Have you noticed lately how popular upcycling has become? There is good reason! These practices are great for the environment. Instead of throwing away items, people are now finding ways to repurpose them into brand new uses. Another great reason to repurpose is that it has great mental health benefits for you. Let's explore how upcycling and repurposing can bring you joy and enhance your life.
Self Expression and Creativity-One of the best benefits of upcycling is the ability to show off your creativity and express your unique style. When you create something new out of something old, it shows off your unique personality and style. Whether you like refurbishing old furniture, sewing, crafting, or gardening, there is always a project you can do in any of those categories in any style. Whether you love abstract or primitive the possibilities are endless when those creative juices get flowing.
Creating a Sense of Accomplishment-There is nothing like the feeling of seeing something old turn into something new and different that you did with your own hands. Knowing that item could have ended up in a landfill and has been saved is a great feeling! You have used your hands to create something new and beautiful that will be used for years. You have not only done the work, but you have also helped the environment in the process.
Saving Money-When money is tight look around and see what you can repurpose. For example, do you need a new coffee table? What can you use to create a new one? The best part of creating your own is that you now have a unique piece that no one else will have.
Connecting to the Past-When you give new life to something you are connecting to the past. When we give something a new life we are preserving it's history and at the same time adding to the story of that item. For example, we recently made terrariums from mason jars. That mason jar could have been a jar someone's grandmother used to can tomatoes or pickles. That jar was infused with lots of time, work, love, and delicious food. It made it through that hot kitchen canning summer vegetables, then down in the cellar for storage to have some fresh tomatoes in the winter. Did she make homemade sauce with those tomatoes? Those stories will still be held in that jar. Now you are adding new stories and memories to that jar that is now housing a terrarium. Every item you repurpose and upcycle goes through that same process, housing old memories and adding new ones.
Mindfulness and Relaxation-This benefit is one of my favorites. When you are working on a project such as sewing or sanding or painting furniture, whatever it may be, you are focusing and using your hands. This allows us to be present in the moment. When you are present you mind lets go of stress. You are only focused on what you are doing in that moment, not yesterday, not tomorrow, not tonight. That is what causes stress and anxiety for people. Thinking about the past and the future instead of the present. It's also worth mentioning that these projects can be meditative and calming for exactly those reasons. Who knew! (we all do deep down don't we).
The benefits of upcycling and repurposing are great! It helps the environment and it helps bring joy to your soul in all these ways. So the next time you have an old item that you’re thinking of throwing away, consider upcycling or repurposing it instead. You might just be surprised by how much joy it brings you.
At Simple Joy Box our goal is to help people reconnect with what matters most in life and to find joy in the everyday. Each month we curate an experience that helps you de-stress, slow down, and appreciate the simple things in life. Even the most ordinary moments can be transformed into something special with the right mindset and a few thoughtful touches. We make the ordinary extraordinary!