7 Ways to Reuse, Recycle, and Save Money at the Same Time

Think twice before throwing out that empty cereal box or ripped pair of jeans! I was able to save a TON of money this semester by reusing old materials I had in my dorm room. Here are some suggestions for fun DIY projects you can do to customize your room and wardrobe using stuff you probably have lying around.
 
1. Collage. No need to buy posters or wall art when you can create your own custom wall décor for FREE! Sort through old magazines for your favorite fashion pics of celebrities and tear them out. Pile them together on pieces of printer paper and glue them down. Too many photos? My roommate and I sometimes pick a theme and center the collage around it.
 
2. Homemade birthday cards. Keep empty cereal and granola boxes and cut them into cute shapes, decorate with stickers and markers and give them away by themselves or with balloons.
 
3. Rain boot rack. If you live in Williamsburg, you have rain boots. Keep your floor dry by using a large cardboard box as a place to store your boots after walking through puddles. I keep mine by the door and can toss my wet umbrella in it too.
 
4. Liven up your dorm room with some potted plants. Simply cut the top off of a soda or milk container and fill it with soil and sprinkle in some seeds (try Bloom or Ace Hardware for a selection of seeds or flowers).
 
5. Party tricks. Broken brooms are great to reuse as limbo sticks at your next dorm party!
 
6. Shorts. Spring is just about here and if it’s not hot outside, it definitely is in the non air-conditioned dorms. Take those ripped jeans and cut them into shorts! You can decide on the length, and if you want to take it a step further you can tie-dye them as well! (A fun project to do with your hall mates)
 
7. Birdhouse. For the more daring college student, take apart that package your mom sent you and reconstruct it in the shape of a birdhouse! Duct tape works best to put the pieces together, just remember to cut a hole in the side for the birds! Can be hung using dental floss.