upcycling projects | being creative

When you really break down and take apart the labels of these containers, you truly see what they are: glass, plastic, metal and paper. They are no longer a glass jar of tomato sauce or a tin can for black beans. Maybe they are now planters for your new seedlings, or a container that holds your pencils and pens. Maybe they are pieces of a new art project you are working on.

I guess what I’m trying to say is, before you throw away your “trash” into the recycling or your garbage bin, really look at it and think about how it may be useful in other ways. Maybe you can give life to it again in a whole new way.

Obviously, please do your research and always put your and others’ safety first.

Some observations I’ve had while working on upcycling projects:

• Some things really are useful in other ways. It’s silly how some of these things are sold in stores and it might already be in the house already (i.e. mason jars, rubber bands, or pieces of fabric).
• After seeing multiples of the same containers I have been accumulating, it makes me wonder if I really need the product it used to hold or is it something I can make by myself (i.e. squeezing my own orange juice, making my own tomato sauce, baking cookies, etc).
• It’s a nice exercise in creativity. These projects have allowed me to really look beyond the original packaging. And also, my stuff. It has given me new perspectives on value of items in general, their functionality and their purpose.
• Some of these projects have truly beautified my life and home that would not have otherwise existed.

So far, I’ve upcycled scrap pieces of fabric into a quilt, upcycled t-shirt fabric scraps to mend socks, made t-shirt bags, and used my extra glass jars for coin and button collecting and gardening. I have a few other crafts I’d like to try out, too.

calm koi is a series that centers around peace and happiness. If you’d like to support this series, feel free to subscribe to the calm koi YouTube channel and follow the adventure over there, too.

Product review: Baggu Chestnut Duck Bag | sustainability

A little story….I feel so lucky to have found this bag. I was exploring my favorite Salvation Army store four years ago and came across this gem right before I was going to check out. I felt that it was very durable and cheap: $2. I needed a bag big enough to carry my small laptop and also just something I can carry for lunch and other miscellaneous gear for work. The thing I was so pleasantly surprised to find out was that this bag is made from 100% recycled cotton! For someone like me, who is trying to be sustainable, it was like receiving two gifts for one occasion.

Positives: unisex wear, very durable, not super trendy, in neutral color, very practical (used for grocery shopping, travel, hiking, everyday use), dual handles with shoulder strap option, inner pocket, made from 100% recycled cotton

Negatives: buttons are a little loose (probably due to all the heaviness from groceries or travel), wish there was a zipper or a more secure closure

Sustainability factors (based on info on their website):
-LOTS! Check out the information on their website.

Final thoughts: I like the variety of bags they have. I browsed their reusable tote bags, but I’m going to try to hand make my own. I am pretty satisfied with this product. I have been using it for years and haven’t seen any tremendous wear (other than the aforementioned loose button).

I encourage everyone to always do research and check out reviews for each product you want to buy. The more you know before buying, the more likely it is useful for you and less waste for the world.

I was not compensated in any way to write this post. I purchased this product by myself at a thrift store. All opinions are my truest thoughts. This post has been updated for 2021.

calm koi is a series that centers around peace and happiness. If you’d like to support this series, feel free to subscribe to the calm koi YouTube channel and follow the adventure over there, too.