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Broken Is the New New: Ways To Repurpose Household Items

Broken Is the New New: Ways To Repurpose Household Items

Broken items around the house can’t be prevented. What can be avoided, though, is sending those common broken household items to the trash. With a little ingenuity and crafting skills, you can repurpose broken household items from around the home into something new and useful.

Here are a few brilliant solutions for those things that we all have in our life that will one day break and fall apart. Bookmark this list for when that day comes, and you’ll be ready to turn trash into treasure in a flash.

Broken Washing Machines

At some point, the washing machine will give out. And you’ve got to find a way to get that beast to the curb or trash drop off. So why not salvage as much as you can from the heavy collection of metal? Turn the inner drum into a fire pit, or repurpose it into a unique table by covering the drum with a piece of glass? Put a thick cushion over the drum and it becomes an industrial-chic stool.

washing drum ottomon
Image courtesy of espritcabane.

Broken Plates

A ceramic or glass plate dropped just the wrong way in the kitchen sink can lead to a cracked piece of dinnerware destined for the landfill. How about taking a hammer to that plate, releasing some stress, and making a colorful ground cover or decorating a garden pot with the small bits of ceramics?

Broken Chairs

Sat down and the chair fell apart underneath you? Don’t get mad, get crafting. Broken chairs can be repurposed into clever money-saving ideas, such as a tree swing made from a chair seat. Or make a bench for the garden or seating at the foot of your bed with two broken chairs and some lumber.

Other Broken Furniture

Whether damaged or just outdated, broken furniture pieces can be repurposed for modern-day uses. Old drawers can be transformed into shadow box displays on the wall. A damaged desk can be transformed into nightstands. Old headboards and footboards can be repurposed into a child’s table bench. Or turn an old entertainment center into a play kitchen with some paint and a little ingenuity.

Drawer Repurposed into a Map Shelf
Image courtesy of Olive Bites Blog.

Broken Doors

That flat, large surface of wood makes an excellent base for many home decor options. Lay the door on sawhorses or other stabilizing legs, crates, or bookshelves to create a crafting or play table that you won’t mind getting messed up. A few broken doors can be attached together with hinges to create a moveable room divider and privacy screen. Add mirrors and the door becomes a designer coat rack ideal for getting ready as you leave home for the day. You could even turn the door into eye-catching shelves with a little work with a saw.

Yes, household items will break, but what a creative challenge to repurpose them into something new and useful. Go ahead, give it a try!

Feature image courtesy of Devanath from Pixabay. Originally published on July 8, 2015, this article was updated in April 2022.

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