Are you interested in knowing the different ways how to recycle a fridge? We have gathered about six creative and crafty ways to upcycle your old fridge. And we’re thrilled to share them with you!
You may transform it into various furniture or other reusable materials due to its size and area. It’s also practical to consider altering your old appliances, and you can reduce their number in the landfills.
Some of these ideas are simple to implement and only take a few minutes. However, some may be difficult, requiring a great deal of knowledge, particularly in engineering and carpentry. Without further ado, let’s start recycling!
Creative Ideas To Recycle Your Old Fridge
Your fridge comes in various ages, sizes, and features. Some of them have unique colors and accents. And we can use that to our advantage and make the best out of these characteristics. Some of you will prefer to transform your fridge instead of giving them to the scrap metal recycler or selling them.
And some people will say that they see something valuable in their non-operating refrigerator. But if you don’t know where to start and what to do, you might know after reading this article. So here are our suggestions on how to recycle a fridge.
Idea #1. Bookcase
This idea is the easiest one to create. When your appliance starts to stop functioning or does not cool your food anymore, you can turn it into a bookcase. And it already has shelves and compartments.
You may conserve electricity by not forcing your refrigerator to settle, which uses a lot of energy. Or you may also save room and money by not purchasing a new bookcase. Also, you have the option to add other features such as color and designs to your fridge. And you can remove the door or leave it as it is.
Idea #2. Cooler
You can use the hollow features of the interior side of your fridge by letting it lie flat on the ground. However, to make it useful during the summer season, you need to add some finishing touches. If you turn it into a cooler, you’ll add some ice and a couple of drinks. But what will happen if it melts and your cooler is not waterproof?
The water will drain out. So, you need to apply some insulation materials and boards inside. And to make your ice cooler look rustic, you can cover the exterior with wood panels. Your old fridge will also keep the drinks cool because it has a door to close.
Idea #3. Pantry cabinet
Like your bookcase, you can also use your old fridge as a storage compartment for your kitchen goods. But don’t store products that need to chill. An example is your meat produce.
It will also fit your kitchen layout since it looks like a fridge on the outside. And the shelves, side baskets, and crispers are essential in holding your groceries and other foods. Or you can use it to place your pans and pots.
Idea #4. Wine cellar
If you don’t have enough space on your wall-mounted drawers for your wine collection, then you shouldn’t throw away your old fridge. It’s size and be helpful to store wine and turn it into a cellar.
However, to make it more suited for wine bottles, we need to remove the shelves and turn them into panels that can hold the bottles on the neck. You can use open-boarded wood pallets and turn them upside down.
And you can use the hollow side to hold the bottles. Or you can naturally use other wood panels and make a grooved arch for the neck. The wood feature can also add to its rustic design.
Idea #5. Plant storage
There are still plenty of ways you can do to your fridge for other means, such as plants. The first one is that you can remove the shelves and crispers to allow more space. And you can detach the door for sufficient airflow for your plants.
After that, you can settle it flat on the ground and add soil and compost inside. Plant some seeds or sprouts and let them blossom naturally with enough supply of sunlight and water. The second one is that you can leave it as it is together with the shelves and other compartments.
And you can use the fridge as a mini greenhouse for your growing sprouts. We suggest that you turn your door into a glass one for a better vision of your seedlings. Then, you can place these two ideas onto your garden and make them part of nature.
Idea #6. Sofa or couch
Have you ever heard of Fridgecouch? Adrian Johnson, a Canadian designer, considered it as one of his best works. He recycles old refrigerators into comfortable furniture. Some of them even have side tables made from the fridge’s door. They also vary in size and color.
This idea is the hardest to make since you have to add multiples of features such as batting. Also, you need to remove electrical components to make them more user-friendly.
Closing Thoughts
And those are some of the creative ideas on how to recycle a fridge. There’s still a broad perspective of transforming a fridge into reusable equipment that you need to discover. For example, you can make use of only its doors, rack, crispers, and many more.
You don’t need to make use of the entire unit. All you need to do is be creative and practical. We hope this article provided you some inspiration. For more ideas, click here! Best of luck!