About

Recycled Crafts is a free collection of craft projects made from everyday materials: cardboard, paper scraps, magazines, clean jars and cans, boxes, packaging, fabric remnants and paper tubes. The tutorials are written for people who have a few saved boxes or jars, a pair of scissors and some glue, and who want clear instructions for turning them into something useful or decorative.

What you will find here

• Beginner guides that cover the foundations: which materials are worth saving, the basic tools to gather and first projects that can be finished in one sitting.
• Paper and cardboard crafts, from rolled magazine coasters and paper beads to picture frames and notebooks made from cereal boxes.
• Container crafts that turn clean jars, cans and bottles into vases, planters and holders.
• Home decor, organization and gift ideas: wall art, garlands, lanterns, drawer dividers, storage, gift boxes and gift wrap.
• Techniques and seasonal projects: cutting cardboard cleanly, choosing a glue by type, removing labels from jars, and decorations for holidays and fall.

If you are new, the best place to begin is Recycled Crafts for Beginners, followed by materials to save for crafts and the basic tools guide. A good first project is the tin can pencil holder. The full list is on the Tutorials page.

How the tutorials are written

Each tutorial covers one project or one skill. Project tutorials start with a summary box that gives the difficulty, an approximate time, the main material and the tools, followed by a full materials list. The preparation comes next: how to clean, dry, flatten or trim the material before you start. The project itself is broken into clear numbered steps, and a safety note is included where a project calls for one.

Measurements are given in inches with metric equivalents. Boxes, jars and cans come in many sizes, so the measurements are starting points to adapt to what you have. Tools and supplies are described by type rather than by brand, and time estimates are approximate and do not always include drying time.

The illustrations are original drawings made for this site. They are simplified diagrams that show the shape of a step or a finished project, not photographs of real objects, and they are not copies of anyone else’s work. We do not publish invented reviews, ratings or testimonials.

What we do not claim

This site is about resourcefulness and creativity: making something with what is already in the house. We do not make claims about the environmental impact of these projects, and we do not publish statistics of any kind. We also do not promise a particular result, because materials differ from one household to the next, and we do not certify any material, glue, paint or finished project as safe for a particular use.

A short safety note

• Use only containers that held food, drinks or dry household goods. Never use containers that held chemicals such as cleaners, solvents, paint, fuel or garden products.
• Knives, hot glue and hammers are for adults. Children can help with measuring, gluing with white glue and decorating, with an adult present.
• Decorated containers are for display and for dry, non-food storage, such as pencils, craft supplies or wrapped items.

Corrections and suggestions

If a step is unclear, a measurement looks wrong or a link is broken, please tell us through the Contact page. Clear instructions matter more to us than anything else on the site, and corrections are always welcome.