There are multiple benefits to upcycling and repurposing your old possessions. This gives the creative part of the mind something to do, it keeps the landfills less full, and you can make things for less money than buying them new.
We had an old grill that we were given years ago. This grill was heavily and small but also free so we used it till we could get a larger one. Since then the grill has sat in the shed. One day while decluttering the shed I looked at it and wondered, “should I haul it off or make something from it”. I looked closer and thought that the way it had two wheels on one side kind of reminded me of a bar cart. This old grill could be an awesome patio bar cart with some minor changes and paint. We took the old grill and we began removing the actual “grill” parts. The grill had a side burner so we kept the grate that covered the burner. Next was a thorough bath and some scraping off of old rust. We spray painted the whole frame with black Rust-Oleum. This will capture any rust under the enamel and should prevent anymore from forming. I also painted the burner grate black to match the frame.
Next, we had to decide what we wanted to use for the cart shelves. This cart will be for outdoor use only so using wood seemed like a bad idea. Even pressure treated wood needs a lot of care when it is outside. We decided to use the plastic wood decking material. This gives the cart a wood look but it will not rot away. This was a new material for us and we had to get used to the differences between this and real wood. But, in the end we did manage to get the grill turned into a cart. We even put some feet on the old burner grate and made it into a trivet for the top.
The second upcycle idea involves the old fire pit. This was a round shallow metal fire pit. We had gotten a new fire pit and we had not used the old one in a long time. I decided this could make a great fairy garden container with some paint and decorations. Again, this involved a lot of cleaning, scraping, and Rust-Oleum. (At this point I am thinking of buying stock in the company as they have gotten lots money from me this year.) I had decluttered recently and had a lot of polished rocks and river stones I had found around the house. I also had some glass orbs that I placed in the garden under the bridge. I transplanted some hens and chicks and a petunia from other planters. Most of the accessories are store bought. I would like to say I created my own little house, bridges, and fences but in reality, it is easier to get durable decorations from the craft store. The fairy garden is outside so I wanted some durable resin pieces that I know will last a while.
We had an old grill that we were given years ago. This grill was heavily and small but also free so we used it till we could get a larger one. Since then the grill has sat in the shed. One day while decluttering the shed I looked at it and wondered, “should I haul it off or make something from it”. I looked closer and thought that the way it had two wheels on one side kind of reminded me of a bar cart. This old grill could be an awesome patio bar cart with some minor changes and paint. We took the old grill and we began removing the actual “grill” parts. The grill had a side burner so we kept the grate that covered the burner. Next was a thorough bath and some scraping off of old rust. We spray painted the whole frame with black Rust-Oleum. This will capture any rust under the enamel and should prevent anymore from forming. I also painted the burner grate black to match the frame.
Next, we had to decide what we wanted to use for the cart shelves. This cart will be for outdoor use only so using wood seemed like a bad idea. Even pressure treated wood needs a lot of care when it is outside. We decided to use the plastic wood decking material. This gives the cart a wood look but it will not rot away. This was a new material for us and we had to get used to the differences between this and real wood. But, in the end we did manage to get the grill turned into a cart. We even put some feet on the old burner grate and made it into a trivet for the top.
The second upcycle idea involves the old fire pit. This was a round shallow metal fire pit. We had gotten a new fire pit and we had not used the old one in a long time. I decided this could make a great fairy garden container with some paint and decorations. Again, this involved a lot of cleaning, scraping, and Rust-Oleum. (At this point I am thinking of buying stock in the company as they have gotten lots money from me this year.) I had decluttered recently and had a lot of polished rocks and river stones I had found around the house. I also had some glass orbs that I placed in the garden under the bridge. I transplanted some hens and chicks and a petunia from other planters. Most of the accessories are store bought. I would like to say I created my own little house, bridges, and fences but in reality, it is easier to get durable decorations from the craft store. The fairy garden is outside so I wanted some durable resin pieces that I know will last a while.
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