Recycle, eh

Image Tjitske van Leeuwen

Every time I spot a bunch of pallets in an lane way or alley, I keep thinking of what I could do with these. Unfortunately, I live in a small flat and have no more room, but that doesn't stop me from lusting after these hunks of wood. When I spot any, I will often twitter locations for other pallet-lovers. I've also blogged about reusing these before here and here. 

But I'm always on the lookout for more inspiration. Here are some great ones (including how-tos) for repurposing pallets  from some wonderfully creative bloggers. You're gonna love these ideas!

Image Life on a Baclony

Fern Richardson over at Life on a Balcony transformed a pallet into a garden. What a super idea - vertical gardening! No excuse not to have fresh veggies or flowers!

A pallet makes an appearance as a plate holder. I can't remember where i got the image but it would be easy to copy this.

Image via Stylizimo

What about a headboard. Nina over at Stylizimo shows you how. She also has some other DIY pallet ideas. Check it out.

Image via Ikea

Even Ikea uses the idea of transforming a pallet: as a coffee table.

And if you are really pallet crazy, check out this.

Okay, I'm a little tired of figuring out what to do with old clothes. Need a change of topic. I keep mismatched and orphan socks in a Clementine orange crate in my closet and decided that I'd see how many ways this little box can be recycled or reused. 

Well, there are dozens of ways. Take a little peek.

Paint a box with chalkboard paint so your little ones can personalize or decorate a box and corral all their little treasures and tiny toys. The little box is lightweight and easy enough to carry from room to room. Just remember to remove any loose staples and to sand down the sides to prevent from bits of wood sticking out. By the way chalkboard paint is expensive and our lady Martha has a recipe for custom coloured chalkboard paint.

Help your little ones make doll beds. 

Keep your bathroom essentials in one. 

They're stackable, so you can organize household papers: one for outgoing mail, one for bills, and one for receipts, takeout menus, and coupons.

Use them to stack homemade pies. (photo from darlingclem.com)

Turn them into garden containers. Grow anything from herbs, flowers, or grass in these containers. Transfer to garden when weather is warm enough. Wheatgrass looks spectacular as a centrepiece.

Serve a lunch snack in them. (Photo Marie Claire Idees magazine)

And why not recycle that plastic netting that covers the orange crate. Once I've accumulated a few, I wrap the netting with an elastic band and use it as a bathtub or kitchen scrubbie.

Need more ideas?

I can't seem to get my engine going and January is slipping by at an alarming rate. I figured I better start doing some writing and maybe some recycling. An opportunity arose when I was scrounging through my storage locker for input when I stumbled across a few old frames that were too far gone to use for pictures or mirrors. What could I do with them? Finally, after a few cups of tea and munchies, I decided what I really wanted was a couple of footstools. More pilfering through my boxes and I found some wooden curtain finials I bought years ago in Paris at the BHV (why I did this, I don't have a clue!) and some fabric I was keeping for a 'project.' 

These all came together for me to make up these cute little footstools. For instructions go here.

BESs

Note that in the instructions, foam is used as the stuffing. I actually reused an old down-filled jacket that I no longer fit into (too much pudding at Christmas). I just removed the zipper and toggles. No down-filled jacket to recycle? You could use a down-filled pillow or even some old bath towels. Just use what you've got. You can get fence finials for cheap at the hardware store or building supply stores like Rona or Home Depot. 

I've blogged before about recycling wood pallets that you can find tucked away abandoned behind buildings and in laneways. . Ana White is another talented gal that takes these humdrum pieces of wood and turns them into all sorts of usable pieces of furniture. Most recently she's designed and built her own storage crates.

Ana's crates use wood from salvaged pallets, some hardware, and a few 1x12's. The look is classic and inexpensive, coming in just under $8 (less if you happen to have any of the supplies on hand).

Check out Ana's Crate Making Tutorial.

Top image Florida Pallets

Bottom image  Ana White

I quite often see wooden pallets left out on the street or in laneways and have wondered if these could be converted into furniture. I have a friend who 'rescued' one to use as a bed for his large dog (he added a large cushion). Not much else needed doing.

Nina Tolstrup over at Studiomama makes great furniture from pallets. Now she's made some instructions available for purchase. You can go to her website and buy the assembly instructions for £10 for the low pallet chair shown above or a lamp.

Or you can download free step-by-step instructions for her pallet stool.