Recycling was always a big thing for me. Not in the modern sense though. I had to recycle because my family had very limited resources and we couldn’t afford wasting anything.
Back home, we would even reuse 2-liter of soda as plant pots. More than environment concern at the time, it was a matter of scarcity of resource. Nevertheless, whenever the projects were done, they looked super cute and original. It was fun to transform trash into something useful.
Nowadays, we are educated and well aware that recycling is a matter of survival. But this is a discussion for another post.
Now and then
When I was younger, I had my bills and documents color-coded filed. I knew exactly where to find things whenever I needed them. It was so nice refreshing! After I became a mom though, things changed, priorities changed. Of course, I still want to live in an organized environment, but I want my children to be part of the process and enjoy the journey. More than anything, I want to spend time with them, create with them, appreciate their creations, watch their minds grow.
As you can see, I was always very organized and it was hard to make peace with a healthy mess around the house. Still, my OCD pushes me to constantly try to find innovative ways in a desperate attempt to get a more controlled mess. I had to become creative in coming up with immediate solutions for imminent situations. The awareness for recycling brings a whole new level of enjoyment and pleasure in reusing materials.
Craft idea
Today I will show you how I turn a simple potato sticks container into a storage container. I use them for nearly anything! In my daughter’s room, I store her bows and hair accessories; in the bathroom, they become hairbrush and comb holders; in the playroom, they become toy bins! You know, all those tiny little toys that you find nearly everywhere in your house, now can have a home of their own! 🙂
I won’t need to spend much money at all. The container is already in my pantry, and I have a few spray paints in my garage. The only thing I still need is some ‘beads and a sash’ (Cinderella’s words. ha!), which can be found at any dollar store.
Material:
- Container
- Spray paint
- Decorations
Process:
- Lightly (and quickly, after all the container is made of paper!) wash the grease from inside the container and let it dry.
- Take it outside and spray with the desired color. Let it dry and apply another layer.
- Decorate it however you please and voila! I brand new, super cute storage container for your collection. (PS- I use hot glue or fabric glue to do the decoration, but you can use whatever method works for you).
 