Give this household item new life with just a coat of paint.
The scoop
Sarah Teresinski (@redeux_style), a sustainable stylist, shared a unique way to upcycle old wicker baskets.
@redeux_style Thrifted Basket Upcycle ♻️ So ready for Spring! Thrifted this big basket for under $5 with a broken handle and decided to give it new life! #basket #basketdiy #upcycle #rework ##DIY#thriftflip #homedecor #upcycling #upcycle #diy #thriftflip #homedecor #upcycles #rework #upcycling #thriftflip #organize #reuse #recycle #secondhandstyle #transform #oldtonew #upcycleddesign #makers #upcyclersoftiktok #makersoftiktok #upcycling ♬ original sound - Sarah Teresinski
"This thrifted basket had a broken handle," she says. "I scored it for under 5 bucks. It's a pretty big, nice-sized basket, [and] it was in otherwise great shape, so I decided to give it a little coat of paint into a design that I liked."
Sarah narrates her tutorial on cleaning and painting an old wicker basket, with valuable DIY advice sprinkled throughout, such as using a WD-40 nozzle for a precise line of spray paint. If possible, though, try to avoid planet-harming aerosol cans and perhaps opt for water-based paints instead.
How it's working
Upcycling tricks like these will save you money. As Sarah says, "instead of spending 200 dollars on three of these baskets, with paint included, you're spending, like, 9 dollars on one beautiful big planter basket."
DIY-ing, or doing it yourself, can save you tons of money, especially on large home improvement projects. It's not always easy, but if you're determined and handy, you can save thousands of dollars by doing it yourself.
Using data from the U.S. Census Bureau, Bankrate found "the average home improvement project costs $6,352 when professionally done — vs. $2,502 for do-it-yourself."
You don't have to do big tasks like renovating your entire bathroom yourself. Even smaller DIY projects, like Sarah's with her wicker basket, will save you money.
This TikToker turned her old Ikea shelves into a farmhouse-chic cabinet, while this crafty Redditor regularly knits old T-shirts into rugs and baskets.
By upcycling, you're also preventing waste from entering landfills. This reduces harmful greenhouse gas pollution, conserves valuable natural resources, and saves energy, per Heal The Planet.
Want to give upcycling a try? Check out our guides for repurposing your empty containers and mending your old clothes.
What people are saying
Commenters loved this easy DIY project.
"I love this so much! And thrift stores always have TONS of these baskets every time," one TikTok user said.
"Love this idea," another user commented. "Definitely going to give this one a try. Thanks for the tip on the WD 40 nozzle."
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