You know how it is – you’re in the throes of your Christmas shopping and planning your social calendar during this festive season and you didn’t even realise that Saturday 15th November is ‘Clean Out Your Refrigerator Day’. Let’s be honest, your fridge isn’t exactly known for its aesthetic qualities –it’s more a home for all your favourite food and drink.
So take the courage to assess the cleanliness of your fridge… it probably doesn’t look pretty. While you may think your fridge is outdated and desperately unstylish, you don’t have to resort to taking it to the tip – we have some creative ways of upcycling your beloved cooling cabinet. With one million refrigerators currently sitting in landfills and approximately 16 per cent of unwanted fridges still in working condition, it would be a shame to waste this essential electrical appliance.
So, clean up your act – and your fridge – with these 5 inventive ways of repurposing your refrigerator:
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Shelving. With all that storage available, why not rehome your many books and DVDs into your newly upcycled fridge? You can also store clothes and linen, and repurpose mini fridges for it to store smaller items. Personalise your design with your favourite paint colour, and throw in some accessories for your own bespoke storage solution.
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Coal bunker. Who says the fridge is an indoor item? It can also be put to good use in the outdoors, especially for the winter. You could even hold gardening tools and logs in your revamped coal bunker, as thanks to its robust design, can withstand a number of wintry conditions – whatever the weather!
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No work, and all play. One practical idea that’s also extremely playful is turning your unwanted fridge into a playroom storage unit. Fix a chalkboard to the fridge doors so it becomes an instant scrawling surface for the little ones, then once playtime is over, they can put their toys away in the fridge.
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Sofa, so good. You may want to follow in the footsteps of Adrian Johnson, a designer from Massachusetts, USA, who runs an online business called “Fridgecouch”. Just as the name suggests, he sells upcycled fridges and freezers that have been stylishly transformed into sofas – bonus points for his environmentally-friendly approach!
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DIY fridge ice chest cooler. It involves a bit of hard graft but the results are completely worth it – not only does it look like a showstopper, it’s a handy way of holding a large amount of drinks. Be the talk of the party with your upcycled fridge ice chest cooler, thanks to your DIY party trick!