We create a lot of garbage every day. It seems that no matter how small your family is, there are a ton of bags out on the sidewalk every week just ready for garbage pickup day. But there has to be something you can do with all that trash, especially now the days are getting cooler and your children are spending more time inside. Of course there is — do it yourself projects!
Our recycling experts have come up with some fun fall crafts your family can make to decorate the house for this upcoming fall. All of these materials can be found in the recycling bin and chances are you have them in your house already.
Pumpkins out of milk cartons
Plastic milk jugs make great pumpkins for Halloween. All you need to do is paint them orange, add a face and fill the container with shredded paper. You can even do this with smaller milk containers; open them up so they are long rectangles, and put green paper inside them to represent the pumpkin’s stem.
Toilet paper rolls into scarecrows
Collect a couple rolls together, hot glue gun them to make legs and arms, and fill them also with some shredded newspaper. Draw a face, add a small little paper hat, and you have friendly scarecrows to put on your mantle and desk. We even like using these little guys for place cards for family get-togethers.
Paper-mache pumpkins
Chances are you have a lot of newspaper in your recycling bins, so put them to good use by making paper-mache crafts. Paper-mache is quite versatile, but we enjoy making pumpkins the best. All you need is to blow up a balloon, add some paper mache about three-fourths of the way down the balloon, and add a wad of folded down paper on the top to act as the stem. Let it dry, pop the balloon, paint it in your favorite colors, and you’ll have pumpkins that will look adorable on any stoop. Just make sure to keep it out of the rain!
A full 87% of Americans have access to a curbside or drop-off paper recycling program. If you aren’t included in this number, make your own recycling program at home by making these fun fall crafts together with your family. It sure will make garbage pickup much easier, and Mother Nature will thank you!
