MAKE OLD THINGS NEW: 6 Ways to Cut Costs During the Holidays (and still get what you Want)

Are you planning to buy something for the Holidays? 

Think twice before you swipe that credit card or pull out your hard-earned money and ask yourself - do I need it or do I want it?

If you need it, the item is essential for daily living - something you cannot live without like food, water and medicine. It is a necessity.

If you want it, the item is not necessary for your daily needs - just an add-on to the essentials to make it look nicer, better or add some glitter and variety in your life. It is a luxury.

Whether you need it or you want it, making new things out of old items can help cut costs and save that hard-earned money for the rainy days.

1. Convert and Transform What You Have

Why buy a new side table or storage cabinet for your dirty kitchen when you can convert an old furniture that does not anymore serve its original purpose?

Repaint it with your favorite color using lacquer (water-based) or enamel (oil-based) paint.  Always wear a mask to avoid inhalation and possible allergic reaction to industrial paint fumes.

Use stencil patterns to make creative designs on it if you are not skilled at drawing. If you think you are heavy handed and not achieving the needed strokes, check whether you are using the right brush. There are inexpensive paint brushes that you can buy at bookstores and help you make better strokes and finer lines. 

If you are replacing your single sized palo-china bed, convert half of it into a garden bench with used cornice as finishing accent, the other half into a bed foot bench and the remaining part into a small cocktail table for the garden.

2. Give Garden Pots a Facelift

Pots either break or their color fade after some time. Paint old, faded plastic pots to give it a new, attractive look. 

You can try using quick drying flat wall enamel paint as a base with three coatings. Glossy paint lasts longer when exposed to sun and rain but it can be slippery when applying acrylic-based paint over it. 

Paint it over with creative designs using textile paint. You can make your own pattern out of paper cut outs, leaves or flowers or use stencils to create beautiful, artistic designs. 

Don’t forget to apply paint sealer on the design to make it last longer.

3. Paint on Your Plastic Water Bottles

Instead of throwing them away, use plastic water bottles as an alternative to expensive clay or plastic garden pots. 

Cut the upper part of the bottle. Remove the sticker residue by rubbing it with a piece of cloth with alcohol. Use a soldering iron to bore drainage holes at the bottom of the bottle. Very quickly let the mouth of the container touch the bottom of a heated pan to smoothen the sharp edges by slightly melting the sides.

You can easily apply white flat wall enamel paint as a base using a roller brush. Let it dry before applying a second and third coating. 

Make the pots more interesting, attractive and colorful by painting over with sketches of your favorite garden insects, cartoon characters, colorful flowers or other creative designs.  

You can find step-by-step illustrations on how to draw figures from the internet if you are not skilled at it. Using dotting tools or markers help a lot in creating circular figures of different sizes. 

Better yet, encourage the kids to paint on the pots and display their work for everyone to admire.

Always apply paint sealer on the area of the painted design after it has dried to make it last longer. Place the pots in an area with the least sun and rain exposure as much as possible.

4. Find New Readers for Old Books

Books carry a vast amount of knowledge and information that remain relevant even with the passage of time. 

Give old books as a gift, or barter with someone who has the book that you need.

Sell your old books in online sales platforms and buy a new book you like with the proceeds.

You can also donate them to the nearest public school or community college like the Occidental Mindoro State College (OMSC) - Lubang Campus through the Lubang-Looc International Scholarship Program-Lubang Chapter, a jail with educational programs for persons deprived of liberty (PDL) or non-profit organizations like Books for a Cause which gather and distribute donated books to public schools and libraries in the provinces in coordination with the Philippine Army.

5. Use Plastic Water Bottles for Composting

Having a trash can of dry garbage assures you that when the garbage truck fails to come, no flies will be swarming around and no foul smell will be coming from your trash bin.

Cut three-fourths of the upper part of the bottle enough to flip it open. Create two holes on the front and back sides and insert a plastic garden wire as a lock. Bore holes on the sides to allow some air and at the bottom for drainage.

Put two layers of newspaper inside and some soil for the first layer. Pack your biodegradable kitchen refuse like vegetable cuttings and fruit peels into the container every night and top with soil just enough to cover the top. Do the same repeatedly until the bottle is full up to the brim. Transfer to an area where there is bright sunlight. Ensure rainwater does not seep through the bottle opening.

The compost will be ready for garden use after a month.

6. Make Christmas Lanterns Using Tree Branches

Christmas will not be complete without hanging the traditional Filipino lantern. 

Capiz shell lanterns or solar-powered lanterns while artsy or trendy can be expensive. Gather sturdy branches cut from trees in your garden and assemble them into triangles to form a star. Secure the ends with rattan or abaca rope or simply nail them together. 

Paint with your favorite color and hang them in your garden where it can withstand rain or sun.

Note: Credits to Mildred B. Lazatin for allowing us to feature photos of her native lantern project.

Your Old Self and a New You

Every old thing has an intrinsic beauty or value. Oftentimes, the only thing needed is to polish it to make it shine. 

As 2021 comes to a close, let us take stock of our selves and find out how we can transform the old in us into a new masterpiece and better creation.

Wishing you a Safe and Happy Christmas with the family!

Apple Bleza-Morales

About the Author:

Apple is passionately interested in community greening and beautification, organic and ornamental gardening, environment protection and preservation as well as related arts and crafts. She shares her professional, personal and travel experiences to spread knowledge and information in these areas which may not be accessible to all who are similarly interested and aims to inspire others to develop and create new ideas from her blogs.

Apple holds a Master's degree in Industrial Relations from the University of the Philippines. She held leadership roles in Human Resources during her employment with the private sector, developing and implementing HR and Organizational systems that help employees to grow their careers and employers to achieve a mutually beneficial engagement.

Photos by:  Maybelle B. Morales