Turning Junk Into Outdoor Decor
Picture this: you are starting the process of moving, and as you probably want to do it as fast and efficient as possible, you get stuck in a rabbit hole of items you forgot you even had. Or you come across items that you want to toss because you want a newer and better one for your new home.
Then you think to yourself – “what do I do with this?” Contemplating if you should sell it, give it away, or throw it out. There is an answer–– turn that junk into outdoor decor that looks as good as new.
It could be as simple as slapping a new coat of paint or turning furniture pieces into a rustic chic garden bed. Here are some ideas for repurposing junk:
Not-so-valuable antiques
Coming across antiques that hold no value to you can be an easy one to want to toss. Items like candle holders or chandeliers can be fun and easy to make your own. Add a fresh coat of spray paint to utilize the silhouette, add some jewels (if desired), and fresh candle inserts.
Turning glass bottles into lanterns
Love drinking wine? Maybe not necessarily junk, but it is something you would typically dispose of. There are so many things you can turn empty glass bottles or mason jars into, such as turning them into lanterns. You can buy an inexpensive solar bottle lantern kit to make your new outdoor lantern run off of solar power and automatically illuminate at dusk.
Making a candle out of a mason jar is also pretty easy, depending on how crafty you want to get. You can find candle inserts (wax or battery operated) at a dollar store, or you can make your own mosquito repelling wax. For an enhanced look, add a layer of clear matte paint to soften the light effect.
Post moving, stuck with a wood pallet
This is a dream come true if you’re an avid DIY-er, especially after you’ve moved into a new home. Search for ideas to manipulate a wood pallet and you will find an infinite amount. I suggest turning it into a vertical garden bed or a backyard bar (if you have more than one available).
Without having to deconstruct the pallet itself, sparingly stain or paint it to give it that rustic charm. Keeping it bare will also do the trick. For the vertical garden, the only assembling you will need to do requires sealing the back using landscaping fabric with a staple gun, see the full directions here. The next step will be to fill the trays with plants or flowers, as desired.
For a more simplistic look, LawnStarter lawn care suggests that residents use wooden pallets to stand them up on the sides to create your own garden fence or using the pallet base for a swing bed.
Turn worn out furniture into patio furniture
Upgrading furniture pieces you have that are not what you wanted but needed at the time is pretty common when moving. Taking those staple pieces and transforming them can make for the perfect patio set because they are items that you already don’t care about getting damaged and can make weather proof.
Bring the indoors outdoors. If you enjoy gardening, use an old nightstand or drawer set and turn it into a chic mini garden bed by repainting it and filling the drawers with plants.
Transforming tables and chairs can be as easy as adding a fresh coat of paint and sealant on wooden tables or an acrylic chair. For fabric items, such as throw pillows or cushions, use the insert as your base and make a weather proof cover.
Whatever the junk may be, get creative. There are so many ideas out there as to how to repurpose different items, hopefully, these ideas jumpstart additional ways for you to turn junk into a rustic statement piece. All it takes is some paint or inexpensive materials and walah, looks brand new!