we lately moved right into a new apartment having a standalone bathtub and separate shower which has a clear glass door. I’ve considered chopping in the curtain for decorative pillowcases or performing into kitchen towels. I am not great having a machine, however i certainly would like to learn. Possibly its time!

  • Alyssa
  • Social & Community Lead

I had been initially very reluctant to declare myself an upcycler, but I’m prepared to LIVE MY TRUTH! I really like upcycling! From repurposing culinary ingredients for skincare to turning juice shot bottles into plant propagation stations, I really like extending the existence cycle of products I bring into my house. I’m always searching for brand new methods to reduce and reuse, a lot of that exist on the Instagram Reels, teehee!

“From repurposing culinary ingredients for skincare to turning juice shot bottles into plant propagation stations, I really like extending the existence cycle of products I bring into my house.Inches

Certainly one of my personal favorite, ingrained-since-birth repurpose hacks would be to rinse and reuse Ziploc bags. I’ve been carrying this out since lengthy prior to the invention from the stasher bag (shout to my mumma for always finding a method to rinse and reuse them), although we’ve introduced a couple of of individuals to the rotation of multiple-use containers, too. There is a general knowning that Ziploc bags are single use, but I’ve had some for more than a year! It’s as easy as washing and turning thoroughly to dry around the dish rack.

Another upcycle I really like would be to create DIY wrapping paper from old bags. If you are a visible learner, you can view this here. Sometimes, brown paper bags are inevitable, so it’s nice to provide them another existence. I really like decorating the paper with markers to produce styles around the reason behind gifting (i.e., holidays versus. birthdays). It’s a great way to take down paper consumption, especially thinking about that many wrapping papers aren’t recyclable!

  • Danielle
  • Partnerships Manager

With regards to organizing my house, grouping like-products together brings me lots of mental peace. I might be unable to identify where all individuals random cords and chargers originated from nor the things they’re doing, however i know without a doubt will be able to locate them all within the grey filing cabinet within the bed room. “Third drawer lower!” I shout to my lady from another room.

“I upcycle my very own drawer dividers by cutting the flaps from card board boxes.”

Exactly the same business method pertains to my unmentionables. Together within an under-bed drawer, I love to further sort them by style-under garments, brazier, and socks. I upcycle my very own drawer dividers to produce and keep their limitations by cutting the flaps from any card board product and package boxes I recieve through online orders or perhaps in-store buys. Then, I place them with techniques similar to Tetris-lines attracted within the sand no briefs alongside bralettes.

Also, at a moment, there is a candle burning within my home, meaning there’s always a clear vessel waiting to become washed and given another existence. Lidded containers become pickling jars and bobby pin holders. I presently have lavender flowers within an old Marly Marly glass that when housed its Saint-Martin scent. And I’m am already wondering when the colorblocked ceramic candle I purchased from Paddywax yesterday can make for any good mug. Hmm.