Don’t Skip It, Upcycle It: 3 Creative Weekend Projects from Your Junk Pile
We see it on almost every job. The “it might come in handy one day” pile.
It’s usually in the corner of the garage or buried at the back of the shed. Old offcuts of timber, rusted garden tools, furniture with a broken leg. Eventually, the pile gets so big that the only option seems to be hiring a skip and chucking it all in.
At Redstone Ripout & Clearances, our goal is always to sustainably divert over 90% of what we clear away from landfill. We believe that “waste” is often just a resource in the wrong place.
Before you consign everything to the tip, take a second look. With a free weekend and a bit of elbow grease, some of that “junk” could become your garden’s newest feature.
Here are three of our favourite ways to turn common clearance finds into treasure.
Project 1: The Pallet Wood Herb Garden
The Waste: Shipping pallets are one of the most common items we clear from commercial and residential sites. They are sturdy, rustic, and perfect for the garden.
The Project: Turn a pallet on its side (standing up tall). The gaps between the horizontal slats form perfect natural planting troughs.
- Sand down the rough edges to avoid splinters.
- Staple some weed membrane fabric inside the troughs to hold the soil.
- Fill with compost and plant herbs like rosemary, thyme, and mint.
- Optional: Paint it with blackboard paint to label your herbs in chalk.
The Result: A vertical, space-saving herb garden that looks great on a patio wall.
Project 2: The Drawer Planter Box
The Waste: An old chest of drawers. Maybe the runners have gone, or the top is badly scratched, but the drawer boxes themselves are usually solid wood.
The Project: Don’t bin the whole unit; rescue the drawers.
- Remove the drawers and take off any old handles.
- Drill 4-5 drainage holes in the bottom of each drawer.
- Paint the fronts in bright exterior colours (blues and yellows look great).
- Stack them haphazardly in a corner of the garden and fill with cascading flowers like petunias or lobelia.
The Result: Quirky, tiered garden planters that add instant colour.
Project 3: The “Rustic Rust” Coat Rack
The Waste: Old garden forks, spades, or trowels where the wooden handles have snapped off, leaving just the metal head rusting in the shed.
The Project: Use the metal heads as heavy-duty hooks.
- Use a hacksaw to remove any remaining jagged wood from the metal socket.
- Give the metal a wire-brush down to remove loose rust flakes, but leave some for character.
- Seal the metal with a clear lacquer spray to stop rust rubbing off on clothes.
- Screw the tool heads securely onto a sturdy plank of reclaimed wood.
The Result: An industrial-style coat and welly rack for your porch or mudroom.
When DIY becomes “D-I-Don’t”
We love seeing people reuse waste. It’s satisfying and great for the planet. But sometimes, the “to-do” pile is just too scary.
If you look at your shed and feel overwhelmed rather than inspired, it might be time to call in the cavalry.
It’s time to call the pros when:
- The volume is too high: You have 10 years of accumulation that would take 10 weekends to sort.
- It’s dangerous: You suspect asbestos, see heavy mould, or encounter pests.
- It’s heavy: Shifting cast iron, pianos, or dense rubble can cause serious injury.
We can clear the chaos in a single day, leaving you with a clean slate (and maybe a small pile of wood for that one project you actually want to do).
Conclusion
Whether you upcycle it yourself or let us recycle it professionally, the goal is to reclaim your space responsibly. Have a great weekend project!
