Reuse, Repurpose, Recycle

What could be a better deal than free??!! Often, you can accessorize your house for free, just by recycling items you already have.

The glass bowl in the middle used to serve as home to our fish (may he rest in peace). The dried flowers in the vase (back, right) come from my wedding bouquet.

After deciding I needed a decorative container for my bathroom counter to hold brushes, etc., I found this large crystal jar (a gift from Christmas past) sitting in my closet.

In this case, I repurposed a neighbor's old (but in perfectly good condition) bookcase. All it needed was a coat of paint.




My children gave me a set of bath oils as a gift a few years ago. The oil is gone, but the bottles (two on the right) now house fern leaves. The one on the left is an oil decanter that had an irreperable spout.

These #10 cans make an eye-catching display above my kitchen cabinets, some as pots, others as food storage.

Tips:

• Before you run to the store, look at what you already have. Then you can call yourself GREEN since you'll have more green in your wallet and you'll be giving the landfills a break.




• Set aside a "potential reuse" area. I have one shelf in my closet where I keep all the home accessories I'm not using at the moment. (Note: I am NOT giving license to be a pack rat!)