Some people have even claimed that if garbage were money, they would be millionaires. This expression lets us see a very big reality, in the world, one of the things that abounds the most is waste. Discover how to make crafts with useful materials.
What most people do with them is take them to the dumpster. Others, less conscious, throw them into the streets, committing a crime against the environment, which is increasingly deteriorated.
In fact, in poor countries, garbage is indistinct and gets confused with the landscape and, therefore, people see it as something normal, so they don’t care and do nothing to remedy the situation.
However, some have wanted to implement the culture of recycling. This has started from schools, but has spread to other areas. For example, there are those who separate their garbage and take it to factories where they are used and reused in the form of other products.
Would you like to be part of this initiative? Do you want to turn what many call rubbish into useful material? How can you achieve it? If you want to contribute to saving the planet, you’ve come to the right place.
On this occasion, we will be sharing with you different ideas of what you can do with useful material. We will see some crafts that you can leave for your personal use, but that are also perfect as gifts on special occasions.
Actually, the possibilities are endless. Therefore, these are just a few suggestions that will awaken your imagination.
Then, behind each cardboard box, plastic bottle, bag, bottle cap, etc, you will see a new object, a fully functional one that will contribute to less trash and make the world a better, cleaner place. Pay close attention and have fun making these creative crafts.
Instructions for making crafts with useful materials
It is the action that consists of transforming waste materials into raw materials or other products, in such a way that they can be useful again and thus reduce the accumulation of waste in the world.
In addition, by recycling, it is possible to reuse discarded material and the need to buy or make new products is reduced, which also contributes to the conservation of the environment and benefits our personal finances.
However, it is important that you keep in mind that not all materials are recyclable. In such a case, what can you do with them? You can give them a different use than they originally had. For example, you can use them in areas such as construction or decoration and even take advantage of them as a source of energy.
The same happens with organic waste, although they are not recyclable, thanks to their biodegradation process, they can be used to make fertilizer or compost, ideal for plants.
Importance of recycling
When you recycle, you are contributing to the fight against pollution of the soil and seas, given that when garbage spends a long time in them, it produces unpredictable changes in their biotic and ecological processes.
Recycling is actually a human need, since it prevents diseases, climate change and even the extinction of animal and human life on the planet. Which shows that it is a more important activity than many might believe.
In addition to this, recycling can become an income-generating activity, as long as it can be established as part of everyday culture. In this case, the recycled elements are bought by the companies, who take advantage of them to reduce the purchase of raw materials, which means that it is a business where everyone wins, in one way or another.
Now that you know the importance of recycling, would you like to know some ways to do it? We will be sharing with you how you can make crafts with some of your waste, such as cardboard, plastic, etc.
Crafts with useful materials
One of the most abundant resources in our homes are cardboard tubes. In general, these are hard and come to roll various materials such as plastic wrap, cloth, toilet paper, aluminum foil, among other things. Let’s see how you can take advantage of them.
Organizer
Since they come in various sizes, they are perfect for making any number of decorative items, without breaking the bank. In this opportunity, you will learn how to make an organizer that you can use to store your pencils, scissors, and other stationery.
The procedure is very simple and the result will be great:
- The first thing you have to do is paint the tubes with the color of your choice. They can all be the same color or different colors. Paint them inside and out.
- While they dry, cut the thick cardboard in the shape of a circle, with a diameter of 9cm. Paste on it a circle of white foami of the same size.
- When the tubes have dried, glue them onto the base.
- After a few minutes, cut a sheet of thin cardboard, the same height as the rolls and long enough to wrap them. Pay it off and allow it to dry.
- Meanwhile, cut the foami into different pieces to make the shape of a panda bear. Use the watercolor paint to touchup your panda or to add any details you want.
- Glue the panda’s face to the front of the organizer.
- Finally, glue the tape to the top and bottom edge of the organizer. Allow it to dry and it will be ready to use.
It should be noted that this can also be a very original gift for a special occasion. In case you want to keep smaller things, such as jewelry, you can cut the tubes and decorate them with more delicate details.
Basket with plastic bottle caps
This craft is very simple and cheap, you will only need two materials, silicone glue and plastic caps of the same color and size and that’s it! The procedure is just as simple:
- Take a few tops and roll them out until you get a square the size of your preference, keeping in mind that this will be the bottom of the basket and therefore will determine how wide it will be.
- The next thing will be to make four more squares, although they can also be rectangles, depending on what you want to keep in your basket.
- When you have them ready, glue them to the base. One box on each side of the base. Let it dry well and it will be ready to use.
If you want to give it a different and original touch, you can make each side of the basket a different color and that way it will be much more striking. In it you can store any number of things, from dirty clothes to children’s toys.
Now, keep in mind that plastic lids are a very useful decorative element. With them, you can decorate pots, make a painting, cup holders, etc. You just have to let your imagination fly and you will see that you find more than one creative way to take advantage of them.
Pencil case
This craft is very cute and original. It is ideal for storing children’s pencils, but you can also take it wherever you want and use it however you want.
The procedure to make this case is as follows:
- With the help of scissors, cut the top of the bottle and then the bottom, so that you have a plastic cylinder.
- Remove the label that comes with it. As you do so, you’ll notice two marks left where the tape was attached.
- Bend the bottle, on one of those two sides, outwards.
- You will fold the other end inward. To do this you must use your fingers. When you have achieved it, you will notice that the cylinder has acquired the shape of a heart.
- Use the cylinder as a template to make two lids out of the cardboard.
- Cover them with the decorative adhesive tape and glue one of them to the bottom of the cylinder.
- Next, take one of the leftover parts of the bottle and make a small ribbon about a finger thick. Glue it around the other heart cap and allow it to dry very well.
- When it has dried, take the zipper to join the lid with the cylinder. This should be on the outside so you can open and close the case. Let it dry and you’re done! You can take it with you in your bag or use it to store anything.
Keep in mind that you can use this same procedure, ignoring the zipper, to make any type of organizer. If you make three or four, you can use them as kitchen containers to store pasta, rice, sugar, salt, etc.
In case you don’t want their content to be seen, you can cover them with wool in the color of your choice and stick a marble, or another similar object, on the top of the lid to open them more easily.
If you realize, the possibilities are endless. Also, you can make them smaller and use them as gift boxes. They are a very cute and delicate detail. Useful for any occasion.
Now, what can you do in order to make the best use of your waste? Let’s see some recommendations that will be very useful for you.
What do you need to make crafts with useful materials?
- 7 cardboard tubes of toilet paper.
- A sheet of thick cardboard.
- White, black and pink Eva foam or rubber.
- Glue.
- Scissors.
- Headband.
- A rule.
- A pencil.
- A sheet of thin cardboard.
- Watercolor painting.
- Brushes.
- A talk bottle of fizzy drink.
- A scissors.
- A zipper.
- Glue.
- A sheet of thin cardboard.
- Decorative adhesive tape.
Tips for making crafts with useful materials
To reuse your waste or give it a new use, you must learn to classify it. Then, you must separate them, according to the classification made, and then it will be much easier to take advantage of.
Keep in mind that this separation should be a daily task, since every day we throw a lot of waste into the garbage container. But how can you do this classification and separation?
Have a place in your house to organize different buckets to place the different types of waste in them. Try to make as many as your needs warrant. There can be at least four, one for organic waste, another for glass, one for plastic, paper and cardboard.
Label these cubes with their respective colors. For example, it is well known that the yellow container collects plastics and cans, the blue one is designed for paper and cardboard, the green one for glass and you can use a black one for organic waste.
As we have already mentioned, these wastes are also usable. You can use them to make fertilizer for your plants and thus keep them in optimal conditions.
Life becomes so much easier when you make this separation a habit. For best results, remove the tapes from the plastic bottles, as well as the caps. Also, you can wash the bottles to have them ready for reuse.
If you follow these recommendations to the letter, you will always have raw material on hand to make any number of crafts and take advantage of them in the best way and for any occasion you want.
Recycling is also a way to invest your time well and an excellent opportunity to have fun and de-stress. It is a good idea to include children in the preparation of the crafts, since this way you create an ecological conscience in them.
Remember that by doing this you will reduce the amount of money you spend on buying some items, but you will also be contributing to save the world. A job that should not be left in the hands of a few, since it has to do with many.