You know how much I love to recycle my items…I can hardly throw anything away because in the back of my mind I believe there’s a purpose for it somewhere! Fortunately for my family’s sake, I don’t have a problem discarding things that I’ve not used for a long time…I can pass them along for someone else to create their own treasures! I’m certain my husband is at least thankful for that! But in general, I often find that hanging on to certain items and reusing them can save an awful lot of money AND these utilitarian things can be transformed into something really cute and unique! Plus, there’s lots of common household goodies, supplies, and serving pieces that are just too cute to be tucked away in a cupboard…so why not find alternate ways to utilize them while they’re taking a rest from their intended uses! At the urging of one of my friends, I’ve decided to share a couple ways I’m decorating for the holidays using some of my utilitarian favorites from my pantry and more!
holiday decor from the cupboard!
i do have quite a collection pedestal servers and i use them all the time for entertaining big and small! the cake stand is one of my favorite things for serving up goodies…but when they’re not holding cookies and cakes, why not top them with something unexpected? i keep a couple stands on the window ledge in my living room to hold stacks of books or holiday magazines…
and this tiny green stand shows off a couple favorite holiday mugs…
the rest are tucked into this old crate that i really love, so i decided to display it too!
another crate holds some extra dishes that i can pull out for unexpected holiday visitors! i store it out in the open on the shelf under the table of mugs…for quick and easy access!
craft stickers add some jolly touches to this bucket that can hold extra napkins on my buffet or in my kitchen! holiday napkins are just too festive to not keep out somewhere!
and topping a favorite platter or dish with some artificial greens and candles is a really easy way to create a simple centerpiece…
when i reuse items…i really reuse them! this mason jar was actually filled with a summer citronella candle….now it makes a cute vessel for this tiny Charlie Brown tree!
i just dug out the leftover wax and filled it with some candy i saved from last year to decorate gingerbread houses with! i wouldn’t want anyone to eat the outdated taffy but it makes a perfect filler to cover the base of the tree!
and finally, my rolling bar cart that sits on my patio has to come inside for the winter. but instead of storing it in the garage getting all dusty, i decided to use it for a winter outerwear cart in my hall!
my wire baskets are usually in my closet by the back door…but they fit perfectly on the shelves of the cart to hold all the gloves, hats and scarves for easy reach…
i love the little chalkboard clips and really only use them when i’m entertaining…but they also make sweet labels for the baskets!
and this mini hat is really for our pooch, but he refuses to wear it…not that i blame him! so the hat, it’s matching scarf, and a vintage child’s mitten are now recycled into fun additions to the basket labels…
so before you toss or store away some of your common or unused items, think about how you might give them new life! you might save a little money, create a unique display, or just appreciate seeing some of your favorites out in the open! think before you throw…
and have a happy recycled holiday!