DIY Life

Summer's over. You probably have a pair or two of worn rubber or foam flip flops headed for the trash. Before you toss them, though, think about clever ways to reuse and recycle them.

Okay, okay, no-one is suggesting you go overboard with complicated, yet eco-friendly, craft ideas a la UniquEco, a Kenyan non-profit that gives villagers work making abandoned flip flops into all manner of arts and crafts. After all, you'd need a heck of a lot of old flip flops to make a nifty flip flop basket or flip flop doormat, right?

On the other hand, old flip flops can be used for various simple around-the-house projects. For example? Cut them into small rounds and use as furniture leg floor protectors, keeping your hardwood floors scratch-free.

We brought home a new patio set last week -- for an imaginary patio that's yet to be built, but that's a story for another day. After unpacking and setting it up, I looked at the huge pile of bubble wrap sitting on my lawn. Surely, there must be a way to reuse this stuff, I thought. So after letting the kids have a few pieces to pop, I got busy looking for new ways to put it to work.

What I discovered is that besides being a fun and addictive noisemaker, bubble wrap is surprisingly versatile. I've squirreled mine away so that I can try out some of these unusual uses:

• Use bubble wrap to line the crisper drawers in your refrigerator. It'll protect delicate fruits -- like pears -- from bruising when you toss them in. And when you forget the pears are there and discover them too late ... easy clean-up!
• Bring bubble wrap with you to the grocery store to wrap frozen items in before bagging, ensuring they'll still be frozen when you get them home.
• Start saving bubble wrap now for when the cooler weather sets in, then use it to winterize your delicate outdoor potted plants.

Attracting birds to your yard can bring so much enjoyment. They are so much fun to watch, and my son loves naming the different types he sees at our birdfeeder -- goldfinch, robin, sparrow, blue jay....

We've shown you how to build a bird house with scrap wood; now I'll share some ideas on how to build a bird bath with materials you may have around the house.

You could use some chicken wire and cement for the bath part, some metal for the support post, and rocks for the edges, suggests Las Pilitas. Or how about an old cake pan, an old garbage can lid, or even a beat-up hubcap? If those are too crazy for you, a soft, flat rock or even a terra cotta pot's saucer will make an effective birdbath.

I realize it is only July, but it is never too early to think about Christmas, or at least to get a head start on your decorating this year. If you are into recycling items some people would rather just throw away, then release the artist in you, and paint yourself some one-of-a-kind ornaments.

Since you probably throw away your old burned out light bulbs, I invite you to recycle them into handpainted Christmas ornaments, courtesy of Kraftykristen over on Craftster. Kristen cleans the bulbs with rubbing alcohol, uses acrylic paint to make a snowman, gingerbread man, or a Santa onto the bulb, and finishes up with an acrylic sealer.

As I have said many times before; almost everything has more than one use, and I believe it is our duty as inhabitants of this planet to recycle as many items as possible, sometimes reusing the same item over and over again.

Plastic soda and water bottles are items that can be reused. Join me after the break, as I give you a list of things that you can reuse plastic bottles for, which I found over at Green Home.

Pretty much everything on this planet has more than one use. Think of all the things you use on a daily basis, and I'll bet you could use those items for something else. The same goes for office supplies.

Lifehacker has a top 10 list of office supply hacks, pretty much involving binder clips. From closing a chip bag, to holding files together, to keeping them from falling over, binder clips can be used for more than keeping your important paper in one place. They can turn a stack of index cards into a Hipster PDA; they can even catch loose cables.

The list goes on to say that you can remove permanent marker from a dry erase board, with, yes, you guessed it, a dry-erase marker. You can also get of all your computer equipment off of your desk by using a letter tray to organize it. For even more great ideas, be sure to check out the Lifehacker comments.

This isn't the first time we've discussed creative uses for office supplies at DIY Life. In the past, Francesca told us how to build a MacBook stand using binder clips, and Diane created a card wreath using paper clips. There are many other possibilities... comment to tell us your favorite hack!

My husband has a collection of leather belts that sit in his dresser drawer. He wears one belt until it's falling apart and basically useless before he uses another one. Throwing them away seems like a waste -- after all, there are still some usable pieces of leather that could be repurposed into something new-to-you.

Fungus amungus over on Instructables recycles leather belts into bracelets. Fungus uses a laser cutter to make a design on the leather to give it a new look, and then hammers in some heavy-duty snaps, so that the bracelet can snap on the wrist.

I like the leather bracelet idea, as it sure beats throwing away a belt just because a part of it is worn out. I imagine there are other things to make from old belts, such as replacement purse straps, or maybe even leather earrings. What do you recycle your leather belts into?

I don't know about your house, but in mine we go through several jugs of milk a week. Because my son loves cereal, and he also loves a big glass of milk with meals, my recycling bin gets pretty full with milk jugs alone.

RePlayGround has a fun way to reuse milk jugs -- make carton catchers. Your main materials include two half-gallon milk jugs, two toilet paper tubes, and a ball (or tin foil to wad into a ball). You'll also need a tack, tape, scissors, markers, and decorative paper.

To make the carton catchers, simply cut out the milk jugs (RePlayGround has diagrams to show you how to cut them), attach the toilet paper tubes to the spouts, and decorate. I haven't made these yet, but I do wonder if the toilet paper tube would be a bit flimsy. You could use a wooden dowel or some plastic pipe for a sturdier handle.

Want more ideas for reusing milk jugs? Anna has 15 creative suggestions.

My husband and I have a habit of picking up furniture and other stuff that ends up at the end of someone's driveway. What one person thinks of as trash, we happen to think it is an ugly treasure that can easily be converted into something useful and beautiful.

Salvaging is just as nice as shopping at the thrift store, except it is free, since someone put it out for the trash. Over on Craftster, Sharon S. made a bench built for two from two beat up chairs and a headboard she managed to salvage. She cut the rickety chairs apart and used them for each end of the bench. The back of the bench is the headboard.

Although she doesn't really have any instructions on how to make the chair bench, or what hardware she used, Sharon's project is genius and a perfect way to salvage old chairs and a headboard that otherwise might be adding to an already clogged landfill.

I miss the smell of fresh baked bread. My mom would pull the loaves of bread out of the oven when I got home from school, so I always got the first crust piece. Nothing beats homemade bread topped with homemade butter.

I found the loaf pans the other day when I was doing some cleaning at the old homestead, and sat and reminisced about days gone by. I knew I had to take those old pans home with me so that my brother wouldn't throw them out with the trash.

So now that I have them home, I am not sure what I will do with them. Fortunately, Giant Jeans Parlor has the perfect suggestion. I can turn those beloved pans into succulent plant holders.

Pound a few holes in the bottom of the loaf pans for drainage, plant your succulents using homemade potting soil made for cacti and other succulents, and you now have recycled and reused an item that otherwise would sit in the thrift store or landfill for more years than we care to think about.

This is slap-yourself-upside-the-head classic diy. I am having one of those "why didn't I think of this" moments. I love the fact that I can hold on to my memories and still get use out of those old bread pans. Feel free to leave a comment and let us know what you use in place of expensive planters.

via: Craft

In this day and age, we are all thinking about ways to be more environmentally friendly. Our household tries to find ways to reuse things rather than throw them out. Cardboard paper towel tubes can become a fun rain stick craft, for example.

It seems there is nothing more bountiful than used paper. From junk mail to gift wrap, stationery to greeting cards, we are inundated with it daily. Don't let it leave you wondering what to do with all that post-tree fodder any longer.

Fish Lips Paper Designs has a fun and useful list of ways to reuse paper. From framing patterned paper as art, to making book covers, to lining your sock drawer, they're sure to have a tip that will breathe new life into your scrap paper. You can even shred it to use as packaging.

Me? I'm going to reuse some colorful gift wrap as mats for black and white photographs. What will you do with your reusable paper?

My husband usually takes sandwiches to work for his lunch. I always cringe when I see how many plastic sandwich baggies we go through in a month, and have often wondered if there was a way to reduce or eliminate using them. The short answer is yes.

The Small Object has come up with an awesome way to make reusable sandwich wraps. The wraps are shaped like an octagon, so that it can be used to wrap odd shaped bread or wraps, and can also be used as a placemat. The wrap is made out of vinyl coated fabric for the interior and regular fabric for the exterior. Velcro closes the sandwich wrap.

This is a great way to use up some of that extra fabric you have laying around. The pattern and instructions are easy to follow, and in a short amount of time you can easily whip one up for each member of your sandwich eating family.

via: Craft

I'm simply giddy that sandal season is upon us. If you've made your feet pretty with our home spa pedicure, then you are ready to try your hand at making your own sandals.

If Anna's recycled tire sandals aren't your thing, you might like to order this Make Your Own Sandals Kit. They are customizable and very stylish. The assembly instructions are clear and easy to follow, and you can purchase fun add-ons like charms and other embellishments.

The drawback? At 39.95 for a basic sandal kit, you could just go out and buy a pair of already-made sandals. But if you are a die-hard DIYer, this is an easy way to say, "I made these shoes."

I am wondering if you could use an old pair of shoe soles, buy new leather strapping, and fashion yourself a similar pair of sandals for less -- recycling old shoes, to boot. It would be better for the planet and your wallet!

Graduation is coming up soon. What do you plan to do with your gown when you are done wearing it? Most people just tuck the gown in the back (I mean way back) of their closet and forget about it. Guilty as charged. I see that red gown once in a while when I am looking for something, but pretty much just leave it where it is, lonely and neglected.

Associated Content has a tutorial with step by step instructions telling us how to take old graduation gowns and make pillow covers from them. All you need is your old gown, matching thread, a sewing machine, and a pillow to make the cover for. Just follow the instructions, and in no time at all, you will have a newly covered pillow.

I really have a hankering now to find my satin graduation gown and recycle and reuse it for a few smooth pretty throw pillows. I think it would be really neat if non-matching thread was used though, or maybe some fabric trim in a contrasting color to liven up the pillow even more. Awesome, huh?

Spring is here and so are the April showers. The leaves are budding on the trees and the grass is starting to green. It is finally time to get the kids out of the house and take them on a nature walk.

Children are natural-born explorers, and it is such a joy to see their little faces light up when they find a unique rock or leaf. When you take them on their hunt for treasures this spring, take along a nature can for them to put their treasures in.

Megan informs us how to take an empty oatmeal container and glue fabric to it, decorate the container, and then add a strap so our little nature buddies can easily tote it around.

We are almost done with our oatmeal container and will definitely recycle it into a nature can for my daughter. She loves to walk around our yard and collect cool rocks, leaves and sticks. It will be a fun way to teach her about all the wonderful things the great outdoors has to offer, right under her little feet.

[via: Craft]