House Plants and Upcycling

Along the path of downsizing the number of things you own, you man run across items that you find pleasant to look at, but not useful in the traditional sense. When I think of owning less and having more space, I often try to think outside the box to find non-traditional uses for items. This helps us use what we have for what we need at the time.

Many everyday items can be used for things you wouldn't think of. For example, I love house plants. I have many a pot with greenery over-flowing. Many of my flower pots are recycled pots, but quite a few are repurposed items. I have pretty bowls and vases that I wasn't using for their traditional purpose, so I potted plants in them. All you need are some small pebbles (or aquarium gravel works well too) under the soil for drainage. This is a great way to keep things that I find pleasing to look at by giving them a job to do. I also like to use saucers and plates as water catchers under house plants to catch the overflow when they get watered. I have quite a few antique dishes that have been used in this manner. This way, it's not just sitting collecting dust and cluttering up my space.

I have a set of teacups that I would never use. Not that I have anything against tea, but I have a cup designated for my hot beverages. I only need the one. However, I have an old-looking tea set that makes a cute display for cacti. 

With a little bit of ingenuity and effort, you can turn old toys into plant holders as well. Some toys may not be suited for this. Any wooden toy will probably rot when exposed to soil and water. This sort of thing is cute and will add a conversation piece in moderation, but don't over do it if you are going for a look that is more adult themed. 

Here is a cool DIY tutorial from Thrift Core if you are interested in converting toys to planters. It has step by step instructions and photos.If you don't have any of the items listed above, visit your local Goodwill or other thrift store. Garage sales are a great place to find things to repurpose for this as well. However, the thought is to use what you already have lying around.

 I hope that you have enjoyed this post and that you have taken some inspiration from it. If you try this, please share your photos and stories. Any questions or comments are more than welcome.  I would love to hear from you.  Have a great day, and as always, happy organizing!