There are things in every corner of your home that you can recycle. The sky’s the limit as far as imaginative recycling is concerned. Home accessories are expensive, there’s no doubt about it. We use several accessories in the bathroom such as rugs, shower curtains, trash cans, tissue holders, trays and toothbrush holders. These items do cost a lot and when they need to be replaced, the plastic factor becomes a cause for concern. Here are 10 things that you can comfortably recycle in your bathroom, both plastic and non-plastic items.

1. Bathtubs

If you are replacing an old and chipped bathtub, keep it in a corner of your garden. A large bathtub will make a great compost pot. You can also think of repainting the bathtub and donating it to someone who needs it. The bathtub can become a splash pool for small children. Paint colorful cartoon characters on it, place it in the garden, plug the bottom, fill it up with water and let the kids have fun. When your kids are done, hose the water to your needy plants; two in one go.

2. Toilets

Sink old toilets in your garden until only the bowl is visible. You can use these old toilets as pots for growing plants and vegetables. Pretty soon no one will realize that your pot used to be a toilet. You can even paint it in different colors to camouflage it.

3. Sinks

Donate old sinks to old age homes, or to your local church charity. Old sinks can be painted and reused elsewhere. For an innovative recycling idea, plug your old sinks and use them as bird baths or snail and slug traps in your garden.

4. Bathroom Vanity

If you are planning to replace an old and not in good condition bathroom vanity, rip up the wooden parts and use them to build smaller objects. If your bathroom vanity has well structured cupboards, consider re-varnishing them and using them to store your tools in the garage.

5. Trays & Holders

All bathrooms have trays and various holders for toothbrushes and soaps. See if you can find ways to use these items in other parts of your home. Toothbrush holders make very interesting garden additions, apart from their use as pen, paintbrush and straw holders. Porcelain bathroom trays can be used to store odds and ends such as your car keys, mail or sunglasses. Your bathroom soap dish can be used to keep old scour pads in the kitchen.

6. Lotion Dispensers

Lotion dispensers can be cleaned out and used as handwash soap dispensers in other rooms. You can also fill them up with antiseptic spray or cleaning solutions. If your lotion dispensers are made of ceramic and are nice looking, fill them up with sauces and ketchups for use at the table.

7. Fabric or Plastic Shower Curtains

If your shower curtain is made of plastic, use it as a regular curtain in a less used area of your home. If it is made of plastic, use it as a rain cover over protect tender plants in your garden. Use plastic shower curtains to create an awning over plants that grow best in shade, using wooden or metal poles. If the plastic curtains are in bad shape, cut out long ribbons out of them and create a rope for binding things together. You can make a rain proof tent for your little ones in the garden using plastic shower curtains as well.

8. Mirrors

Reframe and reuse mirrors elsewhere in your home if they’re in good condition. If the mirror is chipped, break it up. Mid the mirror pieces with bits of ceramic and marbles and create a beautiful mosaic that you can hang up, or decorate tables and stepping stones. If some of the pieces are large, cut them into shapes and make hand mirrors for your friends. Round off the edges and paste hard, colorful paper all around. You can also sell broken bits of glass mirror to art shops that specialize in stained glass. If the silver backing is peeling off, peel it off completely and use the mirror like a pane of glass.

9. Shelves

If you have functional wooden bathroom shelves, you can use the shelves as is in your garage, kitchen, storeroom, and kids’ rooms and even in the garden to store seedlings. If the shelves are chipped and not in good shape, strip the wood down; if you have the skills and the tools, make something new of the wood, or else use the wood boards to support creepers and runners in your garden. If the shelves are made of plastic and they are in bad condition, use some tools to even out the chipping and repaint the shelves. You can now use them in your garage, garden or attic.

10. Old Taps, Faucets, and Fittings

The most replaced parts of any bathroom are the old faucets, taps and fittings. When these become unusable, rusted or chipped, most people tend to replace them with better quality items. Since these are pre-shaped items, it’s hard to use them in any artistic manner. The best thing to do would be to give them to your plumber who might be able to use them somewhere. If not, oil, paint and varnish the fixtures and donate them to your local church charity.

Gagan is a freelance writer working for bathroom vanity mirror website located at VanityMirrorShop.com

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