Most Popular Repurposing Tricks Of 2011


There is something special about the tricks people come up with to turn unwanted objects into something fresh and useful. Turning an old gadget or piece of furniture into something completely new is a great way to extend its life; here are some of our favourite conversions from the last year.


Top 10 Ways To Turn Your Retired Gadgetry Into The Technology of the Future

With the rapid progression of technology each year, it’s easy to accumulate a pile of obsolete gadgets that you just can’t bear to get rid of. Here’s a few of the best ways you can still get use out of those gadgets and repurpose a pile of what might otherwise end up in the landfill. More »


How To Build A Car Mount For Your Phone From Office Supplies

Reader Ryan Mottau built this awesome DIY smartphone car mount using our favourite DIY wonder-tool, the binder clip. Here’s how he did it.

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Plug Your Keys Into The Wall With A Keychain and Wall Dock

There are plenty of products you can buy to hang your keys on the wall for easy access, but none with the geeky charm and stability of plugging them in to an RJ-45 port. More »


Wrap Your Headphones With A Binder Clip For Easy, Tangle-Free Storage

If you carry headphones with you everywhere you go but can’t seem to find a tangle-free wrapping method that works for you, look no further than the duct tape of office supplies, the binder clip. More »


Use An Aluminium Can As A Wi-Fi Extender

If you happen to have an old can of soda or beer lying around the house and you’re struggling to get a good Wi-Fi signal on your computer, The Chive has a guide to cutting out a parabolic reflector out of the can. More »


Turn Your Old Laptop Into a Touchscreen PC

We’ve looked at turning a MacBook into a tablet computer and even written some software for you to turn it into a nice heads up display, but Instructables user mkarvonen has created a how-to that demonstrates how to turn virtually any laptop into a touchscreen tablet. More »


Make An Awesome Lamp Out Of Plastic Cups

Having recently moved into an apartment with far less built-in lighting, I’ve come to find that lamps are pretty useful when you want to actually see indoors. It turns out you can repurpose old plastic cups into a great lamp.More »


Make A Storage Capsule Out Of Two Plastic Soft Drink Bottles

Backpackers often buy small lightweight containers to avoid lugging around full-size bottles of soap, condiments, sunblock, and many other substances. If you’re looking for something small to carry around, you can stuff two soft drink bottles together for a tiny, sealed container. More »


Remove The Tube And Pull Up: Your Toilet Paper Roll Is Now A Box of Tissues

Next time you’re using a roll of toilet paper as a box-of-tissue stand-in, take this handy tip from reddit user FlintsDoorknob: Remove the cardboard tube from the middle of your toilet paper and pull up. More »


DIY Glass Bottle Lamp

Nearly everyone uses glass bottles and needs lamps, so why not make a lamp out of a used bottle? Here are two ways you can get this project done, either with a traditional tungsten filament or a more modern LED. More »


Turn A Plastic Bottle Into A Smartphone Bike Mount

We’ve shown you one or two ways to mount your smartphone to your bike, but that won’t do you much good when it starts drizzling outside. This quick trick will make sure your smartphone stays safe and dry. More »


Convert A Chest Freezer To A Kegerator

Kegerators can be a great way to keep beer on tap in the house, but they’re expensive to build or purchase, which is why Instructables user MrBippers put together a guide to repurposing a chest freezer to a kegerator for just $US20.
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There you have it. It has been a great year for repurposing, clever uses, and other reuse projects this year. Whether your favourite of the year made the list or not, we’d love to hear about your favourite repurposing posts in the comments.


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At Lifehacker, we independently select and write about stuff we love and think you'll like too. We have affiliate and advertising partnerships, which means we may collect a share of sales or other compensation from the links on this page. BTW – prices are accurate and items in stock at the time of posting.

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