Your local flea market or even a recycling bin is the place to find absolute treasures. Items like baskets, watering cans, and more can enhance the look of your space with beautiful and functional DIY planters. In this article, we’ll show you a few ways to make them.
How to Spot Potential DIY Planters
DIY pro Jeannine Rose shares a few secrets on how to spot the perfect planters while thrifting. She recommends looking for pieces that make you feel creative.
However, don’t underestimate the importance of functionality. Ask yourself if the items would work as a planter and if they could be practical for your home instead of just sitting there. Here are a few DIY planter ideas.
From Watering Can to Pot
If you have old watering cans you don’t use, they can become perfect planters for petite potted plants or fresh-cut garden blooms. It will look great as a decoration for your space or as a unique gift to a friend.
You can make it by applying two to three light coats of high-gloss orange paint to a small watering can. After it dries, fill it with water and put some just-picked garden blooms or a small potted plant. Voilá!
Convert Your Old Colander
Colanders can be made into a charming planter as they already have built-in drainage, says Rose. Plus, if they have handlers, you can easily move them around your house if you want to.
Simply line the colander with a piece of burlap, add soil, and tuck plants into the soil. Make sure to find a place where it can be exposed to bright light and water it regularly.
From Teapot To Stunning Vase
A teapot found at a thrift store can get a quick makeover. What you need to do is place it on a piece of newspaper and paint it with spray paint.
Add another coat later, and after it dries, fill it with a block of soaked floral foam. Then, insert blooms and greenery into the foam to form the desired shape.
From Coffee to Carnations
A small coffee can can be made into a stunning flower vase. The best part is that you can also you can customize it. The way you can make it is by covering an empty coffee can with two coats of spray paint.
After it dries, make sure to press on letter stickers and spell out a seasonal word, like “fall.” Finish off with some twine around the top, and add water and seasonal blooms. Your planters are ready!
6 Items That Can Be Removed to Avoid Clutter in the Garage
Having a garage is convenient. It provides covered parking for your vehicles and also additional storage space outside your main living areas. However, many garages are often used as dumping grounds for items that cannot be stored elsewhere. It’s also way too easy to let garage clutter build up until lawn equipment, leftover project materials, and sports equipment take over. Here are some items that can be immediately purged.
1. Old Pieces of Fitness and Sports Equipment
The most common causes of garage clutter are pieces of sports and fitness equipment. Maybe it’s time to get rid of those old bats, bikes, dumbbells, rackets, and other pieces of equipment if they are only gathering dust in your garage. One thing you can do is donate them to a community recreation center or any kind of charitable organization that accepts sports equipment.
2. Worn-Out Landscaping Tools
Maybe it’s time to get rid of that rusty shovel, dripping garden house, or malfunctioning lawnmower. You should be honest about what can be repaired, replaced, or needs to go in the trash pile when deciding what to do with such tools that are not frequently used. As a general rule, you can dispose of the old tool if you have already replaced it with a new one. Consider giving any working tools to a charity, community garden, or educational institution.
3. Damaged Holiday Decorations
Holiday decorations are only displayed for a few months. However, there is no need to keep hold of damaged light strings, leaky lawn inflatables, and more. The best option for getting rid of them is to donate them. Before throwing something in the trash, you can call your local recycling center to see if the stuff can be recycled.
4. Old Pieces of Furniture Kept in the Garage
Older pieces of furniture that you no longer have room for might be relegated to the garage as you update your living space with new ones. Be proactive about selling or donating that chair or dresser rather than letting it sit around unused. You can also ask a family member to keep the item if it is a family heirloom and you want to keep it until you free up more storage space elsewhere.
5. Leftover Construction Materials
Purchasing extra construction materials for your project is a good practice. However, if you are still keeping extra materials after a few years, you might want to think about whether there is something you want to store in your garage, other than materials that you might not use. Construction companies are always interested in donated building materials.
6. Kids’ Toys That Are No Longer Used
The toys your children have left behind can surely take up valuable space in your garage. Whether your kids have grown up or they are no longer interested in them, one thing you can do is place anything you want to keep in bins and decide which toys can be donated, given to another family, or even sold. Unfortunately, some toys can be difficult to be recycled because they often contain a wide range of materials and parts that are not easily separated.