14 Ways To Repurpose Your Old Cooler At The End Of Summer Instead Of Throwing It Away

Do you have a cooler left over from your recent summer shenanigans that you're convinced you'll never use again? Instead of throwing it away or letting it collect dust in the garage, you can repurpose it into something new and functional for your home, garden, or outdoor space. The cheapest coolers are usually made of Styrofoam and are the handiest to take with you on countless adventures, keeping drinks cold and food fresh. But when the warmer months wind down, worn-out Styrofoam coolers are cast aside for another year or end up in landfills, where they can take up to 500 years to completely break down. Luckily, there are tons of creative ways to repurpose old or unwanted items around your home instead of throwing them away — and coolers are no exception.

Even if that well-loved cooler has seen its share of better days, that doesn't have to stop you from giving it a new lease on life, while extending a much-needed helping hand to the environment. Styrofoam coolers might seem like the easiest to repurpose since they tend to be softer and more flexible, but even the hard plastic ones can also be transformed into some amazing things, like a planter or storage ottoman, with just a little creativity, a bit of effort, and a few basic tools. These are some of the niftiest ideas for saving any old cooler — whether Styrofoam or plastic — from the trash and creatively turning it into treasure.

Whether to keep your own precious feline safe and warm or to protect any cats that may be in your neighborhood from bad weather, repurposing a cooler into a cozy space for cats to use during the winter — or any time of year — tops our list. A cooler is perfect to use as a weatherproof shelter, and if it's big enough, it can give several outdoor cats safety. To create this, you'll cut a round hole in the side of the cooler, wrap the sharp edge with thick tape, and fill the inside with bedding.

Creating a wooden cooler station is a fun, practical project that can improve your outdoor or indoor aesthetics and keep your drinks cold. After building this statement-making ice chest out of your boring, run-of-the-mill cooler, you can personalize it with paint or stain. You'll build a boxy frame with tall legs and a lid. Then, you'll place your Styrofoam cooler inside, helping it last throughout the year instead of breaking down after the summer. If you have an old mini fridge sitting around, you can use it to make an amazing DIY backyard cooler, too.

Coolers are supposed to be durable and weather-resistant, and that's what makes them perfect for use as outdoor storage or a cute piece of furniture. After you add a piece of upholstery foam to the top and hot glue some colorful, weatherproof fabric around the whole cooler and lid, you'll suddenly have a multifunctional outdoor storage bench to store garden tools, outdoor toys, or pool accessories inside. Just pop the lid back on it and prop your feet up on your new DIY ottoman while you enjoy a relaxing moment in your backyard space.

This hack offers a touch of ingenuity when you convert your cooler into a portable drink dispenser. Sure, at first glance, this looks like it belongs at a fraternity house party. But it can hold any type of beverage, making it extra convenient for backyard get-togethers, tailgating parties, or camping trips throughout the whole year. Just cut a small hole and pop a spigot with a tube in it to keep your favorite drinks cold and easily-accessible. Plus, you'll save money by not having to buy a traditional keg-style cooler for future parties.

Just because the summer is in the rearview doesn't mean the weather knows that. If staying cool remains an ongoing challenge, then a DIY air conditioner is an affordable way to bring an instant chill to a room. With a cooler, block of ice, PVC pipe connector, elevated tray, and fan, this simple DIY can turn that old cooler into a cooling system. You'll cut two holes in the cooler's lid for the PVC pipe and fan, then place them in the holes. Finally, put the ice inside on the tray and turn on the fan.

Creating a catio for your feline fur babies is an adorable way to keep your kitties safe while they explore their outdoor surroundings. To keep your cats occupied and add more interest to the space, try making a small pond out of a cooler. You'll first fill the container with water, then add a small fountain and anything else you desire like rocks or aquatic plants. Furthermore, while this is a great addition to a catio, it could also act as a small water feature on a regular patio or in a backyard.

Coolers of any kind can also be repurposed into planters, which come with the added benefit that they're typically pretty easy to move around. Whether for fall flowers or late-season vegetables, you can take your old cooler from drab to fab with just a bit of paint or other crafting items. The insulated walls make it an ideal habitat for growing different types of plants. Don't forget to drill a few drainage holes in the bottom to keep the roots healthy. You could even place the lid underneath the cooler to catch excess water.

Hydroponics is a way to grow plants without using soil — and using a small Styrofoam cooler is the perfect way to do that. With this system, you can grow different types of plants, which include fresh vegetables, herbs, and even some fruits like strawberries. This technique is beneficial for those living in an apartment or an urban area where in-ground gardening isn't possible. To get your cooler ready to grow a plant, cut a hole in the center of the lid, place a hydroponic pot inside, and fill the container with water.

By stacking Styrofoam coolers on top of each other, you can create "The Haunted Mansion" pillars to decorate for Halloween. Don't throw away the lids because you'll use those on the top and bottom to help the pillar stand up. Give it an old, withered look by covering it with gray paint, creating some slash marks, and filling spaces with dirt and moss. Get the signs at Spirit Halloween for $20 and add other creepy decorations, like spider webs, chains, skulls, or LED lights, to bring the whole eerie vibe together.

Take an inexpensive Styrofoam cooler and repurpose it into an upscale storage table for your patio. With this DIY project, you can get as creative as you want by picking any size cooler and fabric — no sewing required. You'll use contact spray adhesive ($12 on Amazon) to secure the fabric (or other material) to the cooler. Then, choose any style of furniture feet that tickles your fancy. They'll easily screw into the foam on the corners, or you can glue them to the cooler if you don't want the screws to poke into the inside.

When an outside pipe bursts and you need a quick fix, don't freak out if you have a Styrofoam cooler on hand. Cut off a piece that's big enough to cover the hole and use it as a temporary solution in a pinch. While this won't be a permanent fix, it can help prevent a complete meltdown until a professional arrives at your house to replace the piece of pipe. Grab some super glue and drizzle it onto the Styrofoam. This will make the foam more flexible and easier to secure over the leak.

Transform a plain cooler into a piece of mosaic art and make this DIY one of the most creative projects you've ever undertaken. The DIY garden stool becomes weather-resistant when you cover the cooler in mortar, which will also turn it into a sturdier and more functional spot to sit. After the grout has time to dry, sand it smooth. Then, attach bursts of colors, shapes, and textures with glass mosaic tiles ($20 on Amazon) to create a pretty pattern — and dare we say, a work of art. Once dry, cover the gaps with grout.

Turning a Styrofoam cooler into a functional beehive is a creative way to bring more bees to your yard while providing yourself with lots of honey. You can make your own wood frames or grab some for $45 on Amazon, which come with beeswax foundation sheets. These will easily slide in and out of the cooler. Don't forget to create small holes on the sides of the cooler for bees to enter and exit. This is a great way to upcycle an old item while benefiting your garden with more pollinators.

Low-lying fog machines aren't cheap, and the expense probably isn't worth it if you only plan to use it on Halloween or during a dramatic photo shoot. To save a whole lot of money, consider making one instead. All you need is a cheap fog machine, Styrofoam cooler, two plastic cups, and ice. You'll cut holes out of the bottoms of the cups, then use one to funnel the fog from the machine to the cooler and the other to face the fog towards the ground. Finally, just fill the cooler with ice.