Making Art Out Of The Old: A Beginner’s Guide To Upcycling
A beginners guide to upcycling
Money is tight, time is scarce, and it always feels like prices are getting higher. In all sorts of industries, it can be hard for consumers to afford the items available to them on the regular market. When it comes to something like DIY and interior design, it can be very frustrating to find that the items you like the most are out of your reach. Thankfully, while this will feel bad, there are some easy solutions which can turn this around for you. This post will be focusing on upcycling, and the process which you will need to go through to do it to a relic of your choice.
What Will You Make?
To begin the process of making something old into something new, you will need to think about the sort of piece you’d like to make. Using vintage items to make features and furniture for your home is a great way to save some money through this process. While you will be limited in the things you can make, your imagination can vastly widen your scope to make things which are unique. For example, some people will like the idea of upcycling an old dining table to make it into a large desk, and others will prefer something smaller, like a phone dock made from an old radio.
Choosing Your Base
The base of your creation will be the item it all starts with. You can’t take the process of choosing this lightly, as it will impact the look and feel of the product for the duration of its life, and a lot of people will search far and wide for the item which does it for them. There are loads of places you can look for this part of the job, and you can find some examples of them below. To get some inspiration, there are loads of boards on Pinterest which are dedicated to upcycling.
eBay: Over the last few years, online shopping has become the dominating side of this market. With companies like eBay creating buzz all over the world, it’s easy to find unique secondhand goods which people are willing to sell for nearly nothing. This sort of site is perfect when the project you have in mind involves old electronics. You can find a lot of broken tech in auctions, and it doesn’t need to be working if you’re taking it apart.
Charity Shops: Most people like the idea of their DIY and renovation work being able to help those in need. By shopping in thrift stores and charity shops, this is exactly what you’ll do, while also giving yourself the chance to find items you won’t see anywhere else. This is best for furniture, as you won’t find cheaper options on any other platform.
Real Auctions: Taking the best qualities of both of the options above, real auctions can be one of the best places to find your upcycling foundations. You never know what you’ll find at places like this, with lots almost always being of a high quality, while also being much cheaper than their alternatives on the new market. Of course, while being a great method, a lot of people may not have access to this.
Gathering The Tools/Trimmings
Once you have the starting piece for your project, you will be ready to start thinking about the tools and trimmings you’ll be using to put it together. Hand tools should be all it takes, with cheap examples being found all over the web. When it comes to things like paint, fabrics, and the other materials you’ll need for this, it will be worth doing some research. Reviews will make this process easier if you can find them for the things your buying. Alternatively, you could look for guides surrounding similar projects to figure out how other people have captured the styles you’re trying to achieve.
Upcycling Your Item
As the last stage in this process, you will be able to begin the project properly, putting all of your pieces together to make the item you’ve been imagining. It’s always best to go at this sort of thing with a good plan. Each stage of the process needs to be thought out, ensuring that you don’t find yourself stuck at a stage that is time-sensitive. When figuring out how long it will take, it will be worth overestimating and giving yourself as much time as you can spare, just in case you want to make some changes.
Most people will need to do some research as they plan out their project. Unless you have a lot of experience with DIY or crafts, it will be hard to know exactly what to do at each stage. Thankfully, there are loads of resources out there which can help you with this, and a lot of them are completely free. Websites like Youtube are perfect, as videos will make it much easier to learn. Alongside this, though, you could also use your time on buses, trains, or wait around to read some blogs surrounding your project.
Finally, as the last thing to consider, this sort of project is usually best undertaken with those you care about, Having some time with your friends to enjoy a satisfying activity is an opportunity a lot of people seldom have. As a bonding experience, this will make everyone feel closer to the end of it. Along with this, though, it also means you may be able to bag some help from those with more experience, and this will make the whole process much easier.
Hopefully, this post will give you a good idea of what can be done when you’re getting into the world of upcycling. This is not only a great way to save money on the way that you style your home, but it is also the best route to take when you want a home which is unique to you. It is a great feeling knowing that a lot of the items in your home have felt your influence.
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