Flashback Friday: 128 Creative Ways to Upcycle Your Trash

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Before you head over to the trash can, take a moment to consider if that empty can or citrus peel in your hand can be put to good use. Believe it or not, you might be able to save tons of cash by upcycling your garbage and turning it into something useful. Here are 128 creative ways to make your trash work for you.

25 Beautiful Things You Can Make With Paint Sample Cards — Once you've chosen the right color paint for your office, you no longer need the paint sample cards you were using, right? Wrong! Those colorful swatches can actually turn into beautiful home decor.

7 Ways to Reuse Clothes That No Longer Fit — Rather than tossing or donating those clothes you know you won't wear, see if you can use them in other ways. You could make that pile of t-shirts into a stellar quilt! Or turn an old sweater into a pair of cozy mittens.

9 Surprising Uses for Empty Beer and Soda Cans — Upon first glance, an empty soda or beer can might only seem like a piece of trash, but look again and you will see a container with a endless potential. Turn it into a mini planter, a Wi-Fi booster, jewelry supplies, and more!

18 Clever Ways to Reuse Your Plastic Shopping Bags — Beyond a backup poop bag for your pup, an empty plastic bag can easily be turned into something amazing. An emergency rain hat is just one option of many.

Egg Pan, Sugar Softener, and 50 Other Uses for Citrus Peels — Hold your peels! That citrus skin has more value than you could possibly imagine. Turn it into essential oil, a household cleaner, or a bird feeder. Oh, and there are 49 other brilliant uses here for you.

17 Ways to Use Old Newspaper — Since many people don't even read newspapers anymore, when you have some lying around, what are you supposed to do with them? Before you toss them out, consider upcycling them into book covers, gift wrap, disposable tablecloths, or something else you need!