DIY A Stylish Planter With A Trash Can And A Cute Rug

Have you been looking around your home with mild dissatisfaction, wishing you had something new to spice up your space without spending much money? Crafty home decorators, here's an affordable project that requires no tools at all — no cutting, no sewing, and no gluing. For an imaginative way to add texture to your home decor, upgrade a small trash can into a custom planter with the help of a woven rug and a belt.

Wrapped around the can, held in place with a belt, and with the excess tucked inside, this quick rug repurpose project is ready to house a leafy plant or serve as storage. What's more, this is a low-commitment undertaking; if you don't like the look, your individual pieces can all go back to their original uses. Even better, it can give you an opportunity to trade out coverings for a chance to decorate for a season.

Your rug should be a little longer than the trash can's circumference and several inches wider than the height of the can. This trick will work best with thin rugs rather than ones with deep pile or with an attached backing. Also, this planter will be better equipped for indoor living; for a stint outdoors, it would do better under an overhang or awning.

If you'd like to make your trash can a permanent plant holder, make a few drainage holes in the base before dressing it up. Otherwise, you can slide an already-potted plant inside the container, making all of the components easy to change out. Line up one long edge of the rug with the bottom of the trash can, and wrap the can with the rug, one end over the other. Cinch a belt around the can, just a little higher than the middle, and fold the remainder of the rug inside the container. The only thing left to do is crown it with a perky plant or cascading vine.

You're not limited to using a rug and a trash can, either; the right-sized scrap of fabric can work as long as you hide any cut edges. You can make a faux seam by folding over the exposed fabric edge and safety pinning the layers together through the underside. If your trash can has tapered sides, you can even slip it inside a bit of upcycled clothing like a slice of a pant leg or the arm of a large sweater that is past its prime. There's no need to sacrifice a trash can for this DIY. Look around your kitchen, laundry room, and garage. Converting an empty bucket from a cleaning supply or a jug from windshield washer fluid into a trash can is a clever way to reuse your plastic containers.