41 Clever Upcycling Ideas to Give Old Things a New Life

While a simple glass vase is a nice way to display flowers or greenery, it doesn't make much of a statement — and chances are you have more than one laying around collecting dust.

All you need is a roll or two of jute rope to turn a boring vase into a beautiful ocean-inspired vessel. Hot glue the jute rope around the vase row by row until you're content with the final result.

Tired of looking at your drab, dated cabinet? Turn it into a conversation piece in just a few simple steps. Get your furniture DIY ready by removing the hardware, lightly sanding the wood and wiping it clean.

Transform an old cabinet into a beautiful bookcase with peel-and-stick wallpaper — like this Spoonflower design full of dandelions, yarrows and tansy. To get started, measure and trim the wallpaper to fit the back of each shelf. Peel back the bottom left corner and set in place. Use a wallpaper smoother or credit card to remove any air bubbles.

Sure, you've decorated with sea shells, but have you tried oyster shells? Save your oyster shells from a restaurant or seafood market.

If you finally replaced your shutters and are looking for a fun project to spruce up your home, your old shutters can be assembled into a statement piece.

For this project, you'll need your shutters, a measuring tape, four pieces of medium-density fiberboard, bun feet and knobs. Don't forget your preferred color coat to paint it once assembled.

Between Amazon boxes, cardboard food packaging and paper towel holders, our recycling bin is constantly overflowing. Have you considered using a series of boxes to make a kid-friendly craft?

After a fresh coat of pink paint, your child will completely forget this castle is made entirely of cardboard. A medium size box and cardboard canisters (like oat packaging) provide the foundation, while toilet paper rolls act as the balconies and turrets.

Get the tutorial at A Beautiful Mess »

Whether you've got an overcrowded bookshelf or dusty novels in storage, a stack of old books is a great starting point for a home project.

To recreate this elegant side table, you'll need to drill a hole the size of your dowel through each book’s center. Cut trim to form a box frame that fits snugly around one book, and nail it to the tabletop’s underside. Stack your books or encyclopedias, lining up the holes. Glue the dowel to the center of the table's underside and screw it through the holes to secure them to the tabletop.

Use bricks from a leftover home project or buy them at your hardware store for around 60 cents each.

Scoop dirt or potting soil into a hole and pop in a few small succulents for the ultimate low-maintenance garden.

Whether you've just gotten a new silverware set or discovered an antique set at your local thrift shop, spoons (matching or mixed) make for a really fun DIY.

In just a few hours, you can make your own hook rack for the kitchen. Use it to hold dish towels, aprons or kitchen utensils. Just note you will need a mallet and a precision torch to recreate this look.

Get the tutorial at DIY Inspired »

Most hardware stores (like Lowe's), garden shops or furniture retailers will give pallets for free if you ask.

Once you add a layer of exterior paint and attach metal casters, you can barely recognize these wood pallets. The end result is a sturdy, portable coffee table.

If your bookcase is thrifted, boring and worn out, turn it into an eye-catching focal point for your living room or bedroom.

You can transform your bookcase into something you really love. All it takes are stylish paint colors. Don't be afraid to mix and match shades for a unique look.